DESTRUCTIVE BLOWS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 May 1943, Page 3

DESTRUCTIVE BLOWS

STRUCK BY LIGHT NAVAL FORCES NUMBER OF ENEMY SHIPS SUNK OR DAMAGED. ONE BRITISH VESSEL ABANDONED (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, May 2. An Algiers communique says, “A small detactment of our light coastal forces on the morning of April 28 attacked and rendered useless two Italian minesweepers anchored in a creek. We after- • ward attacked an E-boat and a plane on the beach. An R-boat was set on fire. “Our forces in the afternoon sighted a large motor-vessel moving northward along the >coast escorted by destroyers and planes, and in spite of fire from the shore batteries and fighters torpedoed the motor-vessel, which later sank. “Fighters for over an hour fiercely attacked our craft. After rescuing survivors under fire we abandoned and sank our craft, which had been set on fire. We suffered casualties in killed and wounded. “Our light naval forces on the night of April 29. off the south coast of , Sicily, sank a merchantman which was escorted by R-boats”