- 2 - LIBYA . 19th. Light bombers and fighters attacked enemy M.T. columns retreating Westwards from the MEKILI and DERNA areas. Attacks on a large column East of EL KARRUBA were very effective. Heavy damage was done to M.T. on the BARCE-TOCRA and BENGHAOI-CHEMINES roads. Two aerodromes were bombed. During the operations 3 German fighters were shot down, our losses were two Marylands and one Beaufighter. MALTA . Blenheims bombed OOURA railway station and hit a goods shed and destroyed rolling stock. 40 aircraft were found destroyed on the aerodrome at DERNA. (IV) ENEMY ACTIVITY 20th to 21st. 48 aircraft were operating, 30 of which were probably sea mining in the THAMES Estuary. MALTA. 19th. 13 enemy fighters and bombers approached the Island and on the 20th 40 enemy aircraft carried out two attacks, only slight damage was caused. One German bomber was destroyed, two Italian fighters probably destroyed and three German bombers damaged, three Hurricanes are missing. Bombs dropped on 19th/20th had little effect. SARAWAK. 19th. The raid on KUCHING aerodrome was from a high level and caused only slight damage, the town was bombed and machine gunned, 22 civilians were killed and a petrol store destroyed. (V) G.A.F. It is considered that the Germans will make every effort to withdraw their force in CYRENAICA, of over 200 aircraft, to bases in TRIPOLITANIA. This may, however, be impossible owing to the present inadequate ground facilities and part of the force may have to withdraw to the AEGEAN area or to SICILY. (VI) JAPANESE AIR FORCE There are at present about 400 aircraft in Southern INDO-CHINA and Southern SIAM. The average scale of effort against MALAYA during the first four days of the Japanese attack was about one hundred and twenty aircraft per day. |