Fearful Toll Of Fleet's Big Guns

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 196, 19 August 1940, Page 7

Fearful Toll Of Fleet's Big Guns

BOMBARD ITALIANS

Concentration Of Troops For Invasion Of Egypt Plastered

(United Press Association.—Copyright.—Eec. 12.30 p.m.)

LONDON, August 18

During the bombardment of Libya by the British Fleet, the Air Arm spotting 'planes reported that every 15in shell landed in the target area. One directly hit Fort Capuzzo and another a native troop compound. The small Italian fort of Ramla, which marked the Italian-Egyptian border, it is believed, no longer exists.

The great guns of the fleet swung to a fresh bearing after several minutes of intensive fire and plastered an area where large concentrations of troops were reported to be massing for the invasion of Egypt.

Four salvoes directly hit the target and others damaged the barracks at Bardia. The bombardment lasted 30 minutes, and the fleet then went out to sea.

l o *^? e °i e ? attack hom Italian bombers came 90 minutes f ter ; ~B nt,sh nghters, swooping down from the sun, surprised Aβ Italians, and the attackers jettisoned their bombs after losing I I planes. The Beet continued its voyage unmolested.

An Italian communique says: "Enemy warships fired 300 shells against Bardia and the hinterland. One soldier was killed and 1 1 wounded. Our 'planes went out against the enemy ships and planes. We shot down seven British and probably another two. An Italian submarine sank a British 9000-ton tanker in the Atlantic.

The British Admiralty communique says that, following the bombardments, the fleet was subjected to heavy bombing attacks Afl r" ITI * h Ut **" F" , *? 1 nO dama * e or ca«»»ltie* in the Heet. At least 1 I enemy bombers were seen by ships to fall into the sea, shot down by the British fighter escort.

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