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South of the battlefront, and raids have been carried out as far South as Tours, Bourges and Nevers. The series of raids on the Rhone Valley does not appear to have been repeated, but there have been continuous attacks on such Channel ports as remained in Allied hands. Aircraft continue to operate at great intensity in the battle area, though the activity of the dive bomber formations has fluctuated considerably, and there are indications of a withdrawal of some units from the Western Front.
70. Minelaying has continued in the Channel, and on the nights of the 6th-7th and the 7th-8th June there were raids on aerodromes and other objectives in the east of England as already described.
German Air Intelligence.
71. In spite of the intensity of operations a high standard of serviceability has been maintained, although units have not been able to maintain their full establishment of aircraft continuously in the line. It is probable that there have been certain difficulties in maintaining heavy bombers at aerodromes in the forward areas, and some units continue to operate from Germany. It is estimated that there are now about 550 fighters operating from landing grounds in the occupied territories. Some aircraft of one long range bomber unit have been carrying out operational training of some form on the Baltic Coast on two con- secutive nights; this appeared to include co-operation with motor torpedo-boats.
72. It is estimated that 3.085 German aircraft have been lost or damaged between the 10th May and the 10th June; 2,038 of these losses have been confirmed.
Italian Air Operations.
73. As already mentioned, there were Italian air raids on Malta on the 11th and the 12th June in considerable force. Three aircraft were shot down on the 11th, one by a Gladiator, and one reconnaissance aircraft on the 12th. No damage appears to have been done to military objectives, but 32 civilians have been killed and 125 wounded. On the 12th June, there was an attempt to attack Aden by aircraft based in Abyssinia, but the bombs were dropped a considerable distance from the town. Bizerta was raided on the same day, 40 people being killed and 60 injured.
Italian Air Intelligence.
74. About one-third of the total striking force of bombers is now con- centrated at Pisa, Modena, and Ravenna. The rest of the force has been moved to the south, and eight squadrons have been transferred from the mainland to Sicily. Two newly-formed dive bomber squadrons and one ordinary bomber squadron are at Pantelleria. Libya has been reinforced by about 30 bombers and one fighter squadron. A certain number of civil aircraft have been taken off normal routes and are being overhauled and modified to act as troop carriers. The total troop carrying capacity of all registered Italian civil aircraft is between - 2,200 and 2,400.
75. Twenty new Ghibli aircraft have been ordered for use in Libya, but delivery appears to be delayed by a shortage of Alfa-Romeo engines. Ghiblis are at present extensively used in the colony for the maintenance of communica- tions and supplies for advanced landing grounds. A further twelve fighters were due to reach Eritrea on the 2nd June, and it was expected that there would arrive on the same boat the machine guns for the last batch of bombers which had
apparently arrived without armament. There have been a certain number of bomb raids against rebels in the Gondar district during the last week of May.
Portugal.
76. The Portuguese Government is reported to be somewhat anxious about the Italian civil air base and personnel on the Island of Sal which has become almost an Italian colony. The ground installation of the aerodrome could probably be rendered unserviceable without difficulty by gunfire from a warship, but it would be hard to do serious damage to the landing ground itself.
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