Burning Oil Spreads Over Tripoli Harbour

Northern Advocate, 8 October 1941, Page 5

Burning Oil Spreads Over Tripoli Harbour

[British Official V/ireless] (Rec noon) RUGBY, Oct. 7. A Royal Air Force Middle East communique states that on the night of October 5-6, heavy R.A.F. bombers attacked shipping in Tripoli harbour. A large oil tanker was set on fire, and burning oil spread over a large portion of the harbour and the smoke made observation of the rest of the bombing difficult. Direct hits, however, were seen on two other vessels and a group of lighters near the west quay. On the same night naval aircraft attacked enemy aerodromes and seaplane bases at Marsla, Catania and Gerbini. A number of enemy aircraft were severly damaged. On the previous night other naval aircraft carried out an offensive patrol over Trapani and Marsla. Gun positions were machine-gunned, float planes attacked and several damaged, and hangars and slip-ways bombed. Explosions At Benghazi Warehouses at Locata were attacked on the return journey. Benghazi was subjected to a heavy attack on the night of October 4-5 and 5-6. Hits on a ship south-east of the Mole d’ltalia caused a fire and explosion and other hits on another ship and the outer mole were followed by terrific explosions. Bombs fell near other vessels and on the quays. Benina aerodrome and the landing ground at Barce were attacked and repair shops and power stations set on fire. Brush With Luftwaffe Motor transport workshops at Bardin were bombed on OctODer 6. Ammunition dumps north-west of the town were attacked. South African fighters, while on offensive patrols over Sidi Omar, were engaged by a large force of Messerschmitt 109 s. One of the Germans was shot down and others severely damaged. From all these operations three of our machines are missing. 4000 ft. Dive The Air Ministry states in regard to the raid on Tripoli that the first raider over this much battered target made a 4000 ft. dive on a tanker off the Spanish quay and sent a stick of bombs crashing into her. A blaze ef orange flame, accompanied by masses of black smoke shot upwards, lighting up the rest of the shipping in the harbour and outshining the bright moonlight that lit up the town for miles out to sea. The raiders following saw the bonfire and flew in and dropped their cargoes of high explosives on other ships in the harbour and on lighters and barges around them. The ships were soon ignited from the oil gushing from the tanker and spread a blanket of flames over the water. A heavy pall of smoke drifted for miles out to sea, Whooped at Sight A second pilot of a leading aircraft describing the tf scene, said: “When we came in to attack we could see the tanker plainly. The other ships were lying beyond it in the direction of our run, When we dropped our bombs and turned away there was such a terrific shout from the gunner and observer that I thought the fire had got us, but they were just whooping at the sight of the bombs crashing into the tanker. “Flames shot up immediately. I could 'see the dark shape of the funnel sticking up out of a sheet of flame." When they left the target after a two hours’ attack, the crews of the returning aircraft could see the fires shining through the haze miles away. Such ships of Italy’s convoys as succeed in crossing the Straits of Sicily | cannot count on a safe haven in Africa.