NO RESPITE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 10, 13 January 1941, Page 8

NO RESPITE

ITALIAN BASES

CONSTANT R.A.F. ACTIVITIES

WIDESPREAD RAIDS

(British Official Wireless.)

(Received January. 13, 1.30 p.m.) RUGBY, January 12. Benina and Berka aerodromes were heavily raided on the night of January 10 and 11, states.a R.A.F. Middle East communique. Bombs straddled buildings, causing large fires and a number of explosions near dispersed aircraft. Our aircraft also raided Benghazi, and one heavy bomb hit a large building of military importance. Fires Avere started on a jetty, and shipping is believed to have been badly damaged.

Aircraft of the Fleet Air- Arm also carried out a raid on Palermo, where shipping in the harbour was the main objective. One bomb fell very close to a merchant vessel of about 8000 tons. Twelve ships were along the outer mole. One received a direct hit and four others are believed to bo.ye been damaged. Fire and explosions were caused among warehouses.

Our fighters in Eastern Libya maintained constant patrols and reported that Derna, Matuba, Eltimi, and El Gazala were all clear of enemy aircraft except for a considerable number that are unserviceable. Twenty burnt-out aircraft were reported as abandoned on the Gazala landing ground.

One of our fighter squadrons accounted for two Cr 42's. They shot down one and another was destroyed on the ground on January 9. Two S 79's were destroyed while attempt-.' ing to land at Derna and three G 50':s were shot down in combat on January 10. ;

The Bomba seaplane base appease to have been abandoned by the enemy.

In Italian East Africa a further raid was made on the Caproni workshops and petrol dumps. The defence prpsi.tions of Tierbera, in Somaliland, were also raided, arid one S 89 on Jigiiga aerodrome was bombed and machinegunned. Numerous reconnaissance flights were carried out on all fronts. From all the operations our airjcraft returned without loss. . ■'