HARMONIOUS WORKING

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 128, 2 June 1942, Page 5

HARMONIOUS WORKING

ALLIED LAND AND AIR FORCES

(Rec. 11.50 a.m.) RUGBY, June 1.. An R.A.P. fighter pilot who spent yesterday gunning enemy transport) and supply columns in Libya reported that the whole area over which Axis columns came forward round the Bir Hacheim pivot was strewn with burntout tanks and trucks. Through dust and clouds he could see the flames and smoke of many fires, probably burning petrol bowsers and lorries loaded with supplies. Typical of the harmonious co-opera-tion of the land and air forces was a raid carried out by a squadron of Boston bombers towards the close of the third day's fighting. A large con-1 centration of enemy supply vehicles were feeding the defenders of an important position held by the enemy. Allied forces wanted to take the position becaUse possession of it would divert the enemy's supply route and seriously complicate his maintenance arrangements. Bostons were called upon, and they made a crushing attack on the concentration, scoring numerous hits on groups of vehicles. The attack scattered the concentration and so disorganised it that when Allied ground forces attacked the position soon afterwards fell with little opposition. While making their attacks, the R.A.F. pilots have been able to keep complete watch on the progress of the battle and provide both the Army arid the R.A.F. with a minute-by-minute picture of the operations on both sides. Fighter and fighter-bomber squadrons operated over the battle area only a few minutes' flight from their bases, returning after refuelling and rearming to attack enemy transport columns almost before the fires started in the last sortie had died down. The staffs at the bases worked magnificently, keeping the aircraft almost continuously in the air.—B.O.W.