AIR ARM'S PART

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 114, 16 May 1941, Page 8

AIR ARM'S PART

WIDE AREA COVERED

AFRICANS-IN CYRENAICA

fl[Rec. 2 p.m.)

RUGBY, May 15,

The R.A.F. Middle East communique states: "In Cyrenaica, on Monday night, R.A.F. bombers raided Benghazi. Direct hits were scored on a railway, buildings at the military headquarters, the governor ate, and the base of the Cathedral mole. Some fires were started, but detailed observations of the damage were difficult. Numerous reconnaissance flights and iighter patrols were carried out over enemy territory in Cyrenaica yesterday. In the Dodecanese Islands on the previous night, aerodromes at Maritza and Calato were attacked. Fires were started and many bombs fell near dispersed aircraft. "In Irak, our aircraft continued to attack rebel positions and objectives of military value, such as aerodromes, railways, and motor transport. Amara, Hashed, Mosul, and the railway line to Bagdad were all raided. | "In central Abyssinia, direct, hits i were obtained on Fort Mendi and machine-gun posts and troops were attacked by aircraft of the South i African Air Force. j RAID ON MALTA. \ "On Tuesday night enemy aircraft) raided Malta. Some slight damage was ! caused to R.A.F. property, but there j were no casualties, civilian or rnili- j tary. Another small raid was carried j out yesterday. Our fighters inter- | cepted the enemy and drove them off * From' all these operations two of our j aircraft were lost, but the pilot of one i escaped safely by parachute." An earlier communique stated: ,; "In Cyrenaica on Monday R.A.F. bombers successfully attacked enemy "aircraft on the Gambut landing ground. Aircraft of the South African Air Force were in action for the first time in this theatre. "In the Dodecanese on Monday night R.A.F. heavy bombers attacked, the landing ground at Kattavia, Rhodes. Somo minutes after the bombs had burst three violent explosions occurred. "Malta was attacked on Monday night by enemy aircraft. There was slight damage.but no casualties. Yesterday a further raid resulted in the destruction of ten houses, the death of ono civilian, and injury to twelve others. CRETE ATTACKED. "In Crete enemy aircraft made a continuous attack on Suda Bay on Monday and Tuesday, but no damage was caused. In Irak the Amara barracks and compound were attacked on Tuesday by aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm. Direct hits were obtained on buildings. The British aircraft also scored direct hits on an insurgent small arms factory at Musaiyb, a petrol dump at Raschid, and a motor transport. A fire was started in the factory. ,"In Abyssinia R.A.F. and South African Air Force bombers and fighter;; were active on Monday. Direct hits were scored on a fort at Amba Alagi and enemy positions were machine- i gunned. Troops hiding near Sciascia- ■ manna were bombed and machinegunned. An enemy camp was also attacked. Motor transport and aircraft ' on the landing ground at Lekenti were ] machine-gunned.

"Free French aircraft successfully bombed and machine-gunned the aero. drome at Gondar yesterday."—B.O.W.