PLANES SMASHED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 115, 17 May 1941, Page 9

PLANES SMASHED

IRAQ AND SYRIA Fleet Aircraft Successful In Raids British Official Wireless. Rec. 1.30 p.m. RUGBY, May 16. Aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm successfully attacked military barracks at Samawa, in Iraq, states an R.A.F. Middle East Headquarters communique. A large number of bombs fell inside the compound. a i™ an aircraft on three Syrian aerodromes were attacked yesterday othir *T' yra ' three Junkers 99, two other German aircraft and one °th , we T e m ac hine-gunned. At least thi ee of these aircraft were severely damaged and one other was burned out. Similar attacks were made on Damascus and Rayak. German occupied aerodromes in Greece were raided on the night of May 14 and 15. Full details are not available, but preliminary J reports state that large fires were started at the aerodromes. A considerable number of enemy aircraft were destroyed. It is now established that on May 13 and 14 two Messerschmitt 110's and six other German aircraft were destroyed over Crete by British fighters. Malta was again raided yesterday, and the previous night. Some slight damage was caused to R.A.F. property, and a number of civilian houses were destroyed. It is reported from Cairo that there has been no change in the Basra and Habbaniyah areas, where the situation remains calm. The British Government has given notice that limited areas in the Mediterranean, which had been declared dangerous to shipping in February and April, have been extended to include all the waters eastward of the line drawn from Ras El Kanais, on the Egyptian coast, east of Mersa Matruh. to a point about three miles from Cape Khelidonia, in Turkey, with the exception of Turkish territorial waters. Any vessel sailing in these areas without the permission of the British Naval authorities, does so at is own risk and peril. The areas enclose the Mediterranean from a line drawn between these two points to the Syrian coast. An Admiraltj- communique states the H.M. patrol vessel Perfective *«hot down an enemy aircraft during the night of May 14 and 15. The aircraft was sighted flying at aboiu 200 ft, and instantly engaged with tracer bullets. It was hit and the engine cut out, the aircraft crashing i into the sea.