ENEMY AIR LOSSES

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24135, 29 November 1941, Page 11

ENEMY AIR LOSSES

133 PLANES DESTROYED } EFFECTIVE BRITISH RAIDS TANKS AND TROOPS SUFFER LONDON. Nov. 27 It was officially confirmed on Wed- r nesday that 133 enemy aeroplanes had been destroyed since the beginning of the offensive in the West- . ern Desert, says a special correspondent of the British United Press with the Royal Air Force. The Allied air force, which includes a number of Free French air- • men, continues to give the land forces , close support. In one engagement South African aeroplanes attacked a larger enemy force and shot clown 10 aeroplanes without loss to themselves. Beau-fighters have already destroyed 44 enemy aircraft, and a squadronleader who already holds the M.C. and D.F.C., has been awarded the D.S.O. .'Support for Land Forces "Further effective raids on concentrations of enemy tanks, armoured fighting vehicles and motor transports in the battle area in Libya were carried out bv our bomber aircraft yesterday," says a Royal Air Force Middle East communique quoted in a British official wireless message. "In the neighbourhood of El Adem and Sidi Omar bombs burst among tanks and troops, and during attacks on one enemy column a number of ammunition lorries was blown up. "Other bombing raids, in which Free French bombers took part, were made along the Trigb-Capuzzo road and in the El Duda district. Many fires broke out when direct hits were scored on a group of tanks, vehicles and troop 3, and among scattered columns of motor transports. Air support was also given to the land operations. "Over the battle area our fighters encountered a force o£ Messerschmitt 109 fighters and shot down two of them. Other enemy aircraft were damaged. Combats Over Sidi Eezegh "Details are now available of the aerial combats which took place over Sidi Rezegb on Tuesday. Four Messerschmitt 110s, one 109, one CR42, two Gso's and two fighters were definitely destroyed, while many other enemy aircraft were badly damaged. In this engagement we lost two fighters. "Motor transports on the coastal road of the Gulf of Sirte were attacked by our bombers yesterday. Petrol tankers and lorries were destroyed or put out of action. Enemy aircraft which attempted to intercept our bombers were driven off. "During Tuesday night our bombers attacked shipping in Benghazi harbour. A direct hit was obtained on the outer mole." USE AXIS VESSELS LATIN-AMERICAN PLAN 85 FREIGHTERS INVOLVED NEW YORK, Nov. 27 The Washington correspondent of the Journal of Commerce saya that the plan for the Latin-American countries to utilise 85 immobilised Axis vessels for their north Atlantic trade moved a step further when eight South American Republics approved a proposal, the basic principle of which is described as an effort to see that the vessels now idle in American ports are utilised on particular routes carrying articles of a ! specific nature in order to promote the ! defence of the economies of the Ameri ican Republics as well as to maintain the peace and security of the continent.