ELEVEN ’PLANES SHOT DOWN

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21819, 23 November 1940, Page 7

ELEVEN ’PLANES SHOT DOWN

Air Battle Over Libya Striking Success For R.A.F. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright LONDON, November 21. The shooting down of 11 Italian aircraft in operations over Libya, and extensive raids over Libya, Albania, and Eritrea, are reported in an Air Ministry communique issued in Cairo. Ten of the Italian aeroplanes were shot down in an engagement between 60 Italian machines and 15 British fighters in eastern Libya. Seven of the machines were completely destroyed, and were seen to be burning on the ground. Three others were forced down, but it could not definitely be established that they had been destroyed. The other Italian aircraft was shot down into the sea by a British fighter. Three of the Italian crew bailed out, and were taken prisoner, one being wounded. The crew of the captured Italian aeroplane included an Italian air force colonel, another officer, and a wireless operator. All Aden saw a British fighter swoop down on the Italian machine and send it crashing into the sea. Assab Heavily Bombed Assab, the Italian port of Eritrea, was bombed on Tuesday and Wednesday night. On Tuesday night twelve separate attacks were made. Direct hits were scored on supply depots, buildings at the head of the jetty, the power- house, where a Are was started which could be seen for 20 miles, warehouses, where three fires were started, oil tanks, and naval stores. On the second night the power house was again bombed, and other supply depots were hit, the damage being extensive and the blazes from resulting fires being visible for 80 miles. Bardia and Tobruk were also bombed. Military stores at Bardia were hit, but at Tobruk the full results could not be observed because of unfavourable weather. On the same night raids were also made on Tirana and Durazzo. in Albania. Direct hits were scored on the wharves at Tirana. All the British machines returned safely from these raids. It is officially stated that 96 civilians have been killed and 188 injured in air raids on Malta since Italy’s entry into the war. The number of houses severely damaged Is 292.