Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-11-29
Italian Destroyers Raiding Corfu
Routed by Planes British Claim;
Naval Battle Is Fought in Channel
Claims of Britain
And Axis on Sea
Clashes Conflict
By the Associated Press.

By thc Associated Press.
LONDON, Nov. 29.-Out of blaz-
ing naval warfare in the Mediter-
ranean and a clash of light forces
in the English Channel Britain drew
claims today of having clinched
control of the sea Italians call "ours"
and of rout of German warships
Italy and Germany, presenting
their own versions, have asserted
that the British were heavy losers
in the Mediterranean and Channel
actions.
The Italians insist that only a
destroyer of theirs was hit in the
recent battle of Sardinia while a
British battleship, three cruisers and
an aircraft carrier we're damaged.
(The Germans declare that, far
from being routed, their Channel
forces torpedoed two British de-
troyers while two steamers of
5000 and 5000 tons and two
smaller vessels also we're SUNK
Reports filtering through the Lon
don Admiralty-traditionally "the
silent service"-indicated that a
broad offensive intended to sweep
the Mediterranean clear of Italian
naval forces and strike at Italy as
the Achilles heel of the axis-con-
trolled continent is under way.
This naval warfare. with accent
on aerial operations Tnerein tor
pedo planes are matched against the
largest battleships, appeared to be
the initiative Britain is striving for
to counter Germanys siege Of Brit
ain by air and sea. 1t is being waged
in apparent coordination with the
r. A. F.s continuing land operations
against the industries and conmuni-
cations Of the axis powers.
British Claims.
Rome and Berlin have disputed
British reports of victory and
claimed successes in the same &C
tons. But this is what the British
say their sea forces, with the great
help of the feet air arm. have &C
complished this week:
Damaged six Italian warships
Wednesday afternoon of the Italian
island of Sardinia-torpedo plane
hits on q 35,000-ton oattieship of
the new Littorio class and 10000
ton cruiser of the Bolzano class;
dive bombing of another cruiser;
firing Of still another and gunfire
damage to two destroyers.
Routed German light forces"
early today in the English Channel
with thus far unspecified damage to
the fleeing German craft-appar-
emily destroyers or smaller craft
and admitted damage to one British
ship
Bombed Port Laki. on the Island
Of Lero, in the nest of the Italian
held Dodecanese Islands in the East
ern Mediterranean. where fires were
set in the waterfront area and a
vessel. probably a warship, was at
tackled.
Bombed the Port of Tripoli, in
Italian Libya, where another ship
wac NV anu III Go Sldl tSO WliiCll NSlC
visible so miles away.
Naval Bases Also Hit.
BY italian acknowledgment Brit
ish planes also struck at the naval
bases of Brindisi and laramie, on
the heel of the italian boot, but, &C
cording to the Rome communique,
dropped explosive and incendiary
bombs only near Brindisi, where
they fell in open country and the
sea-"
(The totalitarian side of this
picture offered Identification of
the 35,000-ton battleship claimed
by the British to have been tor
pedoed in the battle of Sardinia
as the crack new Vittorio Veneto,
but the official Italian news
agency Stefani declared that the
Vittorio Veneto "oodged" the only
aerial torpedo launched at it.
(Stefani went on to say that
only destroyer was damaged
and two British cruisers of the
Kent and Birmingham types
damaged by 8-inch shells and
forced to flee)
The Italian high command COM
munique, which reported yesterday
that one British battleship, three
cruisers and an aircraft carrier were
damaged and seven British planes
shot down in the Sardinia engage
ment, made no mention of the battle
today, but reported that the sub
marine Marconi had sunk 10000
(See NAVAL Page A-4l