AXIS ACTIVITY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 April 1942, Page 3

AXIS ACTIVITY

UNDER CLOSE OBSERVATION IN LIBYA BIGGEST RAID TO DATE ON MALTA. AT LEAST FOUR ENEMY PLANES SHOT DOWN. LONDON, April 8. A special communique from Army Headquarters in Cairo describes enemy movements in Libya. During the last two days the enemy has shown increased activity in the forward area. Two or three of their columns are'operating in the Tmimi-Mekili area but have not reached our forward positions. The enemy movements are being closely watched. Malta had its biggest air raid to date last night. Four enemy planes were shot down for certain and a number of others were probably destroyed. ATTACKS & RAIDS BRITISH AIRCRAFT BUSY IN MIDDLE EAST. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.55 a.m.) RUGBY, April 8. A R.A.F. Middle East communique states: “Our fighters and bombers were in action in the forward area in Cyrenaica yesterday, attacking enemy troops and motor-vehicles. One Macchif 202 was shot down and another enemy aircraft was damaged. Further raids on moles and shipping at Benghazi and on the landing ground at Berka were carried out on Monday night. “Enemy aircraft operated over the Alexandria area on Tuesday night. Two of them were destroyed and others damaged. There were no casualties and damage was slight. “Air raids on Malta were continued on an intensive scale yesterday. Antiaircraft gunfire shot down two Junkers 88s and one Messerschmitt 109. ft is now known that a further Junkers 88 was destroyed on Monday afternoon. “Two of our aircraft are missing, but one pilot is safe.”