BY SEVERAL ITALIAN HIGH LEVEL BOMBERS
AND APPROXIMATELY TWELVE GERMAN DIVE BOMBERS.  THE AFTER
ENGINE ROOM OF THE SOUTHAMPTON WAS HIT AND SEVERAL FIRES WERE
STARTED THERE AND INTHE SURROUNGING OIL TANKS AND TURRET NUMBER
THREE.  THE SHIP BECAME UNTENABLE AND HAD TO BE ABANDONED AND SUNK
WITH A LOSS OF ABOUT FIFTY LIVES BECAUSE THE FIRES COULD NOTBE GOT
UNDER CONTROL AND THE MAGAZNEXXXXX THE MAGAZINES COULD NOT BE
FLOODED.
     THE FOWARD DIRECTOR TOWER OF THE GLOUCESTER WAS HIT BUT THE
BOMB FORTUNEATELY DID NOT EXPLODE.  NO ATTACK WAS MADE ON THE THE
GLOUCESTER DURING THE TRANSFER OF THE SURVIVORS OF THE
SOUTHAMPTON, ALTHOUGH SHE WAS SHADOWED CONTINUOUSLY.
     2.   A CRITICAL SITUATION FOR THE EASTERN MEDITERRENEAN FLEET IS
PRESENTED BY THE APPEARANCE OF A NUMBER, WHICH IS BELIEVED TO BE
ABOUT TWO HUNDRED, OF GERMAN DIVE BOMBERS CAPABLE OF A RADIUS OF
THREE HUNDRED MILES.  WARSHIPS AND CONVOYS TO GREECE AND MALTA
AND THOSE PASSING THROUGH THE STRAITS OF SICILY ARE IN GRAVE DANGER,
AS SCREENS CAN GIVE BUT LITTLE FIGHTER PROTECTION.  THAT THE FIGHTERS
AND BOMBERS AT MALTAL WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO LOCATE AND TO
ATTEMPT TO DESTROY THESE GERMAN DIVE BOMBER IS REVEALED BY
PERSONAL CONFERENCE WITH ADMIRAL CUNNINGHAM.  EVEN MUSSOLINIS
FLEET WILL BXXXXX WILL PUT TO SEA IF FURTHER DAMAGE IS SUFFERED BY
THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN FLEET, AND BRITISH MIDDLE EASTERN GAINS
COULD BE LARGELY COUNTERACTED.  THAT THE FORMIDALBE, NOW AT
BERMUDA, WILL BE SENT TO THE MEDITERRANEAN, IS EXPECTED BY THE
ADMIRAL, BUT THERE WILL STILL BE A LACK OF FIGHTERS.  THE ADDITIONAL
FORGE WHICH IS CONSIDERED NECESSARY BY HIM TO FOLD UP