SEVERE SEA BATTLE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 43, 20 February 1942, Page 6

SEVERE SEA BATTLE

AXIS WORSTED AGAIN

(Rec. 1 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 19.

The latest failure of the Axis to destroy our convoys in the Mediterranean is told by a-correspondent of t.he Exchange Telegraph Company who was aboard the flagship of the British force. ■ . ■ •'.

"While British , naval planes were dealing fresh blows against Italy's fleet, our Mediterranean fleet was beating off a bomb and torpedo, attack, which was among the severest since the battle of the Mediterranean began," he said. (This action was referred to uv the Admiralty communique of February 18.) "The British warships, hour after hour, put up a terrific barrage which so disconcerted the Axis airmen that no hits were scored against the warships. Our destroyers were escorting a number of merchantmen to Malta. These merchantmen were handed over at a pre-arranged spot to an escort from Malta, and we brought back other merchantmen, all of which reached their destination untouched.

"Our total losses —two merchantmen lost and one slightly damaged—occurred while we were outside the range of British. fighter protection^ After six hours' sailing, enemy planes appeared and bombed us. The gun crews fired thousands of shells. When one of the merchantmen was hit the convoy sped on. leaving some units to rescue 200 survivors and sink the damagedyship. Meanwhile, bombs were falling all around, and the sky was plastered with bursting shells. "Next day, when we were running between Alexandria and Tobruk, Italian torpedo-bombers launched a series of attacks, but we reached port the following day without any further attack."