FIRE & HA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 August 1941, Page 5

FIRE & HA

1«lllglll CAUSED IN PUNISHING R.A.F. RAID. GREAT FIRE IN SEAPLANE BASE. I LONDON, July 31. I In the R.A.F.’s first raid on I Sardinia the planes riddled the inside of hangars with machine-gun bullets. The aerodrome and seaplanes near the capital of the island were attacked. Five Italian machines were burnt out and many ethers were heavily damaged. A great fire was caused in a seaplane hangar. Two Italian planes which attempted to intervene were driven off. One was last seen dropping towards the sea with one of its engines on fire and the other out of action. Sardinia was previously raided twice by the Fleet Air Arm, once last year and once early this year. DETAILS OF DAMAGE R.A.F. MIDDLE EAST COMMUNIQUE. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.5 a.m.) RUGBY, July 31. A R.A.F. Middle East communique states: “The R.A.F. carried out a successful attack on an enemy aerodrome and seaplane base in Sardinia yesterday. Considerable destruction was caused to enemy aircraft. Two S79s and three Cant 506's were set on fire and burnt out and several other S79s and a number of seaplanes heavily damaged. In addition many other aircraft were riddled with fire from our aircraft, which sprayed the interiors of hangars with their guns. In a seaplane hangar, a large fire was started and a great column of smoke, visible for twenty miles, rose from what appeared to be a burning aircraft. The crew of a heavy gun, which came into action, was machine-gunned and all its members apparently were killed. One Macchi 200, which attempted to intercept, was driven off. “A R.A.F. formation also encountered a four-engined transport aircraft over the sea, and attacked it. One of its engines was set on fire and another put out of action. The enemy aircraft was last seen descending towards the sea. There is nothing to report elsewhere.”