AIR ATTACKS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 December 1941, Page 6

AIR ATTACKS

ON MANY MEDITERRANEAN TARGETS BRITISH AND IMPERIAL FORCES. RAIDS ON ENEMY TRANSPORT. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, Noon.) RUGBY, December 14.

A R.A.F. Middle East communique states: “In the course of extensive and successful operations over the battle area in Libya on Decembei 1 and 13, fighting aircraft of the R.A.F., the R.A.A.F. and the S.A.A.F. destroyed eighteen enemy aircraft and severely damaged large numbers of othei enemy aircraft. Those destroyed comprised eleven Messerschmitt 109 s, three Macchi 2025, one' Junkers 87 and. two fighters which were not clearly identified. Our bomber aircraft were also active in raiding enemy motor transport and road communications between Bomba and Derna. • “During the night of December 12 our aircraft sighted enemy ships, which turned and were engaged by the Royal Navy. Later enemy units were again sighted. One cruiser was completely gutted, another was on fire and a third unit was steaming in a westerly direction, with destroyers picking up survivors. . “Yesterday our bomber aircrait attacked shipping off Navarino, Methone and Argostoli. The results of the attacks could not be clearly observed. One Messerschmitt 109 was shot down into the sea off Argolstoli, after tiying to intercept our bombers. It is now learned that on December 11 our aircraft shot down a CR42 into the sea in the Central Mediterranean. “From these and other operations sixteen of our aircraft are missing.