Rome Provides The Comic Relief

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 80, 3 April 1941, Page 7

Rome Provides The Comic Relief

j AINT VERSION OF THE BATTLE Received Wednesday, 10 p.m. KOMK, April 2. i A communique states: * ‘ I'or some ! time a growing intensification of enemy itraffic between Egypt and (ireece Ha. been remarked. uur destroyers and l planes fiave often taken action against | this traffic, inflicting losses. rNeverI theless, rt is necessary to attempt a j bigger offensive for the purpose of j forcing the enemy to adopt more I onerous methods of protection. ' “An offensive was begun on th® night of March 25 with a brilliant action, shock units penetrating Suda Bay. Tiro next night, after an air recon- ! naissance, eight Italian cruisers, escorted by destroyers, left their bases, supI ported by a battleship. This force on | the morning of March 28, in waters south of Candis, exchanged shots with an enemy cruiser, which immediately evaded contact. “While our warships were returning from sweeping th® sea, our planes attacked the enemy with torpedoes, hitting two cruisers, an aircraft-carrier and several merchantmen. “Enemy planes attacked our fleet on the afternoon of March 28, hitting a cruiser with a torpedo and slowing it down. “A division, including a cruiser, enS’ countered in the night enemy forces t comprising, according to the British, h several battleships. Our units opened fire, the attack being pressed by deS stroyers right up to the British units, and numerous torpedoes were launched. Onr air force the next day hit a cruiser with a torpedo and an aircraft-carrier with bombs.’’