MASTERS OF THE AIR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 January 1941, Page 6

MASTERS OF THE AIR

R.A.F. PLANES IN MIDDLE ! EAS'I I DAMAGE DONE IN EXTENDED RAIDS. LITTLE ENEMY ACTIVITY. ■ Ursti-h OllieuJ Wiu-lcss.i ■ R.-cmvod This Day. Noun). RUGBY. January 12. "The Benina and Berka aerodromes [ were heavily raided on the night ol January 1(1." i.tales a R.A.F. Middle 1 .East cominuique. Bombs straddled the building, causing large firesand a number nl exp.lo.smns near dispersed aircraft. Our aircraft'ab > raided Benghazi and one heavy bomb hit a large! building of militiin mip«>i lance. Kires w re started on the jetty and shipping is believed to have been badly damaged. "Aircraft of th.’ Fleet Air Arm also carried out a raid on Palermo, where hipping in th.e harbour was the mam '.ar,get. One bomb fell very chre to a merchant vex! of about 81)0(1 tons 1 Twelve ship, were along the outer mole. One received a direct hit and , four other;; arc believed to have been ; damaged. Fire ' and explosions were [ caused among warehouses. "Our tighter.-: in Eastern Libya main- ( tamed in.:'ant patrols and reported' that Lerna. Hatubba i 1 I’m i and I'd: (la/.'tla were all Hear of enemy aircraft i ■ xcvpt for a considerable number tha" an- miseiA ;c<-able. Twenty burnt out aiti r.i!: are reported a- abandoned <tl 'he Ga.'ala lamhm ground. Om- •-f our figiiter qUiidru.'ls counted I'm- two f’R 12-, oiw being .'hot d'-v.n ;md 'he other desß'iivcd on the ; r. -mid Oil Jaimary !< two ,S7!E weir : destroyed while attemjjtm” to laud a: Derna and tiuee G.?():. Welc ..hot tloWll ; m combat <>n January 10. and j-eirii! (lump ami (it.-ft.iwe p--;-