LULL IN LIBYA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 February 1942, Page 3

LULL IN LIBYA

CAUSED BY SAND=STORMS BOMBING OF ENEMY BASES. NO CONTACT MADE ON LAND. LONDON, February 25. Both land and air operations in Cyrenaica have been hampered by heavy sandstorms, but Benghazi, Martuba, Tripoli and other enemy bases have been bombed by our planes. On land, intensive patrolling was carried out on the whole front, but visibility was poor and no contact with the enemy was made. A Cairo communique reports: —“During the night of February 23, a patrol of the South African Union Defence Force surprised and inflicted casualties upon a party of the enemy north of the Tmimi-Mekili track, without loss to itself.” BOMBERS IN ACTION DAMAGE DONE TO ENEMY BASES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.56 a.m.) RUGBY, February 25. A R.A.F. Middle East communique states: "Targets at Martuba, Derna and Tripoli were raided by bomber aircraft of the R.A.F. during Monday night. Fires broke out at Derna and Martuba and a violent explosion was caused on the main road north of Martuba. At Tripoli bombs burst between the harbour entrance and the Spanish Quay. Bombs were also dropped at Benghazi and Cyrcne. “Enemy aircraft continued to raid Malta yesterday. Some military and civil damage was caused, but the casualties were slight. It is now known that a Messerschmitt 109 was shot down in the course of raids on Monday. Four of our aircraft are missing.” *