ITALIAN NAVY

Grey River Argus, 7 June 1943, Page 5

ITALIAN NAVY

Bombed by Americans

THREE BATTLESHIPS HIT.

[Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] (Rec 10.15) LONDON, June 1 6. AUS. Air Force communique from Algiers stated: “Three of Italy s greatest battleships, one heavy cruiser and one merchantman were damaged when FJying Fortresses made a daylight raid on Saturday on Spezia Harbour.” , , . It adds: “The bomoers aiso_ left great fires in oil depots and installations.” . An Associated Press correspondent at the American bomber base in North Africa says: The Battleships hit by the Fortresses in the raid on Spezia were the Littorio, the Vittorio Veneto, and the Roma. The Fortresses carried two-thousand-lb armour piercing bombs, called battleshio busters. These bombers made the longest operational Hight of tne North African campaign for the first daylight attack on Spezia. they were not escorted. They dropped many tons of bombs. No planes were lost, in spite of minor Italian tighter opposition and the heaviest Hak that the Italian Fleet could throw. (Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON. June 6. It is reported from Algiers that a British warship again shelled defences on Pantellaria at dawn .yesterday.

BRITISH NAVAL ACTIVITY. Pantellaria was again shelled and bombed by the British Navy and R.A.F., and while 40001 b. blockbuster bombs were falling on al-ready-shattered Naples, the naval forces which had shelled Pantellaria on Wednesday night, started operations again with the first light next day. There was slight retaliation. Neither damage nor casualties resulted to the attacking force. Medium bombers and fighter-bombers attacking the island all returned safely to base. No enemy fighters were encountered when Wellington bombers raided Naples on Wednesday night. Heavy damage was done to port buildings and industrial plants by 40001 b. .bombs. The Allied aeroplanes returned safely. Warships of the Australian Navy are again operating in the Mediterranean, says Reuter’s Alexandrian correspondent. .The members of the crews are among the Australian Navy’s most experienced sailors, rhey saw'service under grim conditions at Singapore, in the Dutch East indies and in tne Pacific. Greek, Dutch, Indian and American naval units are p'iso operating in the Mediterranean with the Royal Navy.