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Coastal Reconnaissance, Patrols and Minelaying.
32. Bad weather again curtailed the activities of Coastal Command. Patrols numbering 132 and involving 510 sorties were flown, including 276 convoy
escorts.
33. Sea mines were laid in the Ems River and Hubert Gat, and photographic reconnaissances included Bergen, Wangerooge to Borkum and numerous ports and aerodromes in occupied territory. A number of sightings of enemy vessels, including a cruiser, was reported during reconnaissances of Norwegian waters, and on the 8th and again on the 9th our aircraft attacked destroyers off Norway; on the second occasion an explosion amidships was observed on one of six of these ships after a torpedo attack.
Two Swordfish assisted in the naval operations against Ostend recorded in the Naval Situation.
34. Enemy minelayers were active, more than half the total aircraft operating at night being so engaged. Long-range offensive reconnaissances by single aircraft continued in the Atlantic, and an attack by six Focke Wulf aircraft on a convoy has already been reported.
35. On the 9th February an enemy bomber machine-gunned the aerodrome at Kaldadarnes (Iceland), but no damage or casualties resulted.
Greece and Albania.
36. Three attacks against Tepelene, two against Duki and one on the military camp at Elbasan were made by our Blenheims, one of which is missing. Seven Italian fighters were shot down in the Kelcyre area by Gladiators for the loss of one aircraft, the pilot being safe.
37. Jannina Aerodrome was severely attacked by enemy aircraft on three successive days. The heaviest raid was made by force of fifty Italian bombers and fighters, two of which were destroyed and six damaged by Gladiators. The aerodrome was rendered unserviceable, and one of our aircraft was destroyed on the ground and six slightly damaged. Heraklion Aerodrome (Crete) was machine-gunned twice by six Italian fighters, one of our aircraft being destroyed.
Malta.
38. The island was persistently but ineffectively raided by enemy aircraft, which included German bombers and probably fighters. Forty-five bombers maintained a prolonged attack on the night of the 8th/9th, during which our Hurricanes destroyed two Ju. 88's and damaged a third; relatively unimportant damage was sustained at Luqa and Hal Far, though civilian property suffered considerably. On the 12th, two intercepting Hurricanes were lost, but one pilot was rescued from the sea. Me. 109's have been reported over Malta, but have not been in action.
39.
Our aircraft reconnoitred Tunis and the coast and sea routes from Italy to Tripoli and Benghazi.
Italy.
40. On the night of the 11th/12th the aerodromes at Comiso and Catania, in Sicily, were attacked with over five tons of bombs by Wellingtons from Malta. At least four enemy aircraft were destroyed at Catania and large fires were started at both aerodromes.
41. Enemy transport activity on a considerable scale has been maintained between Sicily, Tripoli and Sardinia.
Egypt and Libya.
42. Before Benina fell the aerodrome was bombed and machine gunned, a number of aircraft being damaged on the ground. One hundred unserviceable aircraft, including two German bombers, were found when our troops occupied
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