ITALIAN SHIPS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 September 1943, Page 4

ITALIAN SHIPS

DESTROYED BY BRITISH SUBMARINES IN CONCLUDING STAGES OF OPERATIONS. SUCCESSFUL ATTACKS IN MANY AREAS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.20 a.m.) RUGBY, September 10. “During the concluding stages of the Mediterranean operations against Italy,” states an Admiralty communique, “his Majesty’s submarines destroyed a number of vessels and damaged others. Most of these successful operations were carried out in the Southern Adriatic. In the Straits of Taranto a submarine torpedoed a large supply ship, which subsequently sank. A mediumsized supply ship was torpedoed and sunk en route to Valona. North of Brindisi two torpedo hits, were scored on a large tanker proceeding under escort of a destroyer and two corvettes. The tanker was later seen beached. In the same area a large transport was attacked and damaged while forming up in a convoy, four explosions,being heard. In the vicinity of Bari a medium-sized supply ship was torpedoed and sunk, a number of survivors being rescued from a raft. In the course of an attack on a large supply ship in the same area ,a torpedo hit was observed abreast the mainmast. A reconnaissance near Point Alice, in the Gulf of Tarkanto, revealed work proceeding on a stranded destroyer of the Partenope class. A torpedo hit caused the whole after part of the ship to break off and sink.

Shipping oft the west coast of Italy was also harassed by submarines. Near the island of Monte Cristo an armed supply vessel of medium size was intercepted and sunk. Near this area another supply vessel was hit by three torpedoes and destroyed. In the Northern Aegean, a mediumsized supply ship, proceeding in a strongly-escorted convoy, was torpedoed and sunk. Further successes include the sinking of three small naval auxiliary craft and four other small vessels.”