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ROME FRANKNESS.
Frequent Raids Admitted.
LONDON, Aug. 17.— Recent Rome
communiques are confined mainly to
reports of Royal Air Force raids.
On Friday it was admitted that
that British planes had bombed Tri-
poli, Catania (Sicily) and Gondar
(Abyssinia). At Catania, it was
stated, three civilians were killed
and 20 wounded, one plane being
shot down. Italian planes on Thurs-
day night bombed stores and timber
depots at Cyprus.
Yesterday afternoon's Rome com-
munique read as follows:— "British
planes again raided Catania, dam-
aging numerous houses and causing
many dead and wounded. The popu-
lation behaved in a disciplined man-
ner. An enemy air force attempted
to attack Italian ships off Tripoli.
The ships' defences shot down
three planes. The enemy again
raided Gondar, causing damage and
some casualties among the natives."
Today's Rome communique stated:
— "British planes last night dropped
high-explosive and incendiary bombs
on houses at Catania and Syracuse.
There were no victims, although
slight damage was done. It has now
been ascertained that 18 persons
were killed and 25 injured during
the raid on Catania on Thursday
night. British planes also bombed
Bardia, Derna and Bengazi. Two
persons were killed and several in-
jured. We repulsed an enemy attempt
at Tobruk to approach our positions.
Axis planes bombed anchored ships
and defences at Tobruk and military
objectives at Mersa Matruh. Our
troops had a lively encounter with
enemy detachments in the Gondar
sector and put them to flight with
heavy losses."
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