80 RAIDS ON MALTA

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 22, 25 July 1940, Page 11

80 RAIDS ON MALTA

TOTAL TO DATE _ i 12 PLANES DOWN LITTLE DAMAGE TO MILITARY OBJECTIVES (U.P.A. and Official Wireless.) (Received July 25, 12.50 p.m.) LONDON, July 24. . There have been 80 air raids on Malta since Italy's entry into the war. The damage to military objectives has been small. Twelve Italian planes have been brought down and nine severely damaged, and the R.A.F. has lost one plane. Most of the attacks have been made by day, but there have been a few by night, and both high-explosive and incendiary bombs have been dropped, with few machine-gun attacks. At the beginning of the war the civilian casualties were comparatively heavy, | but with the growing knowledge of the need to take cover they have markedly diminished.. The great majority of the casualties have been civilian. This does not imply that the Italians have deliberately bombed non-military objectives, but shows that when seeking' military objectives they are forced to fly high by the British anti-aircraft fire and fighter activity. Damage certainly has been done to Malta by Italian bombs, but it is authoritatively stated that the damage to military objectives is slight. The anti-aircraft batteries have played their full part and it is estimated that they have accounted for two of the twelve Italian machines which have, been brought down and four of the nine which have been severely damaged. Besides the British garrison there is a large number of Maltese trOops, who have played a considerable and successful part in the defence of the island. The Royal Maltese Artillery has been expanded with anti-aircraft as well as coast defence batteries, while j one battery for the first time in his-1 tory has gone from the island to the | Middle East. The King's Own Malta j Regiment of infantry has done well, j and there also exists an organisation! similar to the British Home Guard, j Many Maltese are also serving in naval patrol vessels. Thus the Maltese are making every use of their own man-power in the defence of the island, and by obviating the necessity of sending more British troops are materially assisting the Empire war effort.