ENEMY SURPRISED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 137, 12 May 1941, Page 8

ENEMY SURPRISED

THE RAID ON SICILY. (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 2.10 p.m.) RUGBY, May 11. An R.A.E. Middle East communique referring to the extensive damage caused to enemy aircraft on the aerodromes at Catania and Camiso (Sicily) yesterday, says: The attack, m midafternoon, came as a complete surprise and was highly successful. At Catania three groups of Hcinkel Ill’s and one cluster of Junkers 88 machines were attacked. Full details were not seen, but undoubtedly much damage was caused. Troops running from the mess to a shelter were machine-gunned.

At Camiso the attack was even more successful. A Messerschmitt 109 was destroyed and about 30 officers running into the mess were machinegunned. Two aircraft following up the attack set ore to one Junkers 52, three bombers, and two other planes. lire and smoke made it easy ior subsequent aircraft to locate the targets, some of which were sot on fire. Another Junkers 52 was left blazing. Last night heavy bombers attacked Tripoli harbour and several direct hits were registered on the Spanish mole, resulting in one large explosion and several fires. One stick of bombs landed on the power station and several sticks burst across the harbour, but the results could not be seen owing to a smoke screen. Incendiary bombs started a number of other fires. All our planes returned safely.