ALL-NIGHT RAID.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 88, 24 January 1942, Page 3

ALL-NIGHT RAID.

THE BOMBING OF CATANIA. CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE CAUSED (United Press Association—Copyrights LONDON, January 22. For more than 10 hours on Tuesday night wave' alter wave of Royal Air Force Wellington bombers swept in from the sea and blasted German and Italian forces based at Catania, on the east coast of Sicily, says the Air Ministry News Service. By the time the last bomber had left, just before daybreak the air crews had reported throughout the night about 20 fires from burning aircraft. It was the second night in succession that the aerodrome had been attacked, and it was the fourth raid on Sicilian air bases during the last week.

A pilot officer in one of the later formations of bombers was fortunate enough to find the aerodrome illuminated. The perimeter and landing lights were switched on to enable two

Junkers 88’s to come in. The bomber pilot waited until he calculated that the first Junkers was about to touch down, and then released all his bombs in a stick along the runway. The Junkers 88 had just touched the ground as one bomb exploded in front of it. A fire was also started shortly before 8 o’clock by a flight lieutenant, whose bombs fell across the runway, and in- the northern corner of the aerodrome, which was being used by the enemy as a dispersal point for bombers. < Several fires were started, and these were followed by at least 12 explosions. The pilot said that he could still see the fires burning when he was more than 40 miles away. Arriving over the target shortly afterwards, a New Zealand squadron leader reported that he saw a number of explosions and fires in the dispersal area. So heavy was the anti-aircraft fire when he approached to make his attack that he dived several thousand feet to put off the ground gunners. Bombs from his aircraft started two large fires which* were visible at least 50 miles away, and caused a series of violent explosions. Other hits were scored on the administration buildings at the northern end of the aerodrome. More fires were started, and one air crew counted nine large explosions. A sergeant pilot said that when he arrived over the target there were several bluish-white glows, which were the remains of burning aircraft. Targets in Greece and Libya. The Royal Air Force communique reporting the raid on Catania says that during the same night objectives at Salamis, in Greece, were raided, but because of low cloud the results of the attacks could not be observed. Bombs were also dropped at Heraklion, in Crete, and objectives near Patras, in the Gulf of Corinth. Operations in Libya were again severely curtailed by bad weather, but during Tuesday British bombers scored a number of hits on barracks buildings west of Homs, and machinegunned lorries on the coastal road/ Other aircraft attacked motor transport at Zuara, and machine-gunned a Caproni bomber on the Zuara aer/j- ---•* drome. Enemy road communications were also bombed. Tripoli harbour was effectively raided by Royal Air Force machines, and in the harbour area and the seaplane base large fires broke out. From these and other operations one British aircraft is missing. - A communique from Malta reports that four enemy / bombers and two ‘ fighters were seriously damaged in raids on the island to-day. Four alerts were sounded and some bombs were dropped, but there were no casualties. British Official Wireless.