HEAVILY DEFEATED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 March 1942, Page 4

HEAVILY DEFEATED

ENEMY NAVAL & AIR FORCES IN MEDITERRANEAN ACTION. ADMIRALTY GIVES DETAILS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day. Noon.) RUGBY, March 25. It is now possible to give some further details of the naval operations in the Mediterranean on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. An Admiralty communique states: “As already announced, these operations had as their object the passage of a convoy carrying important supplies to Malta, an object which was successfully achieved. “Weather conditions on Sunday,” the communique continues, “were very bad, and air reconnaissance could not be relied on. Early on Sunday afternoon, an enemy force consisting of four cruisers was sighted to the northward. The enemy was at once attacked by our light cruisers and destroyers, under the command of Rear Admiral Vian and the enemy was driven off without having inflicted any damage on our convoy, its escorts er its covering force.

“Soon after 4.50 p.m. on Sunday, Rear-Admiral Vian again sighted the enemy. This time they consisted of one battleship of the Littorio class, two heavy eight-inch gun cruisers and four other cruisers, accompanied by destroyers. Despite the great disparity of force, Rear-Admiral Vian at once led his light cruisers and destroyers to the attack in order to drive the enemy ships away from the convoy. During the brilliant action which followed, our destroyers delivered a torpedo attack cn the enemy, closing the powerful enemy squadron to a range of three miles before firing their torpedoes. In pressing home this attack, our destroyers received valuable support from our light cruisers. This determined attack against a greatly superior force, not only inflicted serious damage on the enemy, but threw him into confusion and forced him to retire without having made contact with our convoy. “The Littorio class battleship was seen to be flit amidships by a torpedo. She was also hit by gunfire from our cruisers and set on fire aft. Severe damage was also inflicted, upon one enemy cruiser and a second enemy cruiser was hit. By a skilful use of smoke-screens, our force avoided serious damage. Some damage, however, was suffered by one of our destroyers. Cur casualties were not heavy. . “After this action, the Italian fleet made no further attempt to intercept our convoy and withdrew towards its bases.

“Throughout Sunday, our convoy, its escorts and its covering force were subjected to continuous bombing attacks. During the afternoon, while our light forces were engaged with the enemy fleet, these air attacks increased in intensity, and it is estimated that about 150 bombers were being used. No damage or casualties were caused to any of his Majesty’s ships or to the convoy, by any of those heavy air attacks. Details of the losses inflicted upon the enemy air forces have not yet been received. “The convoy was again heavily attacked from the air on Monday. During this series of attacks, one ship of the convoy was hit and subsequently sank. One destroyer also was hit, but has since reached harbour. The enemy renewed his air attacks on Tuesday morning, but without inflicting any further damage. “That the very large scale of air effort employed by the enemy achieved so little success was due to the close co-operation of the R.A.F.. the most effective anti-aircraft fire of the convoy and its escorts and also the fine seamanship and steadiness of the ships in the convoy. These operations, in which our light forces fought off and severely damaged a greatly superior enemy and repulsed continual heavy air' attacks, constitute a notable achievement.”