AIR ACTIVITIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 November 1941, Page 6

AIR ACTIVITIES

MANY EFFECTIVE ATTACKS IN & BEYOND BATTLE AREA. ENEMY TRANSPORT & BASES BLASTED.

(British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 12.10 p.m,) RUGBY, November 24. “Further successful operations in support of our offensive in Libya were carried our aircraft yesterday and on Sunday,” states tonight’s R.A.F. Middle East communique. “In the battle area', our fighters have been particularly active, and five Junkers 87s, five Messerschmitt IC9s and one G5O were shot down. Many enemy dive-bombers and 'fighters were • severely damaged. “Low-level machine-gunning attacks were made on enemy aircraft on the ground in the Barce area, where four Savoia 79s were destroyed. Another Savoia 79 was shot down by our fight- . ers in an unsuccessful attempt by the enemy to raid one of our landing grounds. Co-operating with the Imperii ■ ial land forces, R.A.F. and South African bombers made a series of raids on enemy tanks, motor transport and personnel in the battle zone. Direct hits were obtained on armoured - fighting vehicles and motor transport in the Bir El Gobi area, where our bombers shot down one Messerschmitt 109. The road from El Adem, to Bir El Gobi was also heavily bombed. “Further concentrated raids, in which a squadron of Free French bombers took an active part, were carried out in the vicinity of El Adam. “On the night of November 22, our bombers raided the aerodromes at Benina and Berea. At Benina, a large fire was started in the aerodrome buildings and considerable damage was done to petrol installations. At leasf. one enemy aircraft was seen to burst into flames on the ground. At Berea, direct hits were scored on buildings, a motor transport dispersal area and bomb dumps. Fires and explosions were observed. “Other bombers were active over Tripoli and Gazala. At the last-named . objective, a large petrol dump was destroyed. “A force of Macchi fighters which approached the coast of Malta during Saturday was intercepted by our fighters. Three of the enemy planes were shot down and others were badly damaged. “In the course of operations in Abyssinia, in the Gondar area, we machinegunned posts at the Azozo aerodrome and the barracks at Gondar were effectively bombed. From these and other operations, thirteen of our planes are missing.