Evening star., 1941-04-07

bers of the crew burned to death
and two escaped, wounded.
During the night Piraeus was
bombed. A steamer and a ware
house damaged, slight damage to
buildings. A few casualties among
civilians.
A German aircraft dropped propa-
ganda leaflets on the village OF
Panorama near Salonika. on Drama
in the Cavalla region and on the
village of Messuni near Comotini.
ATHENS, Greece, April 7 R.-
The Royal Air Force in Greece
issued this communique today
A small formation of Hurricane
fighters on patrol in the Rupel Pass
area of Bulgaria yesterday en-
countered large formation of Mes
serschmitt 109's. In the ensuing
combat five enemy aircraft definitely
were shot down and number of
others severely damaged. None of
our aircraft was damaged.
A formation CT r. A. F. bombers
carried out a successful raid on
military objectives at Berati CAL
bania).
A single enemy aircraft carrying
out reconnaissance in the Athens
area was shot down in flames.
From all operations all our air
craft returned safely.
Italian
ROME, April 7 (P,.-The Itul-
ian high command issued this
communiQue today
Beginning hostilities against Yugo-
slavia yesterday, our air squadrons
attacked land, naval and air objec-
tives on the Greek k-Yugoslav fronts
At Split, port works and ships in
the bay were bombed and two steam
ers of medium tonnage sunk.
At Cattaro (Kotor), the port was
bombed, causing serious damage to
installations. A destroyer and a
floating drydock were hit squarely.
A steamer was sunk.
An arsenal near Cattaro was seri-
ously damaged. Another destroyer
was hit. A munitions dump was
blown up. Our planes also attacked
seaplanes In the harbor and anti
aircraft emplacements. An enemy
plane was destroyed and numerous
others damaged
The air base at Mostar suffered
serious damage.
Bridges and communications were
mined and also bombed, causing in
terruptions.
Two Planes Shot Down.
In air fights two enemy planes
were shot down. Two of our planes
are missing.
The enemy air force bombed Scu-
tari (Albania), wounding several and
causing little damage.
In East Africa, the prearranged
movement of our troops is continu-
ing. Adds Abba was evacuated by
us to avert casualties among the
civilian population. The white popu-
lation, protected by our police force,
suffered no harm.
The enemy carried out a raid on
our air base at bessie, causing
damage.
In Libya. Italian-German fast
columns have broken through the
British rear lines northeast and
southeast of Bengasi and success
fully repelled a ATTACK by
enemy tanks. Rich booty in pris-
oners, arms and motor vehicles was
taken.
One of our submarines attacked
an escorted convoy in the Eastern
Mediterranean, hitting two enemy
ships, one of which sank.
ROME, April s (Delayed) IT,
The italian government issued
the tollotoing conln,unique today:
Four years ago-in March, 1881
Yugoslavia signed with Italy pact
of friendship which was to consti-
tute on a permanent, sure basis
a loyal policy of cooperation be-
tween the two states.
1nlS was designed as pact OF
Adriatic peace and we negotiated
and concluded it with the firm
expectation it would be the begin
ming of a new era in the relations
Of the two people, giving the Yugo-
slav government trust which we
hoped it would not break.
We kept faith with the Belgrade
pact even when, with the overthrow
of the Stoyadinovic cabinet which
concluded 1t, there began to appear
the first signs and manifestations Of
reborn hostility toward Italy. This
was the work of those dark forces
which for 20 years had poisoned
relations between the two countries
and with the fall of Stoyadinovic
merely regained the upper hand
over the policy of peace and friend