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Coastal Reconnaissance, Patrols and Minelaying.
Aircraft of the Coastal Command flew 150 patrols involving 309 sorties. These sorties include 139 convoy escorts which were maintained throughout the week in spite of very unfavourable flying conditions. In addition, Fighter Command also flew 71 convoy and shipping-protection sorties.
42. Coastal Command aircraft made a number of attacks on enemy shipping. On the 17th January aircraft were despatched on four occasions to attack convoys off the Dutch coast. No fewer than four vessels received direct hits, another small vessel was probably hit and there were nine instances of near misses; three aircraft returned damaged by A.A. fire. On the 21st January a Sunderland carried out a reconnaissance of Narvik and the Norwegian coast; a near miss was scored on a merchant vessel in the Harbour, and soldiers on a parade ground were also attacked.
43. Mines were successfully laid on one night by three Hampdens off Brest. It is estimated that 97 enemy minelayers were operating, which was a considerable reduction on the total of the previous week.
Egypt and Libya.
44. Constant night attacks have been made on Tobruk, the heaviest of which was on the night of the 17th/18th January, when 13 tons of bombs were dropped. A violent explosion and a very large fire occurred near the petrol dump. The motor boat repair shop and the engineers' barracks were also hit and bombs fell in a camp of about 200 tents. Preliminary to the ground assault, eight Wellingtons successfully bombed a camp near Sidi Mahoud and the cross roads north-west of El Gubbi, which were in the defended zone of Tobruk. On the 21st January Blenheims made eighty-seven sorties against the defences in support of the assault by our troops. Bombs were dropped on M.T. vehicles. gun positions, buildings, the wharf and on the cruiser San Giorgio. From these operations only one Blenheim is missing.
45. Our fighters maintained patrols in the Tobruk area and also provided escorts for our bombers and protection for Naval Units off the coast, but did not meet with much opposition. Two S. 81's were destroyed, and on the 21st January three Hurricanes attacked six G. 50's, destroying one and damaging another. During this engagement, however, one Hurricane was shot down, another forced to land by A.A. fire, and the third was damaged.
Seven Blenheims made a daylight attack on the barracks at Derna on the 16th January, and on the night 21st/22nd January several tons of bombs were again dropped on military targets in the same locality, causing fires which were visible 80 miles away. On the following day Blenheims resumed these attacks and also bombed the barracks at Apollonia.
47. Italian air activity over the Libyan battle area has been negligible. Three single aircraft carried out abortive raids in the Suez Canal area.
Malta and Sicily.
48. The successful bombing of Catania aerodrome reported in last week's résumé was followed by three further determined attacks by Wellingtons on the nights of the 15th/16th, 20th/ 21st and 22nd/23rd January, and nearly 35 tons of bombs were dropped. Two hangars were hit and set alight, and a fire which was caused in the Administrative building was visible many miles distant. Bombs fell among aircraft on the ground and a number of these burst into flames. Single aircraft also attacked aerodromes at Comiso and Augusta, and targets at Syracuse.
49. The enemy made heavy daylight dive-bombing attacks on the Grand Harbour and Dock Yards, and on Luqa and Hal Far aerodromes. On each occasion a mixed force of approximately 80 J.U. 87's and J.U. 88's were employed, with an escort of C.R. 42 fighters. Considerable damage to hangars and buildings was caused at both our aerodromes, and several aircraft on the
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