AIR REINFORCEMENTS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 July 1942, Page 4

AIR REINFORCEMENTS

CONVEYED TO MALTA BY AMERICAN CARRIER. ARRIVING PLANES GO AT ONCE INTO BATTLE. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.5 a.m.) RUGBY, July 1. The air reinforcement of Malta by means of an American aircraftcarrier is reported in the first communique issued by the commander of the United States naval forces in Europe, Admiral Stark. The aircraft-carrier Wasp recently accomplished ferry trips to the Mediterranean, carrying aeroplane reinfrocements for beleaguered Malta. The mission was highly successful from every standpoint and was carried out without incident to the Wasp or her escorts. On one of these operations, when British planes which had taken off from the Wasp’s flight deck were over the island, an enemy air attack developed. The Wasp reinforcement and a group of R.A.F. planes repelled the air attack with considerable losses to the enemy, who was surprised by the unexpected fighter strength he encountered. After taking off from the Wasp, R.A.F. fighters went straight into action with the enemy over Malta, subsequently landing in Malta. They refuelled immediately and became engaged in an almost continuous air battle over the island. The operations carried out by the Wasp not only inflicted heavy defeat m the air upon the enemy, but brought timely reinforcements to the heroic garrison and inhabitants of Malta.