R.A.F. IN MIDDLE EAST

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 July 1941, Page 5

R.A.F. IN MIDDLE EAST

SERIES OF SUCCESSES ENEMY’S HEAVY LOSSES RUGBY, July 29. A Cairo Headquarters communique states: Owing to unfavourable weather conditions locally, our of-? tensive patrols at Tobruk carried ptrt only limited operations on the night of July 27/28. No contact was made with the enemy. In the frontier area, as the result of our aggressive activities, enemy counter-patrolling temporarily increases, both in numbers and areas covered. In one successful clash, yesterday, one of our patrols captured some German prisoners, with two mechanical transport vehicles and two motor-cycles. The destruction of 34 Italian aeroplanes is announced by an R.A.F. Middle East communique, which states that highly successful attacks were carried out-yesterday by the R.A.F. on enemy aerodromes in Sicily. Thirty-four enemy aircraft were destroyed and casualties were inflicted on the aerodrome personnel. We tost no aircraft. At Catania, four Macchi 200’s, six Savoia 79’s, and one Junkers 52 were destroyed. Several other Macchi lighters and trainer biplqnes were damaged. . ■At Syracuse, seven Cant flyingboats Were destroyed, and a number of the same type were damaged. At Marsala, on the western extremity of the island, seven Cant flyingboats were destroyed, and a number of others were damaged. At Borizzo, a landing-ground near Trapani, nine Savoia 79’s were destroyed, and about 25 of the ground staff were killed. R.A.F. bombers attacked a loaded schooner in the central Mediterranean, yesterday, and left it in a sinking condition. Heavy bombers again attacked Benghazi on the night of July 27/28. Bombs dropped from a tow altitude caused fires and explosions on the moles. From these operations, all our planes returned safely.—B.O.W. RAID ON MALTA LONDON, July 29.. A small number of enemy aircraft raided Malta to-day. They dropped a number of bombs, but the damage done was negligible, and only one person was injured. FREE~FRENCH. ’ ' DAMASCUS, July 29. Damascus was beflagged as Free French forces paraded before Generals ae Gaulle, Catroux, Le Gentilhomme, Colonel Collet, the Syrian Cabinet, and other notables. General de Gaulle delivered speeches. iraq’rebels. ANKARA, July 29. Rashid Ali and also four exiled Iraqi Cabinet members are reported to be preparing to leave Istanbul for Berlin, where they will establish an Iraqi Government under German protection.