UNCEASING ATTACKS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 June 1942, Page 3

UNCEASING ATTACKS

MADE BY ALLIED AIRCRAFT IN FORWARD BATTLE AREAS. AND ON ENEMY BASES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.30 a.m.) RUGBY, June 26. Today's R.A.F. Middle East communique states: "From first to last light yesterday, bombers and fighter-bombers of the R.A.F. and the S.A.A.F. made repeated attacks on enemy forces advancing towards Mersa Matruh and to the west of Mersa Matruh. “Our fighters made numerous sweeps over forward battle areas, strafing enemy transport columns, landing grounds and enemy aircraft on the ground at Sidi Barrani. Enemy air activity was on a small scale. A number of fires and explosions were caus-

ed by a strong attack on Benghazi on Wednesday night by R.A.F. Wellingtons United States Army Air Corps Liberators. The railway south of Benghazi and enemy transport in the Gambut area were also successfully bombed. Last night a similar strong force of Wellingtons and Liberators attacked Tobruk. The Liberators concentrated on the harbour and the Wellingtons on land targets. Reports of the damage done are not yet available. “Two small-scale raids were attempted on Malta on Wednesday night. One was turned back by our night fighters before it reached the target. Night fighters destroyed two enemy machines and anti-aircraft fire a third. “On the same night our bombers from Malta attacked an enemy convoy near Taranto. “Last night enemy bombers attacked our positions eastwards of Mersa Matruh. “Four of our aircraft are missing.”