AIR OFFENSIVE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24790, 15 December 1941, Page 6

AIR OFFENSIVE

BRITISH BOMBERS HEAVY MIDDLE EAST RAIDS A TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION ,< (Rec. 8 p.m.) RUGBY, Dec. 13. The intensity of the 24-hour offensive ‘ which (as recorded in an R.A.F. Middle , East communique) medium bombers, in the C.entral Mediterranean completed on targets in Sicily and the toe of Italy can best be judged from a detailed survqy of their operations. On Thursday morning, in fine weather, they made a lightning attack on several large vessels flying in the harbour of Catania. Aircraft crossed the coast at a .low ' altitude. and the first plane, piloted by experienced New Zealanders, obtained direct hits on a mediumsized vessel; Showers of sparks and a series of explosions showed that the bombs found their target, and the following pilot saw the stricken ship blazing fiercely amidships. He dropped his own load of bombs on another sized vessel lying alongside the central mole. The last aircraft was over the target before the ground defences had got their guns into action. Later in the day another force of ‘ Blenheims bombed a medium-sized ship in Argostoli Harbour. Yesterday morning Blenheims were again early on the Italian scene, and attacked a munitions factory at Crotone. A Canadian wing commander, after bombing this factory from a low altitude, flew into a cloud of thick black smoke issuing from its chimneys, and under its cover he flew safely out to sea again. Another aircraft bombed a factory beside the railway lines at Catanzaro, while a third, flying only a few feet from the ground, dropped a bomb on a viaduct west of Manna di Gidrosa. . Heavy bombers, too, were active. Early yesterday morning some made a long journey to Patras and remained out for three hours attacking shipping. Through gaps in the clouds they dropped from low altitudes a large number of bombs on merchant vessels lying in the harbour. Clouds of smoke were soon rising from the bows of .one ship after an attack, and a vessel straddled by a stick of bombs was seen to be engulfed by water and debris. Buildings on the quay were demolished by direct hits. Other heavy bombers attacked the aerodrome at Pappos and the submarine base at Augusta. Naval aircraft also had a successful outing yesterday morning when they attacked the aerodrome at Castel Benito. The first of the formation ■ dropped a stick on the hangars and apparently hit a fuel dump, for a large fire broke out and clouds of thick black smoke ro§e several hundred feet. One pilot ' who bombed a hangar dropped incendiaries among dispersed aircraft and destroyed three. He saw one blow up and disintergrate and others catch fire. '

GREAT DARING SHOWN ATTACKS ON CRETE . ' : 1 , -I t ; (Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 13. On both sides of the Mediterranean British and Imperial air squadrons continue to carry the war daringly into > enemy territory,. An R.A.F. Middle East communique states that a number of R.A.F. aircraft successfully attacked the aerodrome at Mal'eme, in Crete, during the night of December 11. Petrol pumps ignited and caused a number of violent explosions, and many fires broke out. Bombs also burst in the landing ground area. Objectives at Patras, in the Gulf of Corinth, and aerodromes at Araxos were also raided on the same night. A liner in the harbour of Patras was probably hit, and quayside buildings were extensively damaged. In Libya yesterday our bombers retarded enemy motorised units in the Gazala area with good results. Petrol tankers were set on fire by our fighters in the course of attacks on the Age-dabia-El Agbeila road, and many lorries and other vehicles were damaged. Junkers 52’s flying from the north into Libya were engaged by our fighters, four JUhkers being shot down. During the night of December 11 naval aircraft attacked the aerodrome at Caste! Benito, in Tripolitania. where

three enemy aircraft aground were destroyed,.. Fire of considerable dimensions broke out in one of the hangars. Our aircraft were active over Sicily and southern Italy yesterday. At Marina Di Giooea, a viaduct was bombed and motor transport vehicles machine-gunned, while at Batangaro

Marino factories were attacked. Dur- ' ing a raid, on the aerodrome at Cosrmss, direct hits were scored on buildings and hangars. The naval base at . Augusta alsd was attacked. From these and other operations, eight of our fighters are missing.