HEAVY BOMBING

Waikato Times, Volume 129, Issue 21584, 21 November 1941, Page 5

HEAVY BOMBING

NAVY AND AIR FORCE FULL=SCALE BARRAGE TREMENDOUS DAMAGE ! (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Nov. 20 The Navy and the Royal Air Force laid the groundwork for the ad- j vance in Cyrenaica. From a score { of desert airfields hundreds of British j and American bombers and fighters ! on Monday attacked every forward I enemy landing field. Gazala, wnere Rommel's divebombers were concentrated, was plastered all day, as were also the Italian headquarters between Tobruk and Bardia, and the coastal road, where a score of supply lorries were caught and burned. Toward evening the Navy, which had previously bombarded points o;i the Libyan coast swept in again, turning a full-scale six-inch gun barrage on Halfaya Pass and also on enemy positions at Solium. Mass flights of Royal Air Force bombers and fighters have inflicted tremendous damage on the enemy ia continuous assaults since the opening of the offensive, reports the Cairo correspondent of the United Press. Australian and South African airmen partiiepated in raids on enemy positions for days before the advance. The Navy co-operated by bombing Halfaya Pass and Solium. Sweep of Enemy Positions A message from Middle East headquarters says that as the first lignt approached on Tuesday a small group of fighter pilots, after listening to Mr Churchill’s stirring message, clambered into the cockpits of their machines and set out on a gigantic sweep of enemy positions. Circling overhead they were joined by other aircraft and in battle formation headed northward to begin a ceaseless twelve-hour hammering of German and Italian positions, in which they shot down 18 enemy aircraft, including five Junkers troop-carriers. They also attacked enemy motor transport and armoured fighting vehicles bogged in the soft sand. They heavily raided Tmimi, Derna, Martuba, Agedabia, Bomba and Benghazi. An Air Ministry bulletin states that for months the enemy’s lifeblood in fuel and supplies have been bombed as they arrived at Benghazi and Tripoli. Now the battle has beejn localised, and Wellingtons, Marylands, Blenheims, Albacores, Bostons, Beaufighters, Tomahawks, Martlets and Hurricanes are attacking a variety of targets with a ferocity never yet seen or experienced in North Africa. New Zealand Airmen Beaufighters, in their first big engagement in the offensive, had striking successes, including tne shootingdown of five Junkers troop-carriers. The Air Force operation in this battle is truly representative of the Empire. South Africans, Australians, New Zealanders and Canadians are fighting side by side with air crev/s from Britain. A French squadron is also operating.

A Royal Air Force communique says: “During patrols over Cyrenaica we destroyed 18 aeroplanes. We also successfully machine-gunned motor transports on the Benina road. “Naples and Brindisi were again raided*. The weather prevented full observation of the results, but bombs were seen to burst on the Naples marshalling yards and also on targets in the town. “We attacked merchant shipping in the central Mediterranean, scoring a direct hit on a medium-sized ship which was left in flames after an explosion. One of our machines is missing.”

PLANS WELL LAID SIR T. BLAMEY PLEASED (United Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright, CANBERRA, Nov. 20 The Federal Government has no information that the Australian Imperial Force is taking part in the advance in Libya. The Army Department said it was not likely that the Australians were in action. “I have been waiting for this good news for some time,” said General Sir Thomas Blarney, Commander-in-Chief of the A.1.F., who is visitMelbourne, when made aware of the British advance. “Our plans have been well laid,” he added. “Adequate forces have been provided and it would be very bad luck if the action were not completely successful.” General Blarney said the Tobruk garrison would probably finally be freed as a result of this new, wellorganised British push. “We have always been party to the doctrine of economy of force in using our men and materials,” he said. “On the other hand the Germans place their faith in blitz methods. This is all very well when it comes off. It has not done so against Russia. I hope it will result in weakening their forces and culminating in final victory for the British.”