LATEST WAR NEWS

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXX, Issue 13669, 17 June 1942, Page 3

LATEST WAR NEWS

The following is a summary of the latest war news: BATTLE IN MEDITERRANEAN A joint Admiralty and Air Ministry communique gives further details of the delivery by our convoys of supplies to Malta and Tobruk in the face of very heavy attacks by enemy naval and air forces. The enemy is making fantastic claims that one of our cruisers has been sunk and damage done to an aircraft-carrier and a battleship. Enemy losses were one eightinch gnu cruiser and at least two destroyers. An R.A.F. communique from Cairo gives an account of operations carried out over four days in the central .and eastern Mediterranean. South of Taranto on Sunday our torpedo bombers attacked Italian naval forces. Hits were obtained hut the results were not observed. Later hits were made on an Italian battleship and one cruiser of the Trento class was sunk. A six-inch gnu cruiser and a destroyer were also hit. That afternoon the enemy naval forces turned north. Off Fantellaria one Italian cruiser was hit and set on lire yesterday afternoon and one destroyer was probably hit. A big force of enemy dive bombers and Mcsserschmitts which attacked our convoy at one stage was heavily repulsed and compelled to jettison its bombs far from our ships. ATTACKS ON MALTA Ten enemy bombers were destroyed over Malta yesterday find another was shot down to-day. LIBYAN CAMPAIGN Our forces are now disposed on a 50-mile front covering Tobruk. The enemy was very quick in following up our withdrawal from Gazala, but our forces were ready for him. He was thrown back at Acroma and also at El Adem. At the latter place he retreated in confusion. Axis forces arc now digging in near El Adem and south of Acroma. RUSSIAN FRONT

The attacks on Sebastopol grow daily more desperate and are particularly violent against the central defences. The German losses arc out of all proportion to the results achieved. The enemy, furious about his huge casualties and the fact that he is making no progress, is hurling in all he has. Russian troops have landed at Enpatoria, 35 miles north-west of Sebastopol, in am attempt to attack the Germans in the rear. German reports admit these landings and also further landings to the cast of Sebastopol. The Russians arc improving their positions at Kharkov. ATTACK OX PARIS The lone R.A.F. pilot who attacked Paris displayed great daring. He flew up and down the Champs Elysee level with the first floor windows. Later he flew even lower between buildings and his cannon shells crashed through the windows of buildings occupied by the Germans. Crowds in the street waved and cheered. MADAGASCAR It is reported that South African troops are now supporting our forces in Madagascar. U.S. NAVAL EXPANSION The U.S. Navy is to be doubled. Many new aircraft carriers are planned. Plans for huge new battleships are to be deferred.