AIR SUCCESSES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 February 1943, Page 3

AIR SUCCESSES

HEAVY BOMBERS ACTIVE TELLING RAIDS ON CRETE AND ITALY. FACTORIES AMONG OBJECTIVES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.45 a.m.) RUGBY, February 21. A Middle East communique states:— “Yesterday there was nothing to report from our land forces. Bad visibility prevented air operations in the forward area On the night of February 19, heavy bombers attacked the airfields of Herakalion and Kastelli Padiada, in Crete, starting fires at both places. The same night a raider was shot down by our fighters and crashed into the sea north of Alexandria. In daylight yesterday, United States heavy bombers attacked Naples and Crotone. Hits were scored on three ships, one large and two medium sized, at Naples, while a chemical factory and the town and harbour areas received hits at Crotone. Malta’s fighters shot up anothfer factory in southern Sicily. All our aircraft returned safely.” FIGHTING FRENCH FORCES COMMANDER TAKES OVER NEW POST. WITH BRITISH EIGHTH ARMY. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.45 a.m) RUGBY, February 21. General Leclerc, commander-in-chief of the Fighting French forces in Africa, who led his troops fifteen hundred miles north from the Chad, has relinquished his comAand to pursue active operations with the Eighth Army. His command has passed to General Marchand, who was in command when the Chad forces first joined the Fighting French.