BOMBARDMENT OF TRIPOLI

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 179, 26 April 1941, Page 12

BOMBARDMENT OF TRIPOLI

Successful Result REPORT OF DAMAGE INFLICTED

(British Offlcial Wireless and Press A>s)i.)

(Received April 25, 7 p.m.) LONDON. April 24.

The whole Tripoli sea front seemed ablaze as the mighty guns of the Fleet on Monday roared out a symphony of destruction, says the correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain with the British Battle Fleet. Thousands of tons'of shell were fired in this surprise bombardment, which opened a few minutes after waves of bombers had given Tripoli one of the severest bombings of the war.

For 90 minutes before the shelling started bombers released scores of bombs, then showered thousands of incendiaries. This was just what the Fleet needed to illuminate targets. A sudden mighty flash of flame, from the flagship’s 15-inch guns signalled that the bombardment was opened. Only a single shore battery was firing when the bombardment ceased.

The results of the naval bombardment oE Tripoli were even more suecessEul than was at first thought, states an official Admiralty communique. Three transports or supply ships lying in the naval basin were hit and set seriously on fire. One was actually seen to sink. A fourth ship in the naval basin appears to have been laden with ammunition, for when it was hit by a loin, shell the ship exploded. One supply ship moored off Spanish Quay was hit by lain, shells and sank. Destroyer Hit. Karamanti Mole was hit and set on fire and a destroyer moored at the mole was heavily hit. Clouds of smoke could be seen to be coming from at least three other ships in the harbour, but it was not possible to establish whether this was due to damage or to an attempt to create a smoke screen. It is considered certain that other damage was done to shipping. Harbour facilities were also seriously damaged. Salvos of lain, shells were seen to fall on Spanish Quay, sending up a large column of smoke from warehouses and offices. The quay, which is the main unloading quay of Tripoli, was seen to be continuously hit for 10 minutes by medium calibre shells. Salvos of heavy shells were also seen to fall on the narrow; approach to Spanish Quay from the land. The governor’s office and naval headquarters were repeatedly hit, and several salvos were seen to fall on Karamanti Mole.

Military objectives ashore also sustained serious damage, including the main oil fuel depot, a large block of Government or military buildings, the main railway station, the power station, and the military stores depot. No damage or casualties were caused to our naval units by the retaliation of the enemy. Pilots of the Fleet Air Arm also scored heavily during the five days the fleet was at sea. They shot down two shadowing planes, forced four large German troop transports into-the sea, and badly damaged a Dornier flyingboat. The Fleet Air Arm lost only one fighter. Story of Action. The operation, for which the fleet ostensibly went to sea was covering certain cofivoys, which was successfully carried out. The first two days at sea were entirely without incident. The original force was joined by other units, which previously bombarded the Cyrenaican coast and sunk five merchantmen with their escort of three destroyers. On the morning of the third day the Fleet Air Arm had its first success, when one of Italy’s newest type of planes, a Cant. 1007, was shot down, and later in the day four troop-carry-ing enemy planes were destroyed. It was in thia latter engagement that the Fleet Air Arm lost a fighter. As darkness fell, it was apparent that rhe enemy was still unaware of the fleet’s intended bombardment. At nightfall the course was altered to full speed ahead for Tripoli. While still two hours’ distant from Tripoli, observers aboard a ship could see violent antiaircraft fire and flaming.onions, denoting that the R.A.F. and the Fleet Air Arm had already begun to attack. About 10 miles from Tripoli fully illuminated hospital ships carrying back to Italy German and Italian wounded passed by the blacked out British warships, probably unaware even of their presence. At 5 a.m. tlie first salvo crashed into the town. That was the signal for all ships to open fire. They hardly seemed to lie moving as they drifted past tlie target, tiring on almost the same bearing for 25 minutes. Throughout this period no "reply came from the shore. During the second half of the bombardment, however, two shore butteries came into action against the British warships, which were firing at a range of about seven miles.

One ship alone fired more than 150 tons of shells into the port. Those aboard the British ships expected a most unpleasant day from aerial retaliation. but this did not immediately materialize. However, later in the day a Cant, seaplane was shot down and three Junkers SS’< came over, but the fighters shot down one. set the second on tiro and damaged the third.