AIR OFFENSIVE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20864, 17 August 1942, Page 3

AIR OFFENSIVE

MIDDLE EAST FORCES WIDESPREAD TARGETS SHIPPING AND ’DROMES (10 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 16. A Cairo communique says that apart from patrolling activity on Friday night there is nothing to report from the land forces. Our fighterbombers attacked targets in the battle area. Light bombers and fighterbombers sank at least .three lighters and damaged others off the African coast, and shot down one escorting fighter. Our fighters over Malta destroyed two bombers on Friday night and a fighter on Saturday. From August 11 to 14 air operations over the Alamein battle area were on a reduced scale, says .the Air Ministry news service. Our .fighterbombers carried out a series of attacks on gun positions and on Friday light bombers effectively raided landing grounds and other objectives in the Fuka and El Daba areas. Escorting fighters shot down one ME 109. Enemy- air activity has been slight and few air combats have taken place. Tobruk harbour was raided by strong formations of bomber aircraft each night from August 10 to 13 and numerous fires and explosions were observed along the waterfront and among military installations in the town. Smaller attacks in which naval aircraft participated were directed against Mersa Matruh and other objectives along the North African coast. Enemy coastal shipping moving off the coast between Tobruk and Mersa Matruh has been consistently and effectively attacked. One lighter and two E-boats were sunk and others severely damaged during the period under review. In one such operation our long-range fighters shot down two JUs2’s. Our fighters carried out on Tuesday highly successful operations against enemy aerodromes at Elmas and Decimomannu, in Sardinia. Seven multi-engined aircraft were set on fire and another damaged. A hangar at Elmas was left in flames. Fighter aircraft at Malta have taken heavy .toll of enemy aircraft attacking one of our convoys in the Mediterranean. On Thursday and Friday they destroyed two JUBB’s, two JUB7’s, an. SB4, an 579, one unidentified Italian bomber, and one RE2OOI. The final figures are not yet available. From all operations during the past four days and nights, including air fighting over the convoy, 12 ot our aircraft have not. returned. The Berlin radio revealed that waves of carrier-borne planes heavily raided .the bases from which Axis aircraft were attacking the Maltabound convoy.