LIBYAN CAMPAIGN

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 May 1942, Page 5

LIBYAN CAMPAIGN

AERIAL ACTIVITY.

RUGBY, May 20

The R.A.F. Middle East communique states: Our bombers attacked harbour facilities at Benghazi on Monday night, and again in daylight yesterday. Duststorms hampered aerial operations in the forward area ol Cyrenaica. From noon on Monday to noon yesterday, our fighter aircraft shot down one ME 109, and one Cant Z 107 over Malta. One of our aircraft is missing from these operations, but the pilot is safe.

MALTA’S SCORE MOUNTING

LONDON; May 20

With the shooting down of a German fighter by the Royal Air Force late on Monday afternoon, Malta’s defences brought the total of enemy aircraft destroyed over Malta during the first 18 davs of May to 100. Up to 10.45 a.m. local time on Monday one Italian bomber, three fighters, and six German fighters had been destroyed, and five enemy fighters damaged. On Tuesday afternoon a small formation of Italian bombers, flying at a great height, attack an aerodrome. They were engaged by anti-aircraft fire as they crossed the coast. Later they were attacked by Royal Air Force fighters, which destroyed one bomber. The Royal Air Force suffered no loss. The number of raiders shot down over the island since the war began totals 553.