NAVAL SHIP HIT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 212, 6 August 1940, Page 7

NAVAL SHIP HIT

RAIDS ON MASSAWA. i MORE R.A.F. SUCCESSES. (United Press Association—By Electro, Telegraph —Copyright. ) Received August 6, 10 n.m. CAIRO, Aug. 5. An R.A.F. communique states tlmt machines bombed a fuel dump at Massawa (Eritrea), bitting a building. All our planes returned. A direct bit was scored on a naval vessel in Massawa harbour during another raid, when bombs burst among submarines.

Our ’planes machine-gunned from 150 ft three grounded bombers in the Dagabur area. Enemy bombers attacked Mersa Matruli, 200 miles west of Alexandria, but there were no It.A.F. casualties. Three enemy bombers on Saturday attacked a ship in Berbera harbour (the chief port of British Somaliland!. Our fighters severely damaged one raider, which was possibly shot down. ITALIAN VERSION. An Italian communique states: “When an air battle occurred oyer the frontier between ’planes from Cyrenaica and Egypt ten enemy ’planes were shot down; they comprised seven Gloucesters and three Blenheims. A number of units were also destroyed. “In East Africa we repulsed an enemy infantry attack at Namaraput (near Lake Rudolf). Italian ’planes also bombed tlio port of Berbera, .lotting an enemy ship. The enemy raided Massawa; four are dead a.nd thirty injured. Two enemy ’planes were brought down. The cijomy also bomlied Kassala (east of Khartoum), one ’plane being brought down.”

LIGHTING OVER EGYPT.

ITALIANS FARE BADLY,

Received August 6, 12.35 p.m. LONDON, Aug. 5. A Cairo communique states: In the Bir el Gobhi area our recconaissance planes, escorted by four fighters, met 50 fighters and shot down three enemy planes.' Our bombers attacked motor transport concentrations east of Bir el Gobhi. After the attack by 50 fighters, two of which were shot down by our planes, the enemy’s own anti-aircraft tire shot down the third plane. One of our fighters is missing. Bir el Gobhi is a caravan junction 50 miles due west from Solium (Egypt) and is a strong base for Italian operations.

Tho Cairo communique adds that enemy bombers attacked Mersa Matruli (Egypt), where bombs were dropped, but there were no R.A.F. casualties. Our fighters intercepted and forced a number of enemy airenfft to jettison their bombs in the sea. Two enemy aircraft were so badly damaged that they are unlikely to have been able to return to their base. The fuel dump at Massawa was raided by a small force of our bombers. All the bombs we ye dropped in the target area and a building was struck. Enemy fighters attacked and the anti-aircraft fire was intense, but all our aircraft returned safely. Another raid was made on Massawa harbour. In a low level attack bombs were seen to burst among submarines and a direct hit was made on a naval vessel. Anti-aircraft and pom-pom lire was violent but ineffective.

The statement in this communique that one British machine failed to return is tho answer to Italy’s claim to have “destroyed 14 British aircraft during yesterday.”

CAGLIARI RAID.

HANGARS SET ON FIRE

GIBRALTAR, Aug. 5. The aircraft-carriers from which the Swordfish planes attacked Cagliari (Sardinia) on Thursday and Friday left Gibraltar with other naval unite on July 31. One flight of plartcs flew high to attack the Cagliari aerodrome, and another low to make a low-bombing at-, tack on the harbour. The weather was particularly 7 unfavourable. Tbe two at- ] tacks were launched at an interval of onlv five minutes. Incendiary and high-explosive bomlxs w.ere dropped on the harbour, which one pilot said was incredibly crowded. The planes dived to within 20 feet of tho water. A second salvo disposed of two flying-boats. The anti-aircraft fire was erratic, but some of the British planes received hits which were not observed till they had landed on their aircraft-carrier. One of the pilots of the liigh-flying raiders said, “Of the five hangars at the aerodrome, we left three smoking. Two Italian fighters flew up, but they did not come to grips with us; on the contrary, they helped us because the anti-aircraft gunners ceased fire in order not to hit their own machines.” ITALIANS "WASTE BOMBS. GREEK ISLANDS RAIDED. ATHENS, Aug. 5. Italian planes, which were, believed to have been seeking British ships, bombed the barren Greek islands of Harei, 10 miles from Athens. Inhabitants of Sal ain is saw the explosions. HOW ITALIANS ERRED! Listeners to the midday commentary on the news from London by Air Vernon Bartlett, M.P., to-day enjoyed his observation tm the Italian bombardment of the barren islands of Harei. Air Bartlett said lie had at first, wondered why the Italians should waste their bombs in this wa.v. Then ho had learnt that the Greeks had named this peculiarly-shaped area which resembles a fjhip Hood (the same as the famous British battleship). Presumably Air Bartlett added wryly, this explained how the Italians’ mistake had arisen.