HARD HITTING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 August 1941, Page 5

HARD HITTING

BY BRITISH AIRCRAFT IN MEDITERRANEAN HEAVY ATTACKS ON HARBOURS. MUCH DAMAGE DONE ON LAND & SEA. (British Official Wireless.l (Received This Day. 11 a.m.) RUGBR. August 22. . A R.A.F. Middle East communique states: “During the night of August 20, R.A.F. bombers attacked the harbour at Benghazi and obtained a number of direct hits on railway sidings. "Yesterday our bombers attacked enemy landing-grounds at Gambut and Monastir and fighters of the South African Air Force, while providing protection for our shipping in the Mediterranean, had several engagements with enemy aircraft. “On the previous day, South African bombers attacked a concentration of enemy tanks near Mersa Luk. Our fighters carried out a number of patrols but no combats took place.

“R.A.F. aircraft attacked and damaged an enemy sloop off Sicily yesterday. Pieces of wreckage were observed flying from the bridge and superstructure. “On August 20 our aircraft 1 carried out an attack on the harbour of Syracuse and shot down three balloons in flames and damaged a number of seaplanes. Oil tanks nearby were also repeatedly hit. “Three of our aircraft are missing from all the above operations, but it is known that the crew of one is safe and that at least two members of another crew escaped."