ACCURATE BOMBING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23861, 11 January 1941, Page 9

ACCURATE BOMBING

LESSON FROM BABDIA VALUE OF AIR SUPPORT ENEMY GENERALS' PRAISE British Wireless LONDON, Jan, 0 The opinion is expressed at the headquarters of the Royal Air Force in the Middle East that the fall of Bardia presents probably the most, conclusive proof of the value of aerial support to the ground forces since the beginning of hostilities. The war-weary Italian prisoners are now recounting the demoralising effect of the heavy bombing attack during the last few days, when British pilots attacked the Bardia defences mercilessly. The results of the accurate bombing can now be witnessed around the fallen town, where few targets of importance still stand, although the town itself is hardlv touched.

Two Italian generals, who, with 14 senior officers in the first, batch of Bardia prisoners, were flown to the Middle East headquarters, expressed admiration of the skilful way in which the Royal Air Force kept its attacks confined to the defences and did not wilfully destroy the town of Bardia. "So force in the world could have stood up to it.," said one captured officer. An explanation of the weakness of llic enemy air opposition during the first two days of the battle is in part found in the considerable number of Italian aircraft destroyed on the ground. Forty machines which the army has taken at the abandoned aerodrome at HI Adem, near Tobruk, were damaged as a result of low dive attacks made on the aerodrome last week. On the third day of the battle, on January o, hiivs an Air Ministry bulletin, when the Italian air operations increased, I'oval Air Force fighter squadrons and an Australian squadron welcomed the challenge and 19 enemy aircraft were destroyed, while only one British fighter and one bomber were lost.

AIR RAID ON' NAPLES

OFFICIAL ROME: VERSION SEA SUCCESSES CLAIMED ROME, Jan. 0 "Waves of British aeroplanes last, night attacked Naples and Palermo," sav? an Italian official communique. "Numerous bombs were dropper! on Naples, hut mo.it of them fell into the sea. Fifteen buildings in Naples were hit, resulting in five people being killed and 30 wounded. The Palermo raid did not cause un.v casualties or any important damage. "An Italian torpedo-boat," continues the communique, "rammed and sank a British submarine, while an Italian submarine operating in the Atlantic sank a British auxiliary cruiser and a 3600-ton merchant ship. "Italian aviators bombed Salonika with evident results. "There is nothing worthy of mention on the Cyrensuca- front. British air raids on Benghazi and Tripoli caused slight material damage, and three people were killed in Tripoli. On the Greek front there was activity among patrols and actions of a local character."