RHODES ATTACKED

Grey River Argus, 18 March 1942, Page 5

RHODES ATTACKED

’ SUCCESSFUL AIR AND SEA RAID. (Rec. 12.12). CAIRO. March 17. The combined sea and air operation against Rhodes on March 15, proved a devastating attack. It started before dawn, when Wellingtons concentrated on island aerodromes at Calato Laritza, bombing and machine-gunning them from a low level. Many fires were left burning.

Reuter’s correspondent aboard a British warship which participated in tne combined operation, reports that the attack was swift, sudden, and completely surprising to the Axis. Important objectives on the Island were severely pounded. . It was ten minutes before the* defenders fully realised what was happening. A feature of tne operation was the perfect co-ordination between the Navy and R.A.F. Every phase went according to plan. Even after the ships began pouring m shells the defenders continued firing at planes, apparently mistaking th e naval bombardment for a bombing raid. The action lasted twenty minutes, during which our ships fired several hundred shells, hitting important establishments in the town of Rhodes, and also an E-boat base and harbour installations.