PATROL ACTIVITY

Evening Star, Issue 23723, 2 November 1940, Page 11

PATROL ACTIVITY

OPERATIONS IN NORTH AFRICA FURTHER BRITISH SUCCESSES (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, November 1. (Received November 2, at 11.12 a.m.)] A Cairo communique issued to-day deals chiefly with operations in Egypt! and the Sudan. During the night of October 30-31, one of our patrols ia the Western Desert in Egypt encountered and inflicted casualties on a party of enemy troops without loss. Active patrolling continues in the Sudan. On October 29 in the Kassala sector, a British patrol destroyed' the contents of a small camel convoy, capturing one prisoner. In the Blue Nile sector enemy reconnaissance- parties who were first successfully engaged oa October 26, are continuing their withdrawal. There is nothing to report from Kenya and Palestine. AIR ATTACK BY ITALIANS LOSSES INFLICTED BY I.A.F. (By Radio.) DAVENTRY, November 2. Apparently in retaliation for widespread British bombing attacks oa Italian bases as much as 2,000 milea apart, the Italians sent over the Egyptian coast the largest fleet of aero, planes of any-* one engagement. The objective was apparently Mersa Matruh, hut a large formation of British machines prevented the objective being reached. , The ensuing air battle was the largest fought over the Egyptian coast, and ae a result the Italians lost four fighters and four bombers. Several others were so badly damaged that it is not likely they would be able to return to their bases. During the fighting two British planes collided, hut the pilots baled out by parachute.