BATTLE AVOIDED

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21212, 7 September 1940, Page 9

BATTLE AVOIDED

PRECIPITATE RETREAT COWARDICE OF ITALIANS PLANES SHOT DOWN (Omcial Wireless) (Received Sept. 7, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 6 An Admiralty communique on Thursday revealed that in six days’ naval operations in the Mediterranean seventeen enemy aircraft were shot down and at least thirteen more damaged apart from those destroyed on the ground when four aerodromes were bombed. Further losses inflicted on the enemy included the torpedoing of two motor torpedo boats and a torpedo attack on an enemy force consisting of cruisers and destroyers. Mussolini’s navy avoided further loss by beating a precipitate retreat into Taranto, so avoiding an engagement. The British losses amounted to four aircraft. In view of these events the Italian broadcast on August 5 is felt to require some explanation. According to the Italian broadcaster the British Mediterranean Fleet is useless, as it has been “paralysed by Italian action.”

While it is true that the British Fleet is unable effectively to act against faster forces which continually run away, it hardly befits the retreating navy to suggest that the failure of action on the part of an opponent only too eager to come to grips is due to “paralysis.”