DEVASTATING RAIDS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 195, 19 July 1941, Page 7

DEVASTATING RAIDS

Cid s, HARBOURS BLASTED, h (Rcc. 10.55 a.m.) RUGBY, July IS An R.A.F. (Middle East) communi quo states that R.A.I' 1 . heavy bomb i- ers carried out heavy attacks on th ;r harbours of Benghazi and Tripoli am ,e j other enemy positions during tin | nights of July 15-1(5 and 16-L . A '" Tripoli many hits were observed oi J" I the Spanish Quay, and these were fol “'lowed by a number of explosions, on< e j of which was believed to be on ar 11 , enemy merchant vessel. | In a later raid by aircraft of tin j Fleet Air Arm one 6000-ton tanker wai 11 j torpedoed amidships land became en J- j veloped in black smoke, and a violent r " I explosion occurred after several bomb: I had hit the Spanish Mole. At Ben‘f ghazi several tons of bombs were dronjiped on the quays, a coal store, rail- “ way workshops, and sheds, i Successful results were also obtainjed at Derna. where l>oml>s were seen '•to drop on the port, near the post and • telegraph office, the barracks, electric j power stations, and military transport ! garages and repair shops. A large num- ! bcr of explosions and fires followed s i-thc attack. Huts and tents were-set -! on fire at Bardia. l A large formation of Maechi 200 ! s ; which flew over. Malta yesterday morn--1 ing were intercepted by our fighters. ; Two of them were shot down while a i number of others wore damaged. Two i of our aircraft are missing. > —•