NAVAL MIGHT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 263, 4 October 1940, Page 7

NAVAL MIGHT

MEDITERRANEAN SWEPT.

MORE TROOPS AT MALTA

(United Press Association—Copyright.)

(British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 10 a.m.) RUGBY, Oct. 3. An Admiralty communique states that the Commauder-in-Chief in the Mediterranean (Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham) has reported that naval forces under liis command carried out a sweep of the Eastern and Central Mediterranean from September 29 to October 2, in the course of which additional military forces were landed at Malta.

During the period a strong enemy naval force was sighted by our reconnaissance aircraft. This enemy force was then 100 miles away from our fleet and was already steaming towards its base at high speed. It was, therefore, not possible to bring the enemy into action.

Our fleet was attacked by enemy aircraft on three occasions during these operations. No damage was sustained by our ships in any of these attacks, but losses were inflicted on the enemy. On the morning of September 29 an enemy aircraft w*as located shadowing our fleet. It was shot down by fighter aircraft.

Later in the day a second enemy shadowing aircraft was shot down by fleet fighters. Soon afterwards air attacks ed in the course of which one enemy aircraft was shot down by anti-air-craft fire. A fourth aircraft was shot down by fleet fighters on October l._ Beirut reports that the British Consul-General has demanded the internment of the crews of two heavy Italian bombers forced down in Syria during a raid on Haifa. A communique issued by Britisli General Headquarters at Cairo states that there is nothing of importance to report.