202300 CR0677
202315 CR0678
202330 CR0676
 
HE BELIEVES THAT THREE SQUADRONS OF LIBERATORS BASED IN CAIRO COULD
 
DESTROY THIS OIL FIELD IN AN ATTACK TO BE SUSTAINED OVER A PERIOD OF
 
TWO MONTHS, I TOLD THE AIR MARSHALL AND GENERAL AUCHINLECK THAT 
 
WE WERE EXTREMELY SHORT OF LIBERATORS AND THAT I FELT ALMOST 
 
CERTAIN THAT WE SHOULD HAVE NONE TO SPARE FOR THIS PURPOSE. HE WAS 
 
NEVER-THE-LESS MOST INSISTANT THAT I SHOULD PRESENT THIS POSSIBILITY 
 
TO YOUAS THE VITAL LINK IN THE WHOLE STATEGIC PICTURE."'
 
MY 202515   FOR THE PRESIDENT FROM BULLITT, CONTINUES QUOTE"THE 
 
BRITISH AIR FORCE OPERATING IN LIBYA IS STILL STRONGER THAN THE 
 
GERMAN, THIS IS DUE TO   SHORTAGE ON THE GERMAN SIDF OF AVIATION 
 
GASOLINE AND MAINTENANCE FACILITIES, THE GERMANS SAID ITALIANS ARE 
 
MAKING MOST DETERMINED EFFORTS TO GET THROUGH GASOLINE AND OIL 
 
AND TANKS AS WELL AS AIRPLANES TO LIBYA, IF THEY SHOULD SUCCEED IN 
 
DELIVERING A FEW LARGE CARGOES THE ENTIRE PICTURE IN THIS AREA 
 
WOULD CHANGE AT ONCE, SPEED IS THERFORE ESSENTIAL, LYTTLETON HAS 
 
INFORMEDMETHAT AUCHINLECK IS TO BE GIVEN COMMAND NOT ONLY OVER 
 
NORTH AFRICA PALESTINE AND SYRIA BUT ALSO OVER IRAQ AND IRAN, 
 
WAVELL IS TO COMMAND IN INDIA AND BURMA, GENERAL WHEELER'S MISSION 
 
IN IRAQ  AND  IRAN  WILL  THEREFORE IN THE R)(ZI~RI[ NEAR