HEAVY RAIDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23863, 14 January 1941, Page 7

HEAVY RAIDS

ITALIAN AIR BASES ACTIVITY IN LIBYA ATTACK ON PALERMO British Wireless LONDON, Jan. 12 "Benina and Berka aerodromes were heavily raided on the night of January 10-11," states a Royal Air lorce Middle East communique. "Bombs straddled buildings, causing large fires and a number of explosions. "Our aircraft also raided Benghazi and one heavy bomb hit a large building of military importance. Fires were started on the jetty and shipping is believed to have been badly damaged. "Aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm also carried out a raid on Palermo, Sicily, where shipping in the harbour was the main objective. One bomb fell very close to a merchant vessel of about 8000 tons. There were 12 ships along the outer mole, one receiving a direct hit and four others are believed to have been damaged. Fire and explosions were caused among warehouses. "Our fighters in eastern Libya maintained constant patrols and reported that Derna, Matuba, El Timi and El Gaza la were all clear of enemy aircraft except for a considerable number that were unserviceable. Twenty burned-out aircraft were reported as abandoned on Gazala landing ground, "One of our fighter squadrons accounted for two CR 42's shot down, and one CR 42 destroyed on the ground on January 9, and two S 79's destroyed while attempting to land at Derna, and three G 50's shot down in combat on January 10. The Bomba seaplane base appears to have been abandoned by the enemy. "In Italian East Africa a further raid was made on the Caproni workshops and petrol dumps. The defence positions of Tierbera, Somaliland, were also raided and an S 89 on Jigjiga aerodrome was bombed and machinegunned. Numerous reconnaissance flights were carried out on all fronts. From all operations our aircraft returned without loss." HEROIC SERGEANT WITHERING FIRE FACED ENEMY GUNS SILENCED LONDON, Jan. 8 111 one heroic episode of the assault on Bardia Victorian infantrymen found themselves in a deep gully with Italian field-guns blazing at them over open sights. The battalion, recruited from the industrial suburbs of Melbourne, had fought its way into a long wadi and suddenly found itself flanked on each side by 12 field-guns, while nine more faced them, all firing. They were forced to take cover and soon theii platoons were out attempting to find a way round the flanks, while their comrades gave covering-fire. "It, was here that i saw one of a dozen similar acts of gallantry," their brigade major said. "A mortar platoon sergeant stood right up in the open amid this hellish fire and calmly directed his men's fire, which silenced two of the guns. He came through ah right." After a long delay this position was taken. ITALIAN NERVE GONE LONDON, Jan. 8 Emphasising the completeness of the Italian rout in Bardia, a Daily Express correspondent said that unarmed journalists at one time outnumbered Australian troops in the centre of the town. Although surrounded by thousands of Italians, none of these offered resistance. "It was a battle of nerves, said the correspondent, "and the Italian nerve had gone."