NAPLES SUFFERS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 295, 14 December 1942, Page 3

NAPLES SUFFERS

TWO RAIDS IN ONE DAY Many Allied Air Assaults In Mediterranean N.Z.P.A. and British Wireless Rec. 11.30 a.m. RUGBY, Dec. 13. A Cairo communique states: "British Liberator bombers, operating with the Bomber Command of the Ninth United States Air Force, attacked the railway and dock facilities at Naples during Friday night. Large fires were started." Earlier in the day heavy Liberator bombers of the Ninth United States Army Air Force attacked shipping and harbour facilities at Naples, says a United States communique issued in Cairo. Hits were observed on the Vittorio Emanuele and Vigliena moles, resulting in large fires and explosions along the entire waterfront. A hit was observed on a medium vessel moored at the Mannaniello mole, as well as hits on other ships in the target area. All the American aircraft returned. Rome admits that the centre of Naples was considerably damaged, also the port area, and 57 people were killed and 138 injured. Destruction at Palermo

A joint Middle East communique states: "Air activity over the Libyan battle area was on a small scale. One enemy bomber was shot down by ground fire. The railway station and other targets at Gabes were attacked on Friday, and the same night the Palermo docks were also attacked. Many large explosions and fires were caused in the harbour.

"Yesterday our medium bombers raided Tripoli and strafed vehicles on the road. An enemy bomber flying southwards was shot down into the sea by our fighters off Pantalleria Island."