MALTA STRIKES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXIII, Issue 22, 24 December 1942, Page 5

MALTA STRIKES

ENEMY SHIPS SUNK TUNIS HEAVILY BOMBED (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 9.50 a.m.) RUGBY, Dec. 23. Malta struck back with a vengeance on Monday night, when Wellingtons smashed again at much-battered Tunis and her torpedo bombers sank two out of lour ships in a convoy off Sicily. The convoy consisted of one supply ship, which must have carried a precious cargo as it had three escort vessels as well as U-boats and night fighters. Albacores attacked in the moonlight, sinking the supply ship and one of the escort vessels.

At Tunis Wellingtons scored several direct hits on two ships in tho main basin. Two crimson explosions merged into one great burst, after which the ships disintegrated. A 40001 b bomb was dropped on the marshalling yards, causing a violent explosion in a building.A correspondent at Algiers says that R.A.F. night fighters in North Africa have been operating with considerable success in the past few weeks. Beaufighters once again proved their worth in intercepting enemy bombers on their way to bomb ports and towns into 'which Allied troops have been pouring. Enemy air activity at night has been much reduced. —Official "Wireless. HEAVY LOSSES INFLICTED.

A London message says: Allied submarines, light naval forces and planes havo inflicted heavy losses on Axis supply ships in the past few days, no fewer than 10 ships having been destroyed. Two supply vessels en route to Tunis were torpedoed by a submarine, while another submarine off Sardinia sent two torpedoes into an escorting destroyer and sank two supplj' ships. Light naval forces on patrol sank a small supply ship, while bombers based on Malta sank two out of four supply ships in a heavily escorted convoy. Naval Albacores torpedoed escort vessels of another convoy and also scored hits on ships in the convoy. Bombers based on Cyrenaioa raided Tunis and dropped bombs on two ships in the harbour, both of which were seen to blow up and disintegrate.