DIRECT HITS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 227, 23 August 1940, Page 7

DIRECT HITS

ON ITALIAN BASES. BRITISH AIR ATTACKS. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) Received August 23, 10.23 a.m. RUGBY, Aug. 22. An R.A.F. communique from Cairo states: During the night of August 19-20 extensive flights were made over Abyssinia. Bombing was carried out on the main objectives, and these suffered direct hits. Other bombers attacked with success the landing grounds at Tobruk and El Aden (Cyrenaica). Three Italian bombers, Savoia 79’s xvere seriously damaged during a raid at El Mimi yesterday. One was set on fire and exploded, the second xvas burnt out, and the third had its xvings bloxvn off. There were also a number of near misses xvhich probably caused damage to other enemy aircraft. All our bombers returned safely. South African and Rhodesian aircraft carried out numerous offensive reconnaissance flights over Italian Somaliland. Direct hits were registered on a jetty and hangar at Mogadiscio, xvhile at Merka one Caproni on the ground xvas damaged. Direct hits xvere also registered on buildings. A Nairobi communique states: Ground patrols were again active in the northern frontier district, gathering most valuable information. The South African Air Force raideu Mogadison, obtaining direct hits on the transportation and administrative buildings, the wirelees station and hangars. Fires xvere started by the explosive and incendiary bombs xvhicb fell in the target area. All our planes returned safely. _ A Cairo communique states : There is nothing important to report.

ITALIAN VERSION. i MORE NAVAL “SUCCESSES.” Received August 23, 11.3 S a.m. ROME, Aug. 22. ' A High Command communique states: “Italian bombers attacked a military objective at Gibraltar. One of our planes failed to return. A torpedoboat sank an enemy submarine in the Eastern Mediterranean. A submarine torpedoed an enemy destroyer. “Our air squadrons intensely bombarded enemy naval formations composed of several cruisers which xvere repeatedly hit. Two cl our native troops at Cocacia, in East Africa, shot down an enemy plane.” . , The Hungarian Premier (Count Teleki) has' telegraphed Mussolini his congratulations on the “glorious Italian victory in British Somaliland. The Italian Foreign Minister (Count Csaky) similarly telegraphed the Italian Foreign Minister (Count Ciano).