- 3 -
 
      and their lack of fighters. A few large enemy formations were 
      met but our continuous fighter sweeps and numerous bombing attacks 
      met with relatively little opposition. Operations by long range 
      bombers were combined to small scale raids against our railway 
      communications. This weak effort appears to indicate a difficulty 
      in maintaining the serviceability of the JU 88 under desert conditions.
 
      
 
 
RUSSIA
. German Air Force. The continued low scale of 
      German air operations on all sectors of Russian fronts is probably 
      due to prolonged bad weather and withdrawal of all types of units 
      to Germany for refitting. This decrease in German air strength 
      has deprived their ground forces of their habitual scale of air 
      support and at the same time has enabled the Russian Air Force 
      to be employed with increasing effect. The German Air Force no 
      longer retains air superiority in certain sectors.
 
      
 
 
The Russian success at ROSTOV is likely to affect considerably 
      the air situation in this area. 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 ROSTOV area and military objectives 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.
 
      
 
 
(IV) Extracts from photographic and Intelligence reports on 
      result of R.A.F. air attacks on enemy territory in EUROPE.
 
      BERLIN. November 7th/8th. The SPANDAU Power Station was hit.
 
      
 
 
OCCUPIED FRANCE.
 Over 1,900 tons of alcohol were destroyed 
      in one of our daylight fighter-bomber attacks.
 
      NAPLES. A large canning factory has been destroyed.
 
      
 
 
(V) 
OPERATIONAL AIRCRAFT BATTLE CASUALTIES.
 
      
 
 
METROPOLITAN Area. British in the air: Bombers, 18, Fighters, 
      3, Coastal 6, Army Co-operation 1, total 28.
 
      German Destroyed D %amaged
 
      Bombers 5 4
 
      Fighters 2 -
 
      Totals 7 4
 
      No account is taken of aircraft destroyed on ground.
 
      MIDDLE EAST. British in the air: Bombers, 5, Fighters, 19, total 
      24.