ITALIANS BOMBED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 211, 5 August 1940, Page 7

ITALIANS BOMBED

SARDINIA UNDER FIRE. FLEET AIR ARM ACTIVE. (United Press Association—-By Electric Telegraph —Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) Received August 5, 10.5 a.m. RUGBY, Aug. 4.

An Admiralty communique states that, during operations in the Mediterranean on Thursday and Friday, Swordfish aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm attacked an Italian aerodrome at Cagliari (in Sardinia). Heavy anti-aircraft fire was met, but the attack was successful.

Direct hits were made oil four hangars, two of which burned fiercely. Four aircraft on the ground in tlie open were destroyed, while many aerodrome buildings were destroyed or badly damaged and set on fire. The crew of one of tlie Swordfish craft arc missing, and it is feared they lost their lives. A second Swordfish machine made a forced landing in Sardinia. An Italian communique states that the crew of this aircraft have been taken prisoner. There were no other casualties.

During the course of these operations, bombing attacks ou His Majesty’s ships were made by- enemy aircraft, but no damago and no casualties were sustained. One enemy aircraft was bit by anti-aircraft fire and is unlikely to have reached its base. Ships of the Fleet Air ,Arm shot down three of the enemy aircraft shadowing or attempting to bomb our ships. ITALIANS LOSE SUBMARINE. A Rome communique states: “In East Africa our squadrons bombed Eikowit and the airpqrts of Summit and Huiya, where a large hangar was burned. The railroad branch to Haiya was hit. In Kenya a concentration of auto units was bombed south of VVajir. Duriijg the fighting at Dobel the enemy left 04 dead before retiring, including three officers. The standard of the Sixth Battalion of the King’s African Rifles was captured.

“Port Zeila (Somaliland) was effectively bombed. One of our ’planes has not returned. An enemy air raid on Derna (East Africa) caused slight damage. One of our submarines has not returned to its base.”