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were destroyed and 15 others damaged; we lost only three Tomahawks, and all the pilots were saved. On the following day, one of our sweeps intercepted 20 Ju. 888 escorted by 12 fighters, and another engaged 18 Me. 109s; seven enemy aircraft were destroyed, four probably destroyed, and three damaged; six of our fighters were shot down, the pilot of one being safe. Fighters also included in their operations attacks on ground targets, as a result of which they sustained some casualties, probably from A.A. fire; in one of these attacks an armoured car and 30 lorries, many of which were troop-laden, were destroyed.

75. Attacks on enemy aerodromes were carried out by fighters, as well as by day and night bombers. Some of the results were difficult to estimate accurately, but at least 82 enemy aircraft were destroyed or damaged on the ground. Hurricanes and Beaufighters attacked Jedabya aerodrome on three occasions, and Barce, Derna, Martuba, and Mersa Brega (43 miles south-west of Jedabya) were also attacked, and it was during these raids that the majority of the above air craft were put out of action.

Night Bombing.

76. At night, Wellingtons concentrated their attacks on the harbour and shipping at Benghazi, in which support was provided from Malta on two occasions; the Cathedral and Italia moles were repeatedly hit, resulting in large fires which were visible from a great distance. Two ships were also hit, one by a 4,000-lb. bomb. Four attacks were made on Derna aerodrome, where reconnaissance aircraft had reported a large concentration of enemy aircraft; fires were started at dispersal points.

Enemy Activity.

77. Few offensive operations were undertaken by enemy long-range bombers, other than small-scale raids directed against our railway communications over the frontier. In one of these attacks a Ju. 88 was shot down and the crew captured. The small scale of effort appears to indicate that the difficulties of maintaining the serviceability of Ju. 88s under desert conditions have not been

overcome.

Russia.

Russian Air Force Operations.

78. It is believed that the Russians have now at least 1,000 aircraft in the southern sector, where for the time being they have gained air superiority.

German Air Force Operations.

79. The continued low scale of German Air operations on all sectors of the Russian front is probably due to prolonged bad weather and withdrawal of all types of units to Central Germany for refitting. The decrease in German air strength on this front has deprived the ground forces of air support on the scale to which they have been accustomed, and, at the same time, has enabled the Russian Air Force to be employed with increasing effect, particularly against troops and supply columns. The German Air Force no longer retains air superiority in certain sectors.

80. The Russian success at Rostov is likely to affect seriously the development of operations against Caucasia. An important advanced air base has been established at Taganrog, and if dislodged from here the German Air Force will no longer be able to operate so effectively against the Rostov area and Russian communications to the east and south, except with long-range bombers; moreover, the loss of supplies and equipment of all kinds accumulated in this forward area must inevitably have a delaying effect on further air operations directed towards Caucasia.

81. Air operations during the past week have been very limited; a small and ineffective bombing attack was made on vessels off the Kola Peninsula at the entrance to the White Sea and minor harassing attacks have been made with small numbers of aircraft on Leningrad and Moscow, and on the southern front against railways running east from Voroshilovgrad. There is little evidence that any extensive operations have been undertaken either against Sebastopol or against the Russian forces advancing from Rostov.

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