NOT YET COMPLETE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 June 1942, Page 4

NOT YET COMPLETE

STORY OF MEDITERRANEAN BATTLE CONJECTURE IN LONDON. ENEMY LOSSES DEFINITELY KNOWN. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.0 a.m.) RUGBY, June 17. It is not yet possible to obtain a balanced account of the naval and air operations arising out of British convoy movements in the Mediterranean during the past few days. The Admiralty, for obvious reasons has confined itself to stating enemy losses. However, sufficient has been made public to indicate that certain supplies succeeded in reaching Malta and Tobruk, in spite of almost continuous enemy attacks. The only news about British losses released as yet has been Italian claims which are officially described as without foundation and even fantastic. Facts issued in London show that the Italians definitely lost one heavy cruiser and two destroyers and that two battleships, two cruisers and at least one destroyer were hit in various attacks. Further, it is pointed out authoritatively that this loss, coming after many previous ones, probably leaves only one heavy cruiser in the whole Italian fleet. It is not believed that Italy is building any more of this class. An interesting political aspect of this situation is the alteration in the strength of the Italian fleet in comparison with that of the Vichy controlled fleet. LIBERATORS IN ACTION MANY HITS ON ITALIAN SHIPS. ARMOUR-PIERCING FROM HIGH ALTITUDE. (Received This Day, 12.10 p.m.) LONDON, June 17. Semi-armour piercing bombs from United States Liberator bombers made 23 direct hits on one Italian battleship and fifteen on another, set fire to a cruiser and damaged a destroyer during the Mediterranean convoy battle, according to the raid leader, Major Alfred Kalberer. All the Liberators had crews of Americans, except one which had a R.A.F. crew. The bombers flew so high that the crews wore oxygen masks. Major Kalberer said British naval observers estimated that the Italian .'battleships would be under repair for at least four months. All the Liberators returned safely. BRITISH AIR ATTACK DESTRUCTION OF ENEMY MACHINES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.0 a.m.) RUGBY, June 17. A Middle East communique states: “Further details are now available of air fighting during the action in the Central Mediterranean on June 15. Our fighters shot down at least eleven enemy machines and severely damaged many others, which are unlikely to have regained their bases. “In addition, in the'24 hours ended at midday on June 16, our fighters shot down three enemy machines over Malta. “Two Italian battleships, escorted by four destroyers, were again attacked by our torpedo-aircraft on June 15. The enemy formation put up a heavy smokescreen, but a hit was scored on the leading battleship. “Our bombers and fighter-bombers effectively attacked enemy ground forces in the El Adem area on Tuesday. Three enemy machines were shot down. The aerodromes at Berka and Derna were bombed. “We lost eight aircraft, but five of the pilots are safe.” CONVOY PROTECTED OPERATIONS OVER SEA & LAND. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.20 a.m.) RUGBY, June 17. Further particulars of the part played by the British Air Force in the recent Mediterranean operations'and in Libya have been learned in London. Beaufighters met a British convoy off Bizerta and shot down a Junkers 88 which they found attacking the convoy early on the evening of Sunday. Thereafter continuous cover was provided for the convoy. During the following 24 hours, several hundred fighter sorties were flown from Malta, a majority by Spitfires. In Libya the R.A.F. made attacks on the Panzer column which has thrust eastwards in the Sidi Rezegh area. It is learned that the column was severely harassed on Tuesday by fighter-bomb-ers, which destroyed ten of the thirty German tanks engaged in this operation. More than 500 sorties have been flown in Libya on several days recently.