PLANES DESTOYED

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21303, 23 December 1940, Page 7

PLANES DESTOYED

ITALY’S HEAVY LOSS IN AFRICA AND ALBANIA BRITISH FLIERS’ SUCCESS (omclal Wireless) (Received Dec. 23, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, Dec. 22 How four Italian aircraft were destroyed was told in an Air Ministry | news service bulletin dealing with i the most recent operations in the African and Albanian theatres of war. j During the night of December 20 the Royal Air Force raided Genghazi and Berka. Fires and explosions were caused among the buildings at Berka and dispersed aircraft were machinegunned from 500 feet. The bombing of Ben Ghazi started j various explosions on the mole and j two bombs fell near warships. Numerous reconnaissances were I carried out in the Bardia and Tobruk j area, and an 569 bomber was intercepted and shot down in flames at Bambut. A British formation of aircraft on patrol near Telepini met a formation of enemy 569 bombers, one of which was destroyed. The same patrol intercepted another formation of enemy bombers and shot two. In Italian East Africa a night raid I was carried out on Asmara. One ) large factory shed was set on fire and J burned fiercely, accompanied by j violent explosions. ( From ail these operations all the > British aircraft returned safely. j IGB Italian Planes Destroyed • The aerodrome of Castel Benito, j near Tripoli, was heavily bombed by l the Royal Air Force on Friday night. Nineteen Italian machines were destroyed, either by bombs or by fire. Direct hits were scored on hangars and large fires were started. Since December 7 the Italians have lost 168 aircraft. 91 of which were shot down and the remainder destroyed on the ground or captured/. Fourteen British machines were lost, with five pilots missing. NINE GUESTS KILLED TRAGEDY AT WEDDING BRIDE AND GROOM INJURED SHELL HITS PUBLIC-HOUSE (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. copyright) (Received Dec. 23, 1 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 22 Nine guests at a wedding party were killed when an anti-aircraft shell hit the smoking-room at a public-house in West Midlands. A number of others, including the bridge and bridegroom, were seriously injured. , RAIDS ON BRITAIN ON CONSIDERABLE SCALE (United Press a him.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Dec. 23, 11.45 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 22 Enemy air activity last night was again mainly directed at Liverpool and the Merseyside, says a Ministry of Home Security communique. The attack began shortly after dark on a considerable scale continued until early this morning. Many fires were started, but owing to the work of the fire-fighting services they were brought under control, and the situation was never out of hand. MR CHURCHILL BROADCAST TO EMPIRE (Received Dec. 23, 11.40 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 24 The Prime Minister,. Mr Winston Churchill, will broadcast at 9 p.m., British standard time, on December