FAR & WIDE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 November 1941, Page 6

FAR & WIDE

AIR ATTACKS ON ITALY & LIBYA MUCH DAMAGE TO BASES & TRANSPORT. WITHOUT LOSS OF BRITISH PLANES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.58 a.m.) RUGBY, November 11. A communique states: “Objectives in Libya were successfully attacked by the R.A.F. on the night of November 9. At Benghazi many bombs fell on the base of the Cathedral Mole and fires and explosions were observed. At Gazala tents, stores, aircraft and motor transport on both landing grounds were raided. Large fires were also seen after targets at Bardia had been bombed. Store dumps at the Berka aerodrome were raided and violent explosions occurred. Other bombers attacked motor transort on the road between Derna and Barce. “Off Alexandria yesterday one enemy aircraft, which attempted to approach the city, was intercepted by our fighters and extensively damaged. “Bombers were again active over Sicily and Southern Italy on the night of November 9. The submarine base at Augusta was bombed, while, in a raid on Messina, large explosions were caused at a power station. Other bombs fell in the vicinity of the railway station, the citadel and the harbour. At Naples fires broke out after bombs had been dropped on marshalling yards and other’ objectives in the town, and the dock area was also successfully bombed. A’ number of enemy aircraft approached Malta, on the night of November 9, and were engaged by our pight fighters. Two of the enemy planes were severely damaged and it is thought to be unlikely that they regained their base. “From these and other operations all our planes returned safely.”