HEAVY BOMBING

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 228, 26 September 1941, Page 7

HEAVY BOMBING

NORTH AFRICAN BASES Imperial Air Forces' Constant Onslaughts Rec. 1.30 p.m. LONDON, Sept. 25. An R.A.F. Middle East communique states; "Tripoli and Bengasi were again successfully raided by heavy bombers on the night of September 23-24. At Tripoli many bombs were dropped on shipping in the harbour and fires broke out. At Bengasi harbour shipping was attacked and one vessel moored at the outer mole was hit and exploded, debris being thrown a considerable distance. Other bombs burst on the moles and straddled ships and anchorages.

"The Fleet Air Arm bombed buildings near Bardia on the same night. A large fire followed the attack. "In daylight yesterday the traffic on the Bengasi road between Misurata and Sirte "was bombed and machine-gunned. A petrol tank vehicle received a direct hit and was burned out. Many other vehicles were damaged when some collided and another ran off the road. "The South African Air Force raided a large dump near Bardia. "Our fighters were active in the frontier areas and on the North African coast. In the course of these operations a number of enemy aircraft was intercepted by our planes and shot down. Two of a crew were seen to take to a dinghy. "Reconnaissance of the central Mediterranean shows that a large merchantman attacked by the R.A.F. and Fleet Air Arm on the night of September 22-23, has sunk. "From all these operations five of our planes are missing, but two of the pilots are safe. A Rome communique says there was intense aerial activity on the Marmarica-Egyptian frontier. The R.A.F. raided Tripoli, Bengasi. Bardia and Palermo in Sicily. High explosive and incendiary bombs caused damage at Palermo.