SPLENDID PART

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 51, 24 November 1941, Page 7

SPLENDID PART

Airmen’s Intensive Operations BASES FOLLOW ARMY

Quick Establishment In Desert (British Official Wireless. 1 (Received November 23, 7 p.m.) RUGBY, November 22. The great part which the Empire air forces are playing in the Libyan battle is described in tonight’s Royal Air Force communique from the Middle East. It says: “Intensive operations by our fighter and bomber aircraft were carried out in the Libyan battle area yesterday.

“Heavy bombing raids iu which Fortress aircraft took a prominent part were made on the landing ground and dispersal points at Gazala, while throughout the day close support was given to our land forces. At Bir Hacheim concentrations of enemy tanks and motor transport were effectively attacked. Bardia, Menastir and objectives in the Fort Capuzzo area were also bombed. One of our bombers shot down an enemy fighter in fiajnes. “In the course of extensive fightersweeps, enemy aircraft were engaged whenever they were met. Two Cr42’s an'd one G5O were shot down. In an attack on enemy aircraft on the ground at Slonta, three Junkers 87’s and one Junkers 88 and also one unidentified aircraft were destroyed. One Messerschmitt 110 was shot down by fire from the ground. “It is now established that 37 enemy aircraft were 'destroyed on November 20, not 24 a s given in yesterday’s communique. “From all the operations five of our aircraft are missing.” Keeping Pace With Advance. A dispatch received in London from a Royal Air Force officer on service in the Western Desert gives some idea of the speed and manner in which the Imperial air forces are pushing forward their bases in co-operation with the advancing lan'd forces. The officer writes: “We arrived at an airfield inside Libya at sunset on Wednesday, after driving continuously for 10 hours over rough, stony ground. In the early morning the R.A.F. armoured cars reached the site—just a reference on the map given the.ni by the aerodrome location officer, who had chosen it after a dangerous reconnaissance. As a precaution the armoured cars went first, and a short while later were followed by anti-aircraft batteries and Lewis guns. “The search for these advanced aerodromes inside enemy territory has been a hazardous job for a number of officers fo? many weeks. I went on one of these trips a few 'days before the offensive opened. Compass bearings took us into the forward area along the frontier, our ear making runs backward and forward across the ‘skating rink’ surface of the clay pans which dot the desert. If the measurements are suitable they make ideal landing grounds. Quickly in Action. '

“Systematically we covered a large area, cheeking the length with the car’s meter. As tiie twilight faded our night fighters circled overhead, lauding one by one. It was a squadron scheduled to operate ou the next day, and these pilots had been operating continuously since dawn, changing their base three times in four days. At half past five Thursday morning the engines of eight Tomahawks were being warmed up, and in half an hour the squadron was in the air. In a few minutes they had disappeared on their first job. “By nine o'clock enemy ground units had been heavily raided three times by mixed formations of Americanbuilt Glenn Martins by South Africans and Blenheims of the R.A.F. The attack was repeated at midday, and again at dusk. Wadis and encampments between Aeroma and El Adem were pounded repeatedly, dispersed vehicles being riddled b.v bombs ami sliriipnel ami many being' set on fire. '