Evening star., 1942-06-15
3 Worships Sent
Down, 5 Damaged,
Fuscists Assert
b. tfe Associated Press.

By tie Associated Press.
A great running sea-air battle,
which on the face of Axis re-
port-the only information
available thus far-seems to
have stemmed from a major
strategical move Of the Allies,
was being fought today at Italy's
Mediterranean doorstep between
Tunis and Sardinia.
The location of the battle, the
strength and composition given by
Rome for the Allied naval force and
the reckless expenditure of planes
in the attack on it suggested either
that Italian territory itself might
be under attack or that the Allies
were engaged in a great transfer of
strength between Gibraltar and
SueZ.
The italian high command, in a
special communique, claimed that
two cruisers, one destroyer and four
steamers were sunk out of one of
two British conveys, and a battle
ship. an aircraft carrier, two
cruisers, one destroyer and four
steamers heavily damaged.
The Italian newspaper, II Gior-
male dItalia, declaring the convoy
the largest the British had ever
sent into the Mediterranean, said
it consisted of about 30 units, in
cluding aircraft carriers, a battle
ship, 4 cruisers, 10 destroyers and
IL to IA transports. The paper said
the greater part of the convoy al
ready had been forced to turn back.
British Refuse to Comment.
In London British authorities re-
fused to comment on the Italian
accounts. Sardinia flanks the con-
voy route past the bulging coastline
of Tunisia, allowing a passage only
a little over 100 miles wide.
The Italian high command said
the convoy attacked was protected
by numerous units of the line and
by two aircraft carriers" Spotting
the convoy early Saturday, Italians
said their scout planes later lost
sight of it and the first attack was
not delivered until yesterday.
Numerous formations" of torpedo
planes, bombers and fighters then
struck the flotilla, the Italians re-
lated. They acknowledged 20 planes
lost themselves and reported shoot
ing Is carrier-borne planes down in
flames.
The operations were resumed in
the early hours of this morning
against the remaining units" the
communique concluded.
Text of Announcement.
The special Rome announcement
said:
"One of two conveys mentioned
in today's army communioue No. 745
and which was discovered moving
from the Atlantic with a numerous
escort of men of war and two air
craft carriers by our reconnaissance
planes in the first hours of June 13,
was pursued throughout that day,
and was repeatedly attacked yester-
day by Italian forces in the Medi-
terranean between Tunis and Sar-
DINA.
Numerous formations of torpedo
planes and bombers which we're i'm
mediately concentrated in opera
tional bases pursued it from dawn
to dusk.
Two cruisers, one destroyer and
four ships were sunk.
"One battleship, one aircraft car
rier, two cruisers, one destroyer and
four ships were repeatedly hit by
torpedoes and bombs and were Sc
riously damaged.
Is Planes Shot Down.
I'm the course of the ferocious
fighting which developed every time
our offensive formations returned,
IS enemy airplanes were shot down
in flames.
Twenty italian aircraft did not
return to their bases. Some men,
bers of the crews were rescued by
salvage seaplanes.
"One assault commander, one
group commander, and two squad
ron commanders we're missing at
roll call. Among the crews there
were several wounded. Three planes
riddled by hits were able to reach
home territory.
The operations were resumed in
the early morning hours of today
and are being continued against the
remaining enemy units"