GOOD NIGHT'S HUNTING

Evening Star, Issue 24917, 15 July 1943, Page 5

GOOD NIGHT'S HUNTING

, BAG OF 34 PLANES AIR RAIDS OVER SICILY (Rec. noon.) RUGBY, July 14. Since the opening of the Sicilian campaign Malta fighters have destroyed 106 enemy aircraft. Eleven of these were shot' down last night when Beaufighters and Mosquitoes, patrolling over Sicily, had one of their best nights of hunting. A record was achieved by single aircraft searching the skies for the enemy. Three Beaufighter 'pilots each shot down two enemy aircraft during one patrol. The pilots also kept watcji on aerodromes, roads, and railways, attacked trains and convoys with cannon fire. One shot out a searchlight and later raked a goods train with cannon fire. Spitfires and Kittyhawks were out from Malta yesterday and destroyed 23 enemy aircraft. They also attacked columns of German and Italian transport on the roads with machine-gun and cannon fire, wrecking many vehicles.

The invasion beaches and ships were 'given unceasing protection by Spitfires in relays. The most striking action occurred when Spitfires caught 10 Messerschmitt twin-engined fighters * approaching Syracuse. They shot down seven and damaged two within a minute. Stulca dive-bombers were also badly mauled, Spitfires destroying five and damaging the remainder. The same squadron also shot up the Catania aerodrome and shot down a Dornier 217 and a Messerschmitt 109. Other Spitfires escorted the Fortresses which attacked Catania aerodrome.