BIG BATTLE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 139, 14 May 1941, Page 8

BIG BATTLE

MEDITERRANEAN FLEET. NAZI BOMBERS REPULSED. (Uniieu Press Association —Copyright.) Ua-L'. J..IU p.iii.y LOIUIUa, -tray 10. i no oiouuoi rancUii i'loot, escorting a i..ige eonvoj, lias returned io its Liu bo aiitT nuv.og repelled one of uio niosc detern.xiied Nazi nignt torpedo and uoniOing aLtaciis, saj s tile eoii espomient oi me Aiiieriean Associated i'less aboard me liagsilip uaispite. Ine entire I'ieet aas undamaged. Six times planes tried to penetrate rery heavy auti-airerait ban ages and eutxi tune the planes were turned UaiK, dropping tneir torpedoes and dunius inujiiiessiy m the sea. me H,xenange leiegrapli Agency’s special correspondent aboard ii.AI.S. ijarliain says: '1 lie barrage, tiling up by more tuan JO warships, was tlie iieaviest and most spectacular yet seen. Tlie Heavy units ui tile tlet-t blazed aviay witu ail tneir armaments, while a strong destroyer screen put up an "uinbreua’ barrage to protect the Battle Fleet trout a possible high-level bombing attack. \\ lien the Battle Fleet opened lire the raiders apparently abandoned the convoy and, splitting up into groups, attacked the heet from all angles. A thick tog descending on the sea ended the battle alter 4o minutes.

A SUCCESSFUL WEEK. (British Official Wireless.)

(Rec. 1.50 p.in.) RUGBY, Alay Id. An Admiralty communique states: During the period May G-l 2, our naval forces nave been operating in the Central Mediterranean. These operations included the two bombardments of Benghazi already announced and various convoy movements. During these operations nine enemy aircraft were shot down and one damaged. Our losses were two fighters. Despite the usual exaggerated claims ol the enemy, no damage of any sort was sustained by Elis Majesty’s ships during these operations. Thus during the period May 0-12 our naval forces ili the Mediterranean destroyed 10 enemy aircraft and damaged at least six others.