B.A.F. ASSAULTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 167, 14 June 1940, Page 7

B.A.F. ASSAULTS

IN ITALIAN AFRICA. TRAIL OF DAMAGE. Received June 14, 11 a.m. CAIRO, June 13. Three successive days’ raids against Italian military objectives in Libya and over the mpuutainous country of Italian East Africa have shown the R.A.F. to be a striking force able to inflict considerable damage and drive off Italian fighters. During the raids yesterday bombers scored, direct hits and destroyed hangars and buildings at Asmara and Gura. All returned despite heavv antiaircraft fire. Three enemy ’planes were destroyed. The R.A.F. also raided the Diredawa aerodrome (25 miies north of Harar) and bombed a. munitions dump. Some hangars were set ablaze. In a further raid on Macaca a fuel dump was set afire and barracks were extensively damaged. At Nairobi it is officially stated that enemy ’planes twice raided British -Uoyale (in Kenya Colony) yesterday. One African soldier w r as injured, but no damage v r as done. Three ’planes also bombed Wajir this morning. Two ol the R.A.F. personnel were injured, but tlie material damage was sfight. Both raids were carried out by three aircraft. In the first raid nine ‘bombs were dropped, three oi which "tailed to explode. One African was slightly wounded in the first raid. Ln the rest of the northern frontier district, and in the coastal areas, our machines were active on reconnaissance during Wednesday. No penetration of the territory has yet occurred from the ground, and all is reported quiet on the front this morning. A communique states that the South African Air Force conducted offensive operations in Abyssinia yesterday. All the ’planes returned safely. A War Office communique sa-s the Italians have not operated bv land or sea, but have made some air raids.

ITALIAN BASES RAIDED,

WAR SPREADS IN AFRICA. ROME’S NAVAL CLAIMS. CAIRO, June 13. The Italian ’planes which attempted to bomb Aden apparently mistook their targets and dropped their bombs in the sea. A Rome war communique says: “Italian aviation bombed Bizerte (Tunisia), and during a night raid on Toulon (France) • caused considerable damage. An Italian submarine m the Mediterranean sank an enemy cruiser and a 10,00 C-ton tanker.]-’ The communique admits that the British bombed Tobruk (Cyrenaica), causing slight damage, including airfields and an Italian minesweeper. It adds: “The British bombed airfields at Askara, Adiugri, Agordat and Gura (in Abyssinia), killing ten. All the Italian ’planes participating in the bombing raids returned safelv to their respective bases after destroying six British ’planes in Cyrenaica. At Bizerte the bombing caused an outbreak of fire, and .also destroyed nine French ’planes and part of the aerodrome.” A Marseilles message says an airraid warning in the early morning lasted 45 minutes. A Cairo message says the K.A.l 1 . raided Massawa (the Italian Red Sea port) last night, setting fire to a petrol ’dump. British ’planes attacked Tobruk, damaging a number ot vessels besides the warship and two submarines already mentioned. Italian fighters and anti-aircraft guns were completely unable to cope with the situation. One Italian ’plane was shot down in flames and another was seen plunging through the clouds out ot control. TURIN CASUALTIES. It. is officially stated from Rome that'two women and twelve men were killed, and 37. injured, yesterday, during, the British bombing of Turin. It is stated that enemy bombers flying at 20 000 ft dropped.. thirty bombs of which ten did not explo.de, hitting the public markets and nearby streets. No serious damage was done. MEDITERRANEAN DIVIDED ? The Italian Government is claiming that mining operations have cut the Mediterranean in two, rendering nearly impossible the presage of Allied ships between tlie Eastern and 'Western Mediterranean, thus enabling' if necessary the Italian fleet to engage the Allied fleets in either basin separately. Malta falls inside the milled 'area. L-'v. . it is officially announced in Malta that 30 civilians were killed and 30 wounded, and seven soldiers wounded in Tuesday’s raids. Malt'a is strongly defended hy : British and regular Maltese troops, and also by artillery and anti-aircraft guns. -i ;