ITALIANS MAULED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20622, 25 November 1941, Page 6

ITALIANS MAULED

BATTLE OVER MALTA HURRICANES DOWN THREE EIGHT OTHERS DAMAGED (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 2 p.m. RUGBY, Nov. 24. Since the war began, Malta has been raided many hundreds of times and her defences, described recently as some of the most powerful in the world, have been exacting a heavy toll of enemy raiders. On Saturday a formation of Macchis, which approached Malta, received a hot reception from Royal Air Force fighters. Of more than a score of enemy aii craft which were engaged, roughly half got back unscathed. Hurricanes destroyed three Macchis for certain and damaged eight others, three of them so badly that they can be regarded as probably destroyed. ' It has been ascertained that one Macchi, which was damaged in an early-morning combat on Friday, later crashed into the sea east of the island. Once again large crowds saw a dogfight in which some 50 aircraft wove an intricate pattern in the sunny afternoon sky. The battle started at about 2000 ft. between one formation of Hurricanes and Macchis. It was joined by more Hurricanes, which dived from a h?g)her altitude, and within a few seconds had put bursts into six enemy aircraft, sending two down with smoke pouring from them. The first formation of our fighters had also taken a toll of the Macchis. In addition to shooting three down, they damaged another badly and put bursts into yet another at close range. The only entry on the debit side was very slight damage to one Hurricane.