WIDESPREAD SWEEPS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXII, Issue 28, 2 January 1942, Page 6

WIDESPREAD SWEEPS

MIDDLE EAST RAIDS. . {Rec. 12.35 p.m.) RUGBY, Jan. 1. The R A.F. Middle East communique states that yesterday our fighter and bomber aircraft continued their operations against motonsed and armoured units of the enaray forces m the Jodabaya region of Libya. IJiO bomber aircraft again successfully attacked enemv motor transport on the coastal road between Zuara and Horns on Tuesday; considerable damage was done to convoys of lorries and petrol tankers, and many casualties were caused bv machine-gun attacks. During Tuesday 'night the aerodrome, barracks, and moti»r-transport sheds at Misurata were effectively raided. Military objectives in Greece and Crete were also raided by our bomber aircraft during Tuesday night. Direct hits were- scored on munition factories and the submarine base on Salamis, while at Piraeus green explosions followed by an orange-coloured tire resulted from an attack on chemical works and oil installations. Ihe aerodrome at Heraclion and objectives at Male me were also attacked. Enemy aircraft raided Malta during Tuesdav night and again in daylight yesterday. Some damage was caused, particularly to civilian property. One Me 109 was shot down by naval guntire. From these and other operations two of our aircraft aro inissinr MALTA'S TESTING. A Cairo message states that although units of the German air force in Sicily have made almost hourly attempts during the last 12 days to paralyse the R.A.E. squadrons operating from Malta, British medium bombers continue to relentlessly hammer the Axis forces in their retreat into Tripolitania. To keep the enemy planes away the anti-aircraft batteries are waging a ceaseless war on the raiding JuBB a and their protecting Messerschmitts. Since this phase of the Rattle of the Mediterranean opened on December 19 Malta has had 52 day and 47 night raids. So far Hurricane fighters have destroyed seven Jußß's and two fighters, while the anti-aircraft guns have shot down three bombers. An official communique states that machine-gun attacks were made by two enemy fighters at a few points near the south-east coast of England this morning. Slight damage was done one person being killed and a small number injured.—Official Wireless.