DESTRUCTIVE RAIDS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 October 1941, Page 5

DESTRUCTIVE RAIDS

MADE BY BRITISH PLANES ON OIL INSTALLATIONS AT PIRAEUS. AND ON ENEMY BASES IN SICILY. LONDON, October 8. British aircraft have carried out highly successful raids on the Piraeus (the port of Athens) and on military targets in Sicily. All the planes returned. The Piraeus has one of the most important oil installations in the Mediterranean region.- It was subjected to a smashing blow. Oil installations, power stations, chemical works and warehouses were attacked and the whole target area was left burning. Heavy explosions came from the oil plant. Other successful attacks were made on Bardia, Tripoli and other centres in North Africa. NOTABLE RESULTS ACHIEVED WITHOUT LOSS BOMBING ATTACKS ON GREECE, SICILY & LIBYA. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.10 a.m.) RUGBY, October 8. A R.A.F. Middle East communique states: “A highly successful raid was carried out on the night of October 6 on oil installations, harbour buildings and shipping at the Piraeus. Widespread fires, which covered the whole target area with clouds of dense black smoke rising to a height of 2000 feet, and subsequent heavy explosions, resulted from the attack on oil installations. The bombing of chemical works, warehouses and pier facilities was equally successful. “On the night of October G naval aircraft dropped bombs on hangars and slipways at Marsala, the dispersal area of Cherbini, and among warehouses in northern Licata. On the previous day Comiso aerodrome was raided and considerable damage was done to barrack buildings, hangars and troops quarters. At Catania railway engine sheds and sidings were bombed. There were five direct hits on a railway roundhouse containing about 27 engines. “A direct hit was obtained on a large merchantman in Tripoli Harbour and many bombs fell on the Spanish Quay and near the Karamali Mole, during an attack by R.A.F. bombers on the night of October 6. On the same night our bombers caused large fires among fuel dumps near Bardia. Two hours later, other raiders found the fires still burning and their bombs caused them, to spread. When the last aircraft left the target the whole area was burning fiercely. “Important military objectives at Gambut were successfully attacked by a combined force of the South African Air Force and Royal Australian Air Forse.

-From these and other operations all our planes returned safely.”