FIGHTING IN AFRICA

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21184, 6 August 1940, Page 5

FIGHTING IN AFRICA

BRITISH FLIERS SUCCESSFUL DIRECT HITS SCORED PLANES AND SHIPS DAMAGED (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Aug. 6, 11 a.m.) CAIRO, Aug. 5 A Royal Air Force communique states: We bombed a fuel dump at Massawa hitting a building. All our planes returned. A direct hit was scored on a naval vessel in Massawa harbour during another raid, when bombs burst among submarines. Our planes machine-gunned from 150 feet three grounded bombers in the Dagabur area. Enemy bombers attacked Mersa Matruh. There were no Royal Air Force casualties. Three enemy bombers on August 3 attacked a ship in Berbera Harbour. Our fighters severely damaged one raider, which possibly was shot down. In the Bir-el-Gibhi area our reconnaissance planes, escorted by four fighters, met fifty fighters and shot down three enemy planes. Our bombers attacked motor transport concentrations east of Bir-el-Gibhi after an attack by fifty fighters, two of which were shot down by our planes. The enemy’s own anti-aircraft fire shot down a third plane. One of our fighters is missing. Bir-el-Gobhi, mentioned in the Cairo communique, is a caravan junction 50 miles due west from Solium, and is a strong base for Italian operations. Forced To Jettison Bombs Our fighters intercepted and forced a number of enemy aircraft to jettison their bombs in the sea. Two enemy aircraft were so badly damaged that they are unlikely to have been able to return to their base. A fuel dump at Massawa was raided by a small force of our bombers. All the bombs were dropped in the target area and a building was struck. Enemy fighters attacked and the anti-aircraft fire was interse, but all our aircraft returned safely. Another raid was made on the Massawa Harbour. In a low-level attack bombs were seen to burst among submarines and a direct hit was made on a naval vessel. The anti-aircraft and pom-pom fire was violent but ineffective. A statement in this communique that one British machine failed to return is an answer to Italy's claim to have “destroyed 14 British aircraft yesterday.”