HEAVY TOLL

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20627, 1 December 1941, Page 5

HEAVY TOLL

PUNISHING RAIDS ROYAL AIR FORCE AXIS CONFERENCE FACTORIES OF ITALY (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Rccd. Dec. 1. 9 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 30. “The German air force is getting a hell of a time and losing heavily,” declared the Cairo spokesman last night. The Times’ aeronautical correspondent says that the Germans are making desperate efforts' to reinforce the ail force in Libya, and have succeeded in transferring some planes at night. The Axis air resistance is stiffening, but the Royal Air Force still controls the air over most of the battle area The British superiority in combat is most marked because the Germans, though employing a considerable number of the latest Messerschmitts must to a large extent rely on the inferior Italian pilots and machines, principally Caproni 42’s. The Germans are receiving valuable help from Junkers 52’s transport machines, of which Germany is reported to possess 1000. They are ferrying supplies and probably troops and possibly light tanks at night. The Royal Air Force is also using air transports. If the Royal Air Force continues to take toll of Axis planes at the same rate it will almost certainly force the Germans to withdraw fighters from the Russian front in the near future, if they have not done so already.

The Italians at Soilum must now be short of leaders as a result of a visit by Hurricane bombers to a staff conference there. The Hurricanes sighted between 20 and 30 staff cars drawn up in a large circle in which were two trestle tables surrounded by staff officers. The leading Hurricane bomber picked the tables as his objective and flew in so low that the pilot could sec the maps on the tables. His bombs landed in the middle of the tables. Other pilots blew up the staff cars. Few if any remained undestreyed. Two Hundred Sorties Daily

Correspondents at advanced bases say the Royal Air Force is making 200 sorties daily.

Widespread offensive operations, including a heavy raid on Naples, are recorded in a Royal Air Force Middle East communique, which states: “Continuous attacks on enemy motorised forces, encampments, stores and land communications were maintained by our fighter and bomber aircraft in Libya yesterday. Motor transport at Martuba and on the Trigh, Capuzzo. Bardia, Tobruk and El Gubbi Faidn roads, as well as in the Barce and Gazala areas, were successfully attacked.

“Bombs burst among vehicles and tanks in the Trigh-Capuzzo area, while in the Martuba area fires broke out among enemy transport. Violent explosions followed an attack on the El Gubbi Faida road. Free French bombers were again active, and in an attack on the north landing ground at Gazala one large aircraft was destroyed and others damaged. During Thursday night raids were carried out on the landing ground at Derna and enemy transport near Sidi Omar. At Derna fires broke out among dispersed aircraft, and enemy tents round the aerodrome were machine-gunned. Two groups of enemy vehicles were set on lire at Sidi Omar.

. “Lighter aircraft made a series of successful attacks over the bottle area. In one attack an ammunition lorry was blown up by machine-gun fire and a Messerschmitt 110 was shot down.

Bombing of Naples

“An effective raid on military objectives at Naples was made on Thursday night. Direct hits were scored on the Italian royal arsenal, a torpedo factory, industrial installations, oil storage tanks and the railway station, engine =heds and marshalling yards. Many fires broke out. “The aerodrome at Can el Benito in Sicily was also attacked. “In the central Mediterranean yesterday four bombers attacked a large merchant vessel from a low level and obtained at least five direct hits. Fires broke out on the ship and clouds of smoke were visible for 50 miles. “From these and other operations seven of our aircraft are missing.” A flight lieutenant and his sergeant observer brought off a remarkable feat, flying a Beaufighter 300 miles with 3ft. knocked off the starboard wing, and then landing safely at their base in the Western Desert.

The pilot of another Beaufighter, who comes from New Plymouth, New Zealand, shared in the triumph by leading the damaged plane home.

The flight lieutenant said: “I was strafing lorries in west Cyrenaica when I saw I was heading for telegraph wires, but did not notice a telegraph pole until there was a grinding crash which took off a slab of a wing. A New Zealand pilot saw I was in difficulties and led me home. It would have been impossible to navigate in addition to flying the plane.” The New Zealander said: “I would not have thought it possible that they could get the plane home, but hung around thinking that the crew might, need me to go down and pick them up.”