SHIPS DESTROYED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 191, 15 July 1941, Page 5

SHIPS DESTROYED

EXTENSIVE OPERATIONS.

BIG AXIS LOSSES

(United Press Association —Copyright.) (Rec. 12 noon) RUGBY, July 14.

An Admiralty communique says the Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean (Admiral Cunningham) reports further successes by submarines under his command.

The Italian tanker Strombo (5232 tons), which, as previously reported, put into Istanbul seriously damaged by a torpedo from one of our submarines, has now been sunk while on the way back to Italy to undergo repairs. A heavily-laden supply ship of about 5000 tons, "which was sailing in a convoy escorted by an armed merchant cruiser and a destroyer, has also been sunk.

A large sailing vessel transporting enemy troops and military stores has been sunk in the Aegean. Another submarine, finding no enemy shipping on the high seas, attacked by gunbre the enemy anchorage of Has Tayones, near Benghazi. In this attack an' enemy supply ship ol about 1500 tons and an armed trawler were certainly damaged and probably sunk. Aii R.A.F. Headquarters Middle East communique says:— Bomber aircraft carried out successful attacks on an enemy convoy outside Tripoli yesterday. A ship ot 7000 toils was hit and set.on fire and destroyed. Huge columns of black smoke rose to a great height from the vessel.

One three-masted schooner, apparently carrying oil or munitions, blew up when hit by a bomb and another 1000-ton vessel was hit and seen to be burning steadily. Several large bombs were also dropped on ships inside tho harbour. On tho night of July 11-12 R.A.F. heavy bombers attacked the harbour of Benghazi and the aerodrome at Derna. A Junkers 88 was shot down by one of our fighters off the Libyan coast on July 12. During the night of July 12-13 R.A.F. heavy bombers raided enemy aerodromes on the island of Rhodes. At Calato bombs fell on the landing ground and the dispersal area, causing explosions and (ires. At Maritza the aerodrome buildings and hangars were hit and left burning strongly. A number of heavy explosions were caused and dispersed aircraft are believed to have been destroyed. A forest to the east of the aerodrome was left burning. Fires and explosions were also caused to the aerodrome at Kattavia. From these operations all our aircraft returned safely.—Official Wireless.