ITALIAN RAIDERS

Opotiki News, 15 October 1940, Page 2

ITALIAN RAIDERS

RECEPTION TOO HOT SHEERED OFF MALTA NAVAL CLASH CLAIMED BRITISH SHIPS DAMAGED (News by Cable.) RUGBY, Oct. 12. According to agency messages Italian aircraft attempted unsuccessfully to raid Malta to-day. Royal Air Force fighters went up to drive them off, but the Italians did not want to be engaged. They seem to have found the.r reception altogether too hot because reports speak of the interception of a wireless message from one Italian pilot to his base in which he described the conditions as “hell”.

An Italian communique states that Italian destroyers attacked British naval forces from Malta on Friday night and sank an enemy cruiser, probably of the Neptune class, and damaged other British units which made off. .

The Italian losses were two tor-pedo-boats and a destroyer. A great part of. the Italian crews were saved.

In the early hours of the following morning Italian air formations intensely bombarded enemy units, achieving notable results in spite of violent anti-aircraft fire from the British ships and the intervention of British fighters which took off from a British aircraft-carrier. The latter was hit astern and a British heavy cruiser was damaged. Two British fighters and one Italian machine were shot down.