ALLIES’ AIR OFFENSIVE

Grey River Argus, 20 January 1943, Page 5

ALLIES’ AIR OFFENSIVE

KEPT UP CONTINUOUSLY AGAINST RETREATING ENEMY. LONDON, Jan. 18. The British communique at Cairo on Monday stated that a. continuous air offensive was being kept up. On Saturday night bombers smashed enemy troops on the coast road between Sliten and Misurata. Tripoli was also bombed on Saturday night, and fires were started there. On Sunday, Tripoli and the aerodrome on Lampedusa Island were attacked. Enemy aircraft have been active over Tobruk. Four bombers out of six were shot down, three of them by night fighters, and one by ground fire. "There are five British aircraft missing. A Press message from Cairo stated. On Sunday Allied fighter-bombers bombed and machine-gunned enemy transport and other targets from the first light of dawn till dark. It. was the biggest day for fighter-bombers since the battle of Alamein. Excellent targets made by the enemy transports hastening west were found by our aircraft all day long, and they maintained ceaseless attacks with hardly any opposition. This intense lighter-bomber action suggests that enemy columns withdrawing westwards are being shepherded into tight concentrations, such as made such fine targets for large-scale bomber attacks in the initial drive from Alamein. The nature of the country, which is becoming more hilly, also tends, to compel the enemy to keep to the tracks and defiles and thus to concentrate. A new landing ground less than 30 miles from the front line enabled the desert airforces to move forward yesterday, and keen the rapidly-retreating enemy within range. Once again complete fighter-bomber formations were moved by air with clock-like precision and about an hour or so after they landed the fighter-bombers were in the air and pursuing the enemy transport moving west. In the course of Sunday’s operations fighterbomber squadrons which had offset an attack by the enemy columns between Misurata and Zllte reconnoitred a landing ground which had been abandoned by the Axis, but the R.A.F. had no need for this, for bv swift organisation and enterprise they had already been provided with a new landing ground almost under the enemy’s nose, so that the fighterbombers could use it on their return. By mid-day the enemy had evacuated Birdufan and fighter-bombers were concentrating on enemy transport moving west and north-west of Dufan. Grounded aircraft were caught unawares, shot up, and destroyed. Tank concentrations were discovered north-west of Birdufan and were bombed and machine-gunned. The fighter-bomber attack was switched to concentrations of enemy vehicles in the Beniulid area, where excellent

targets were found. Determined lighter-bomber attacks were pressed home, much damage was done among the vehicles, and many casualties were inflicted on personnel. In this day of intensive fighter-bomber attacks only one of our aircraft was lost. These bold tactics on the part of the Allied ground organisation resulted in the frustration of the enemy’s attempts to render his aerodromes unserviceable after his departure and made possible a nonstop air offensive. It also assured Lull air protection for our forward troops. Strategically yesterday’s advance was extremely important. For one thing, Castel Benito, one of the enemy’s main air bases in Tripolitania, is now within reach of R.A.F. fighter-bombers. United States . air successes in the North African campaign have been on a basis of exactly two to one. Since the beginning of the campaign 194 enemy aircraft have been destroyed for the loss of 97. In the past week 46 were destroyed for the loss of only 16.