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Middle East.

61. Three Blenheim squadrons began operations from Egypt as soon as war was declared at midnight the 10th-11th June. The Tobruk-Sollum area of Libya was reconnoitred at dawn and no troop concentrations were found; there were some ships in harbour at Tobruk. A low attack was made on the air base at El Adem, where a large concentration of aircraft was found; extensive damage was caused to petrol stores and to enemy aircraft, and the attack was repeated by another Blenheim squadron in the afternoon. Opposition from ground defences and fighters was very slight; one of our aircraft is missing, and another crashed on returning to its base. At the same time, an attack was launched by Wellesley aircraft based on Port Sudan against the enemy's aerodromes and supply depots in Eritrea; complete surprise was achieved, and great damage was done at Assab during the morning. Massawa was attacked with equal success later in the day. One aircraft was brought down by anti-aircraft fire.

62. Aircraft based on Aden carried out a photographic reconnaissance of Diredawa, Jijiga, Harrar and Assab, and identified targets there; the southern end of the Red Sea was also reconnoitred for enemy naval activity. Four bombers of No. 12 Squadron, South African Air Force, operated from Kenya against enemy transport lines near Moyale on the Kenya frontier; direct hits were seen and no opposition of any kind was encountered.

63. On the 12th June thirty-two Blenheims again attacked Tobruk, in face of considerable opposition. One large ship was set on fire and beached, and the naval pier and a ship alongside it were seen to be on fire. Reconnaissance was continued in the Aden area and offensive operations were begun; nine aircraft. attacked Assab and secured hits on the power-house, petrol dump and barracks, while seven aircraft bombed Diredawa and hit an ammunition dump. There was some anti-aircraft fire at Diredawa, and two fighters took off at Assab, but no damage was done to our aircraft by enemy action; one Blenheim was lost.

64. Reconnaissance for enemy naval activity has been maintained in the Mediterranean by Sunderlands based on Alexandria.

65. Italian air attacks were made on Malta, Aden and Bizerta, as described in a subsequent section.

French Air Operations.

66. Detailed information of French air operations during the week is not available, but it is known that 1,116 fighter, 463 bomber and 95 reconnaissance sorties were made: 69 enemy aircraft were destroyed and 29 French aircraft lost. 67. French fighters armed with shell-guns are reported to have been effective against German tanks.

French Air Intelligence.

68. Aircraft Industry-About 430 aircraft, including 100 trainers, were produced in France during April; it is reported on good authority that 578 aircraft, including 155 trainers, were produced during May. It is, however, most unlikely that this rate of output can now be maintained. An important aircraft factory at Meaulte, near Albert, has already fallen into enemy hands, and production is likely to be handicapped by the loss of the heavy industries of the North-East, where a large proportion of the necessary forgings and castings were made. The smaller factories along the North bank of the Seine are already in the battle front, and if Paris should fall a large part of the French aero-engine industry will disappear, as well as a number of the important airframe and aircraft component factories. It may be possible for the factories in the South, West and Centre to continue the production of airframes, but it will certainly be necessary to import engines for a large proportion of the aircraft produced.

German Air Operations.

69. The scale of activity has remained on much the same level as during previous weeks. Attacks have continued on aerodromes and communications

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