EIGHTY AIR RAIDS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 246, 25 July 1940, Page 5

EIGHTY AIR RAIDS.

SMALL DAMAGE AT MALTA.

ITALIANS LOSE 12 ’PLANES.

(Received This Day, 9.5 a.m.) LONDON, July 24

There have been 80 air raids on Malta since Italy’s entry into the war. The damage to military objectives has been small. Twelve Italian ’planes have been brought down and nine severely damaged. The Royal Air Force lost one ’plane. Most of the attacks have been by day, but a few by night, and both high-ox plosive and incendiary bombs have been dropped, with a few machinegun attacks. ' At the beginning of the war civilian casualties were comparatively heavy, but with growing knowledge of the need to take cover they have markedly diminished. The great majority of the casualties • have been civilian. This does not imply that th 6 Italians deliberately bombed non-mili-tary objectives, but shows that when seeking military objectives they were forced to fly high by British anti-air-craft fire and fighter activity. Damage certainly has been done to Malta by Italian bombs, but it is authoritatively stated that the damage to military objectives is slight. Antiaircraft batteries have played their full part and are estimated to have accounted for two of the twelve Italian planes brought down, and four of the nine severely damaged. Besides the British garrison, there is a lai’ge number of Maltese troops, who played a considerable and successful part in the defence-of the island. The Royal Maltese Artillery has been expanded with anti-aircraft, as well as coast defence batteries, while one battery, for the first time in history, has gone from the island to the Middle East. The King’s Own Malta Regiment of infantry has done well, and there also exists an organisation similar to the Britisli Home Guard. Many Maltese are also serving ,in naval patrol vessels. Thus the Maltese are making every use of their own man-power in the defence of the island and by obviating tjie necessity of sending more British troops are materially assisting the Empire in the war effort.—British Official, Wireless.