HEAVY TOLL TAKEN
MALTA DEFENCES 100 PLANES IN 18 DAYS
MONDAY'S GOOD TALLY
(By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright.)
(British Official Wireless.) (Noon.) RUGBY, May 20,
By 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 days of May to 100. Up to 10.45 a.m. local time on Monday, one Italian bomber, three fighters and six German fighters have been destroyed and five enemy fighters damaged. On Tuesday afternoon, a small formation of Italian bombers flying at a great height attacked the aerodrome. They were engaged by anti-aircraft fire as they crossed the coast. Later they were attacked by Royal Air Force fighters, who destroyed one bomber. Tne Royal Air Force suffered no loss. A Royal Air Force Middle East communique states tha* our bombers attacked harbour facilities at Benghazi on Monday night and again in daylight yesterday. Dust-storms hampered aerial operations in the forward area of Cyrenaica. From noon on Monday to noon yesterday our fighter aircraft shot down one Messerschmitt 109 and one Cant. ZlO7 over Malta. One of our aifcraft is missing from operations, but the pilot is safe.
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Bibliographic details
Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20770, 21 May 1942, Page 5
Word Count
202HEAVY TOLL TAKEN Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20770, 21 May 1942, Page 5
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