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- Four Flying Fortresses land in Malta
- Submarine Ursula ‘spirited’ attack on the Calabrian coast
- Submarine Urge sinks one Axis ship, breaks back of second
Flying Fortress
FEE REDUCTIONS FOR THOSE IN NEED
The Rector of the University of Malta has intimated that he will be only too pleased to grant permission to Army personnel to attend any lectures which, on the examination of the candidate’s qualifications, will be considered to be of use to them. Subjects offered include Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Engineering, Architecture, Medicine and Law.
Fees will be £3 3s 0d per subject for one year’s attendance, including registration up to £9 9s 0d for attendance at all subjects on a course. The Governor may remit or reduce all or any of the fees in case of hardship. Applications can be made via the candidate’s commanding officer via the Command Education Officer at the Castille.
SUBMARINE MISSING
The submarine Tetrarch has been reported missing after delivering stores and Kerosene to Malta. She left the submarine base on Sunday heading for Gibraltar where she was expected to put in on her way to refit in the UK. Tetrarch was last heard of yesterday, when she made contact with the submarine P34 while both vessels were in the Strait of Sicily. Submarine commanders suspect she struck one of the many Italian mines in the area.
FLEET AIR ARM CREW LOST
An Italian News Bulletin refers to the attack by Malta bombers tonight, when the Albacore aircraft of Midshipman P Brown and S/Lt J Scott failed to return from a raid on Comiso aerodrome:
“During the British night attack on Comiso, our fighters, which took to the air when they received the alarm sighted enemy bombers flying in the direction of Sicily and pursued them towards Malta. Our fighters over took the enemy and succeeded in giving a few machine-gun bursts to one of the RAF bombers which was hit and dodged into the clouds to evade our fighters. However it cannot be excluded that it crashed into the sea.”
AIR RAIDS DAWN 28 OCTOBER TO DAWN 29 OCTOBER 1941
Weather Much colder.
0856-0932 hrs Air raid alert for two Macchi 200 fighters which approach from the north. One crosses the coast, flies over Valletta at 23000 feet and is engaged by three Navy anti-aircraft guns firing on ‘height control’, without result. The second comes within six miles of Grand Harbour then circles, eventually flying over Mellieha Bay. Four Hurricanes are scrambled and the lead fighter sees a Macchi ahead but too far away to intercept.
2103-2110 hrs; 2130-2150 hrs Air raid alerts for four and then two enemy aircraft which turn away before reaching the Island.
Military casualties Midshipman Peter A Brown, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR); Sub-Lieutenant James T Scott, RNVR; both 828 Squadron Fleet Air Arm.
OPERATIONS REPORTS TUESDAY 28 OCTOBER 1941
ROYAL NAVY Urge returned from patrol off Kuriat having sunk one merchant ship and broken the back of another anchored off Kuriat. Ursula returned from patrol off Calabrian coast. No ships were sighted, but a spirited bombardment of a railway bridge was carried out in the face of opposition from two machine guns and two riflemen. The appearance of an armoured car from the local garage, a flying boat and the fact that the gun jammed caused Ursula to withdraw.
AIR HQ Arrivals 4 Fortress, 1 Maryland. Departures 3 Fortress, 1 Maryland, 1 Sunderland, 4 Wellington. S/D Flight Special patrol. 18 Squadron 5 Blenheims attacked Buerat el Esun. 40 Squadron 6 Wellingtons carried out a nuisance raid on Sicily. 69 Squadron 2 Marylands special patrol. Photoreconnaissances Tripoli, Catania-Avola and Sicily. 107 Squadron 4 Blenheims attacked Buerat el Esun. 828 Squadron Fleet Air Arm 7 Albacores sent to carry out a bombing raid on Comiso aerodrome scored hits on hangars and the officers’ mess causing fires visible 20 miles away. Very intense fire light anti-aircraft fire from all directions of the aerodrome; one Albacore failed to return (crew Midshipman Brown and S/Lt Scott).
1st Bn CHESHIRE REGIMENT Malta Volunteer Defence Force personnel attended a lecture on the use of grenades. The MVDF were most keen and the lecture room was crowded. The MVDF will be armed with Italian hand grenades and they will need to feel confident in their use.
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Malta: War Diary 