HEAVILY BOMBED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 June 1942, Page 3

HEAVILY BOMBED

ENEMY BASES & TRANSPORT ROYAL AIR FORCE ACTIVE. WITH HELP OF AMERICAN LIBERATORS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.55 a.m.) RUGBY, June 23. The bombing of enemy rear bases in Libya is one of the R.A.F’s. most important tasks at the moment. In this work Liberator bombers of the United States Army Air Corps are co-operating with the R.A.F. A Middle East communique, describing these and other operations, states: “Throughout yesterday and the previous night, our aircraft attacked the enemy in Libya, raiding aerodromes, shooting up supply transport and heavily bombing rear bases, such as Benghazi. Bostons of the South African Air Force bombed enemy transport on the road between Tobruk and Capuzzo and raided Beheira Aerodrome. Heavy bombers operated against Gazala and Tmimi. Liberators of the United States Army Air Corps co-operated with R.A.F. bombers in raiding Benghazi on Sunday night. Many fires were caused and damage was done to railway sidings and harbour moles. “Our fighters maintained constant

patrols throughout the day, but little enemy opposition was encountered. “Targets in Greece and Crete were attacked on Sunday night. An enemy convoy of two medium-sized merchant vessels, accompanied by destroyers, was attacked by our torpedo-carrying aircraft. Hits were registered on one merchant vessel. “In a raid on Malta on Sunday three Messerschmitt 109 s were shot down by Spitfires and other enemy aircraft were damaged. “Two of our planes are missing, but the pilot of one is believed to be safe.”