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Twenty-six patrols, involving 195 sorties, have been despatched in all. On the 20th June 40 Junker 52's were machine-gunned by Hurricanes on the aerodrome at Rouen; four were set on fire and sixteen are believed to have been damaged. On the 22nd June a patrol of nine Hurricanes shot down one Me. 110 (confirmed), one Junkers 52, two Me. 110 and three He. 111 (unconfirmed); one Hurricane is missing and one was damaged.
92. On the 25th June nine Spitfires encountered off Calais 17 Me. 109's, possibly part of the enemy standing patrol. Enemy casualties were three confirmed, three unconfirmed. Our pilots report that the Spitfires were greatly superior in speed, manoeuvrability and climb.
Middle East.
93. Our successful air operations have been maintained and reports indicate that the enemy air effort from Italian East Africa may have been reduced to negligible proportions owing to bad maintenance, poor morale and lack of fuel. Italian aircraft losses are 57 confirmed (excluding 12 damaged) and 12 unconfirmed.
Egypt.
94. Raids on Italian aerodromes and frontier posts have continued. On the 20th June a Blenheim and two Bombays raided El Adem and El Gubbi, and set six bombers on fire, damaging others; one Bombay is missing. Two squadrons of Blenheims repeated these attacks on the following day, and on the 23rd June reconnaissance showed that the aerodromes had been largely evacuated. On the 19th June enemy shipping at Tobruk and Bardia was success- fully reconnoitred, and on the 21st June Blenheims co-operated with naval units. in an attack on Tobruk harbour, where one large ship was set on fire. Two enemy fighters were damaged. In the course of a reconnaissance of that area on the same day a Sunderland was attacked by five fighters; it was itself damaged, but shot down one fighter and damaged two others.
95. A submarine was bombed off El Dhaba on the 19th June with promising results; and on the 24th June a large encampment at Bir-el-Gosi was raided by eight Blenheims, which achieved complete surprise.
96. Italian raids have continued, but have not been very intense. Mersa Matruh was bombed heavily but without much effect on the night of the 20th-21st June, and Alexandria on the night of the 21st-22nd June. Italian communiqués claim that some of the aircraft engaged against Alexandria were based on the Dodecanese.
Sudan.
97. There have been sporadic raids on both sides. On the 21st June our aircraft attacked a military encampment at Asosa, and on the 22nd June five Wellesleys bombed Massawa aerodrome. On the 24th June ten Wellesleys bombed Asmara aerodrome, with considerable success. On the 21st June the wreck of an Italian submarine was found at Musa Kebir (Red Sea), but an attempt to capture its crew was unsuccessful. The Italians have bombed Kurmak and the railway at Gedaref and South of Kassala; no substantial damage has been done.
Aden and Somaliland.
98. The Italians have not been active, apart from a raid on Jibuti by 15 aircraft on the 23rd June; they are, however, reported to have raided Berbera and other objectives in British Somaliland on the 19th June. Our own bombers have continued their activities almost unopposed. Repeated raids have been made on Assab, Diredawa and Macaaca aerodromes, with good effect. On the 25th June a military encampment was attacked; on the 26th June attempts were made to destroy an enemy submarine in harbour at Assab, and a listening-post at Raheita. A few of our aircraft have been operating from bases in British Somaliland.
Kenya.
99. Activity during the week has been slight, apart from two Italian raids, in one of which damage was done to the surface of the aerodrome at Marsabit.
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