THE EASTERN FRONT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 249, 29 July 1940, Page 5

THE EASTERN FRONT.

BRITISH RECONNAISSANCES. V OVER ITALIAN SOMALILAND. REPORT OF ENEMY CRASH. (United Press Association.—Copyrlgnt.) (Received... This -Day ; 11.15 a.m.) LONDON, -July 28. A Nairobi communique states: “Yesterday was quiet. Our aircraft carried out wide reconnaissances over Italian Somaliland. “It is reliably reported than an enemy aircraft crashed between Mendera and Movale on July 15.”—British Official Wireless.

ITALIAN AIRCRAFT BOMBED.

RAID ON NAVAL STORES.

TTH/VVY ATTACK OXI MALTA. , LONDON, July 27. A Royal Ail’ Force communique issued in Cairo states : “A reconnaissance flight was carried out on Derna, which was raided on the previous day. It was confirmed that six enemy .aircraft were, badly damaged. Blenheims again raided the aerodrome, all their bombs dropping among enemy aircraft, Photographs confirm that four or five more suffered direct hits. All our. aircraft returned safely.

“As on the previous raid, Glostcr Gladiators went up to cover the return of the bombers, but no enemy fighters were encountered. “Raids were carried out on naval stores at Assab and on objectives at Raliweita. Some enemy bombers on the ground at Mille were machinegunned by our aircraft, and smoke was seen coming from them as our bombers left. . “Three formations of enemy aircrait flew.over Malta yesterday. Our fighters went up immediately and drove the enemy away. No bombs were dropped.” An official announcement made in Cairo on the air raid on Alexandria in the early hours of to-day says that it lasted about half an hour. A few bombs were dropped but no damage and no casualties were reported. An Italian, communique states that the naval base at Malta was heavily bombed during the night. It is reported from Madrid that Gibraltar was intensively bombed tonight, A Cairo message says it is stated officially by Royal Air Force Headquarters that no Royal Air Force* aircraft of that command was in the vicinity of either Gaeta or Rome on the nfght of July 24: This; statement refers to the curious occurrence in Rome, in which civilians were reported to have boon injured by splinters from an anti-aircraft barrage put up by the Italians.- Other reports mention an alarm from Gaeta, a naval station 74 miljes north-w.cst- of Naples, as the cause of thei anti-aircraft gunfire. The German. Official Nows; Agency accounts of the raids omitted to mention that the casualties were caused hv anti-aii-fora.ft gun splinters, and not- bombs Since no British aircraft were involved the “raid” is something of a mystery, and some commentators are inclined to explain it by the wish of the Germans and Italians to provide stories of civilian casualties as advance ( justification” for large scale air attacks on the civil population of Britain. British Official Wind ess. BRITAIN HAS 4,200,000 MEN. (Received This Day, 0.50 a.m.) LONDON, July 28. The total registered for military service is now 4,200,000.