IN MIDDLE EAST

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 119, 23 May 1942, Page 5

IN MIDDLE EAST

AIR ATTACKS ON MALTA OPERATIONS ON REDUCED SCALE Rugby, May 21. A Royal Air Force Middle East ■ communique states that objectives in ’ Crete and Libya were raided by our bomber aircraft on Tuesday night, and during the same night the R.A.F. and naval planes attacked an enemy convoy in the Mediterranean. Hits were scored with bombs, and probably with torpedoes, on a mediumsized merchant vessel and on destroyers. Operations in Cyrenaica were on a ' reduced scale yesterday owing to bad j weather. It is now established that in the early morning of May 14 a Ju 88 ‘ was hit by lire from the anti-aircraft ' defences and crashed into the sea ( north of Alexandria Harbour. From all operations one of our aircraft is missing. A Malta communique states that the Fleet Air Arm aircraft successfully attacked an enemy convoy in ’ the Mediterranean last night. Torpedo attacks were delivered at a 1 merchantman and a destroyer, and 1 both vessels were probably hit. I A small formation of enemy £ bombers attacked the aerodrome at Malta at dusk this evening and were * engaged by anti-aircraft guns. Last ni-ht Italian bombers dropped bombs 1 without causing damage. One bomber was shot down in flames by a night ; lighter piloted by an officer who deI stroyed three Italian bombers last (Saturday night. Enemy activity toj day was restricted mainly to fighter i patrols and reconnaissance. The’re ; has oeen no civilian damage in the : last 24 nours.—B.O.W. ! t