ENEMY AIR BASES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24630, 11 June 1941, Page 5

ENEMY AIR BASES

NORTH AFRICAN COAST HEAVY BRITISH RAIDS CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE RUGBY, June 9. The R.A.F. again hit heavily at enemybases along the North African coast. These operatinos, carried out without British losses, are described in the following R.A.F. Middle East communique:—" On the night of June 7-8 heavy raids were made on aerodromes at Gambut and Capuzzo, as well as two attacks on the harbour of Benghazi. At least two enemy grounded aircraft were destroyed at Derna. Considerable damage was done to the landing ground at Gambut. while at Benghazi a number of fires, followed by an explosion, were caused on the Central and Cathedral moles. "Our fighters maintained active patrols yesterday over Cyrenaica, but no contact was made with the enemy.

"In Syria the R.A.F. gave continuous support to our troops. "On other fronts there is little of outstanding importance to report. " Malta was raided on the night of June 7-8. No damage was caused, nor were there any casualties. A CR 20 Fiat bomber was shot down in flames, two of the crew being captured after a parachute descent. A second unidentified enemy plane was so badly damaged that the crew baled out. None of our.planes is missing." A Nairobi communique, dealing with the fighting in Abyssinia, states: East and West African troops continue to advance in the Omo River area. An additional 200 Europeans, 1000 Entreans, and 20 lorries were captured, Beaufort Attacks a Ship When a Beaufort bombed a ship in the docks at La Pallice on the Biscay coast on Monday, the pilot flew so low that he had to dodge cranes, and he let go his>bombs while he was actually below the level of a swastika -flag flying from a mast on the mole. As he came in over the harbour the pilot saw a ship of some 7000 tons unloading cargo. The crew were busy on deck. The Beaufort came down in a spiral dive to under 100 feet and dropped av stick of delayed action bombs, and then climbed quickly away. Smoke was coming from the ship's stern as the Beaufort turned out to sea. It has been confirmed that an enemy fighter was destroyed in the Straits of Dover on Monday. Members of a ship's crew saw it crash into the sea. A Running Battle Fighter Command Spitfires had a running battle in and out of clouds over the Channel off Dover on Monday afternoon with a number of the latest types of Messerschmitt .109. .They finished the fight by chasing their opponents, some damaged, back to the coast of France, while the ships they were escorting continued on their way. The scrap began when three Spitfires on patrol above the ships were pounced on by a number of Messerschmitts, which appeared suddenly out of the clouds. The British pilots evaded the attack and turned to join battle As they did so other German fighters appeared, and so did more patrolling Spitfires. Wild dog-fights followed beneath and in and out of thick clouds. The engagement lasted over nan an hour One British pilot saw pieces coming away from the fuselage of an opponent before he lost him in the mist.