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67. A Stirling of Bomber Command (previously referred to in paragraph 55) made a daylight attack off Borkum on a convoy consisting of four merchant vessels, two of 10,000 tons each and two of 8,000 tons. Bursts were seen close to the two larger vessels. Another convoy consisting of two merchant vessels, each of about 8,000 tons, escorted by a large trawler, was attacked off the Lister Light by a Hudson. One of the merchant vessels was hit by a bomb and by machine-gun fire. Two coastal vessels of 700 and 900 tons respectively were attacked by Hudsons off the West Coast of France. The larger vessel was just missed by two bombs and the smaller was hit several times by cannon and machine-gun fire. Another Hudson probably hit a 2-3,000-ton merchant vessel off Borkum. A small merchant vessel off Egero on the south-west of Norway was hit by a Beaufort, and a 5,000-ton merchant vessel off Egersund was probably hit by another Beaufort.
68. Spitfires scored hits on two flak ships off Cape Gris Nez and on barges near Gravelines.
69.
Ten aircraft laid mines off Lorient, Brest and the Frisian Islands.
70. There were several enemy attacks on shipping, including an attack on the 24th against a ship off Carnsore Point in Eireann territorial waters. Routine weather reconnaissances were flown over the North Sea, the English Channel and the Atlantic. Aircraft of the Condor unit were active on four days of the week in rather more than average strength west and south-west of Bordeaux.
Central Mediterranean.
71. Air operations against enemy communications in the Mediterranean have continued. On the 2t0h, six Blenheims were despatched to attack a convoy off S.W. Greece, consisting of two medium-sized merchant ships escorted by a destroyer and a Ju. 88. The Ju. 88 was driven off, but intense A.A. fire prevented a low-level attack being made. Near-misses were observed on the destroyer and the larger merchant ship. On the following night Wellingtons and naval aircraft attacked a convoy consisting of one cruiser, five destroyers and five merchant ships, 12 miles off Cape Spartivento (Sicily). The cruiser was hit by a torpedo and a probable hit was also made on a 7,000-ton merchant ship. No hits by bombs are claimed, but many of the ships were straddled. A very effective smoke- screen hampered our bombers and accurate A.A. fire was encountered. One Swordfish is missing.
72. On the 26th, Blenheims attacked shipping off the coast of Tripoli (L) and made two hits on a 7,000-ton liner and one on a destroyer. On the next day the liner was sighted 300 yards from shore, stationary and low in the water. A small naval vessel was bombed and probably sunk by Blenheims in Argostoli Harbour.
73. Naval Swordfish mined the approaches to Tripoli (L) on two nights and bombed the town as a diversion. Nuisance raids were made against Naples, Messina and Brindisi, where a large fire was started. Five Hurricanes made a daylight attack on Comiso aerodrome, Sicily, and made hits on hangars and dispersed aircraft.
74. Reconnaissance sorties were flown over the Ionian Sea, south-west Greece and the Central Mediterranean.
75. Italian fighters which made a daylight attack on Halfar aerodrome, Malta, causing slight damage to an aircraft and A.A. post, were engaged by Hurricanes, which probably destroyed one of them and damaged two. On another occasion Italian fighters approaching Malta were intercepted by Hurricanes, which destroyed three of them, probably destroyed two and damaged four more. Bombs were dropped on the island by a few aircraft on three nights without effect.
Libya.
76. The British air forces in the Middle East, including Australian and South African Squadrons and a squadron of Free French Blenheims, were engaged in intensive operations in support of our offensive in the Western Desert.
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