BOMBING RAIDS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24327, 18 June 1940, Page 7

BOMBING RAIDS

BRITISH AND ITALIAN ATTACKS ON BASES EGYPTIANS WOUNDED FIRST CASUALTIES OF WAR (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, June 16. The British Admiralty announces that four enemy submarines have been destroyed in the Mediterranean since Italy began hostilities. According to a British Official Wireless message from Rugby, an R.AJ 1 . communique issued to-day states: The R.A.F. continued its active operations against the enemy yesterday. In an attack on Diredawa by combing aircraft extensive damage was caused to the aerodrome and nearby building. A large building was seen 10 oe burning. Two other fires were staried, one close to the railway junction. Another raid was carried out on Macaca, direct hits being registered on buildings and the aerodrome bombed. Making a reconnaissance flight over the Kenya-Somaliland frontier, one machine bombed and ma-chine-gunned the Italian frontier post of El Wak. A Cairo message states that a British Middle East General Headquarters communique says Italian naval units and planes attacked Solium on June 15, wounding two officers and 20 men of the Egyptian force, whose barracks and stores were damaged. These are the first Egyptian casualties reported since the outbreak of hostilities on the Egyptian-Libyan frontier. The Italian Air Force raided Sido Barrani and caused eight civilian casualties. These are the first air raid victims in Egypt. A R.A.F, communique states that the Italians carried out further abortive raids over Malta. Our fighters, drdve off the enemy. King Farouk in Cairo . A message from Cairo says that when informed of the bombing of Sullum Kinig Farouk came to Cairo in his private nlane and immediately conferred. first, with the senior members of Cabinet, and, secondly, with the. British military commander, Majorgeneral Wilson. Cabinet later met again. Meanwhile the official view is reported to be that the Solium incident does not involve Egypt in the war. as the objective, a nolice post, was not a military objective. The evacuation of Alexandria is proceeding. It is expected that 40,000 will leave during the coming week. A G.H.Q. Middle East communique reveals that, following the capture of Fort Capuzzo, the British now have eight Italian officers and 200, men as prisoners. Italian Version An Italian communique states: Reconnoitring sction is being continued on the French" side of the. Alpine frontier. Italian air forces bombed air bases and ports in Corsica, also -the Burmula arsenal in Malta. Forty enemy planes were destroyed, and a munition depot blown up during action in Southern France. Five Italian planes have not returned. Fierce action is proceeding in North Africa against British forces supported by armoured cars, which attempted to attack in the direction of. Sidi Azeis. In East Africa planes raiding Massawa were shot down. Four enemy planes were shot down by anti-aircraft guns at Genoa.- . .. • . . The Alexandria correspondent of the Associated Press quotes an official rnnquncerrent in reference to the sinking of the British cruiser Calypso, which says it occurred during the recent engagement with enemy submarines. The British scored direct hits on two submarines.