BRITISH CONVOYS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 February 1942, Page 3

BRITISH CONVOYS

TAKEN THROUGH MEDITERRANEAN Only Two Merchant Ships Lost IN SPITE OF DESPERATE ENEMY EFFORTS n.. ■ — , FOUR ITALIAN WARSHIPS TORPEDOED

LONDON, February 18. In the Central Mediterranean a British submarine has scored another success against one of Mussolini’s 8-inch gun cruisers, hitting her twice with torpedoes. The action followed on the passing through the Mediterranean of certain British convoys, between last Friday and Monday. The enemy made desperate efforts to prevent this operation, using both surface forces and aircraft, but only the aircraft made contact with our ships. As usual the enemy has made extravagant claims, but the facts are that none of our ships or the escorting warships suffered any casualties. Slight damage was done to one warship and two merchant ships were damaged and had to be sunk by our own forces as towing was impracticable. All our other ships reached their destinations. The enemy lost five aircraft for certain and probably four more. It was reported yesterday that two Italian cruisers and one destroyer were hit by torpedoes. These ships were intercepted by our forces as they were returning to port after failing to find the British convoys.