TELLING BLOWS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 August 1941, Page 4

TELLING BLOWS

STRUCK IN MEDITERRANEAN BY R.A.F. AND FLEET AIR ARM. HAVOC WROUGHT IN PORTS & OTHER BASES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day. 11.0 a.m.) RUGBY, August 8?. Further widespread operations, conducted without loss, are described in a R.A.F. Middle East communique which states: “During the night of August 9, our bombers attacked several enemy targets in North Africa. Three large fires, accompanied by violent explosions and flying debris, were started in Tripoli, where the dock area was raided. Fires in the neighbourhood of a power house were visible for a considerable distance from the target. Bardia was attacked by R.A.F. bomber formations and also by aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm. Blenheims obtained hits on a motor transport yard, causing explosions and a number of fires. Aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm made a series of dive attacks and started a number of fires. “Heavy bombers also attacked the port of Benghazi, where explosions were seen on railway sidings, and the port of Derna, where fires followed the attack. “Heavy bombers attacked an aerodrome at Eleusis, in Greece, starting a fire and are believed to have destroyed a number of aircraft.

“Bombs were dropped on the harbour of Catania (Sicily) on August 8. One 2,000-ton motor vessel at the quayside was damaged by bombs which fell on or near it. “From all these operations our aircraft returned safely.”