HOW THE NAVY HELPED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 1 June 1943, Page 5

HOW THE NAVY HELPED

From the far ends of the earth, our warships have shepherded convoys of supplies to the Allied forces fighting in the desert, and from our great base at Alexandria, many of these supplies have been ferried up to the advance ports and delivered not very far behind the battle area. One ton of supplies delivered to these advance ports i$ worth 10 sent by overcrowded roads from Alexandria, and every mile by sea means untold saving in petrol, for it takes about 300 five-ton lorries to empty the holds of an average medium size cargo ship. At Mersa Matruh, for instance, petrol and water were landed from the sea almost before the dust of the rearmost Axis vehicles had settled. Oncoming British tanks refuelled and pushed on without a pause, and what was true of Matruh was true of all the other ports. The naval supply parties advance along the coast, facing all the dangers of the Mediterranean, keeping up with the advancing columns on the land, and ready to land their supplies the moment a port could be entered. (Frank Gillard in a Radio despatch.)