ITALIANS IN EGYPT RAID PAY DEARLY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 211, 6 September 1941, Page 8

ITALIANS IN EGYPT RAID PAY DEARLY

FIVE SHOT DOWN

Dashing Attack By South African Fighters

Wirrtws. Pec. 11 a.m. RUGBY, Sept. 5. Behind the short but graphic announcement in Cast night's R.A F communique that five Italian fighters y ere shot down and others damaged :n a Middle Fast air battle over the Egyptian frontier, lies a thrilling •-■'ory of successes achieved by a South African fighter squadron". It was the squadron's best day since it came to the Western Desert.

Italian fighters attempted to ground-strafe a forward aerodrome and also tried to shoot up troops bathing in the sea. but thev paid dearly for their temerity.' The raiders did little damage, "but five Italian aircraft are now wrecks and five Italian pilots are dead. It was a costly venture.

Seventeen or 18 Italians took part in the raid and the South Africans were up in the air after them within a minute and a half. One pilot from Johannesburg said: "The Italians were i.i formation when we met them and they tried franticallv to break off. so in a matter of seconds the light was scattered over a wide area. I pot. two on my tail, but two of mv fellow pilots came and helped me to deal with them. I saw one going out to sea and got after him and gave him a burst and down he went, trashing into the water.

"The fight, which went on for about 20 minutes, took place between 1000 and 2000 feet, so our troops had a grandstand view of what was going on. They cheered wildly as they saw three Italian aircraft come spinning to the ground."

The Italian force consisted of GSO and Macchi C2OO planes, and this was the first occasion on which the, Tomahawks of the South African squadron had an opportunity of a stand-up fight with the 'Italian fighters. All the South Africans returned safely, and the distinction of shooting down the Italians went to two pilots from Capetown, and other pilots from Johannesburg, Durban and East London. Two Planes in 30 Seconds A South African Spitfire pilot shot down two out of three Messerschmitts 109 within half a minute over the Channel to-day and landed at his base only 20 minutes after he had taken off. He was on a patrol and saw three Messerschmitts below him. "I dived and fired at one of them," he said. "Within a second the enemy belched black smoke and lust went to pieces—blew up in front of me as fragments fell towards the sea. I swung round to attack the others but the leader halfrolled and d'ved away into the haze.

"The third Messerschmitt climbed as though to try to attack me. I opened fire as I turned towards him. Right away his tail flew off. He flicked over and started spinning down out of control towards the haze. I followed him down to about 3000 ft. As it was obvious he could do nothing to save himself I decided to come home."