HAMMER BLOWS BY THE R.A.F.

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 208, 30 May 1941, Page 7

HAMMER BLOWS BY THE R.A.F.

Attacks Over Crete STEADY BOMBING ON OTHER FRONTS (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY. May 28. The Royal Air Force is continuing its hammer blows in every Mediterranean theatre of war. A Middle East communique today states: “Aircraft of the R.A.F. carried out a number of successful attacks yesterday and during the preceding night on the enemyoccupied aerodrome at Malemi in Crete. During the day a heavy attack was made on a large number of enemy aircraft on the ground, and many were destroyed and several others severely damaged.

“Fighter aircraft also intercepted a formation of Ju. 88’s north of the island and shot down three. Duriug a night attack five enemy aircraft were set ablaze on adjacent beaches which were also bombed and machinegunned. “The harbour at Benghazi, Libya, was attacked by bomber aircraft on the night of May 26-27. A building was demolished and a number of fires were started at the base of the Cathedral Mole. Near Sidi Barrani on the Western Desert a Me. 109 was captured after a forced landing, and over Tobruk a Ju. 52 was shot down by anti-aircraft fire. “A successful attack was made by our bombers yesterday on shipping off the North African coast. Several direct hits were made on two merchantmen of between 8000 and 10,000 tons, each of which was seen emitting volumes of smoke. •

“Aircraft of the South African Air Force and the Free French unit in Abyssinia bombed and machine-gunned the enemy aerodrome at Gondar aud positions near the Omo and Gibbe Rivers during yesterday and the previous day. R.A.F. bombers which raided Debarech on May 25 destroyed some military buildings. “Yesterday the aerodrome at Aleppo, Syria, was bombed by our aircraft aud direct hits were obtained on a hangar.

“From the above operations two of our aircraft are missing.” SCHMELING KILLED Tried To Escape From Captors (Received May 29, 11.25 p.m.) LONDON, May 28.

The Cairo correspondent of the British United Press ‘says that the German boxer Max Schmeling, who formerly won the world heavyweight title, has been killed in Crete while attempting to escape after being captured by British soldiers.

An Alexandria message says confirmation has been received that Schmeling was killed. Three New Zealanders swore to its truth. Schmeling, they said, was slightly wounded on the day he was landed, and he was taken to an Australian dressing station, where his papers disclosed his name.

Speaking with an American accent, he admitted that he was (he boxer, and an Australian colonel and other officers gathered round and satisfied themselves that he was telling the truth. He was truculent and threatening. He was sent back toward a prison camp with a lot of others. On the way to Galatos a big crowd of parachutists dropped nearby, and while New Zealanders were mopping them up Schmeling grabbed a wounded man’s rifle and tried to make a break. “He got what was coming to him.’’ tlie New Zealanders said. TWO MILES BEYOND SOLLUM German*, Front In Desert (Received May 29, 11.25 p.m.) j LONDON, May 29. I The latest German bid to invade Egypt has baited along a fluid line reaching from a couple of miles on the Egyptian side of Solium to a point in the desert 30 miles to the southward. The Germans have not- attempted to push on, and the indications are that I they do not intend to do more than i try to consolidate the positions they I have regained. . . Reports from Cairo last night said itwas difficult to judge the size of the , German operations round Solium. The i Germans have occupied “Hellfire Pass, south of Solium, but most of j their forces are still at the head of the | pass. ; They are using motor transport and . some tanks along a stretch of some six miles of desert, but have not the same amount of air support as in the simi- I lar drive they made about three weeks < ago. I 'Phe enemy advance with tanks and : artillery in the Wolluj area, and tlie j retirement of tlie British, as they have | done before, in face of the first enemy j onslaught, is not regarded by expert ' opinion as a very serious matter (says British < tfficial Wireless). The move is ’ similar to that which took place some weeks ago, and is likely to be part of I the continual ebb and flow of the battle I in this area. Though the Germans have probably i occupied Solium itself, the changing of hands of this small town is not of great | strategic importance. . , An Italian communique claims that, Italian and German troops took an ini- i portant British position in the Solium | sector and captured many prisoners. | NATIONAL SAVINGS (IlriLsh Official Wireless.) (Received May 29, 7.5 p.m.) RIGBY. Mav 28 ' The National Savings committee an-' nounecd that subscriptions for the week ended May 27 amounted to £6,- j 993.544.