TRIPOLI RAID

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 86, 8 October 1941, Page 8

TRIPOLI RAID

R.A.F. STRIKES HARD

SHIPPING SUFFERS

TANKER ABLAZE

(Rec. 2 p.m.) RUGBY, October 7. Amplifying its communique on the R.A.F. raid on Tripoli shortly after midnight on Sunday, the Air Ministry states that the first raider over this much-battered target made a 4000-foot dive on a tanker off the Spanish Quay and sent a stick of bombs crashing into her. A blaze of orange flame, accompanied by masses of black smoke ; shot upwards, lighting up the rest of the shipping in the harbour and outshining the bright moonlight that lit up the town. From miles out to sea the raiders following saw the bonfire and flew in and dropped their cargoes of high explosives on other ships in the harbour and on lighters and barges around them. Soon ignited oil gushing from the tanker spread a blanket of flames over the waters, and a heavy pall of smoke drifted miles out to sea. The second pilot of the leading aircraft, describing the scene, says: "When we came in to attack we could see the tanker plainly and other ships lying beyond it in the direction of our run. When we dropped our bombs and turned away there was such a terrific shout from the gunner and observer that I thought fire had got us. But they were just whooping at the sight of the bombs crashing into the tanker. Flames shot up immediately. I could see the dark shape of the funnel sticking up out of a sheet of flame."

When they left the target after a two hours' attack, the crews of the returning aircraft could see fires shining through the haze miles away. Such ships of Italy's convoys as succeed in crossing the Straits of Sicily cannot count on a safe haven in Africa.— 8.0.W.