AIR & SEA-POWER

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20875, 29 August 1942, Page 3

AIR & SEA-POWER

CLOSER LIAISON . MEDITERRANEAN FORCES COUNTER TO THE AXIS (9.30 a.m.) ALEXANDRIA, Aug. 28. The establishment of a new organisation to effect closer co-operation between the air, surface and submarine forces in the Mediterranean was announced by Admiral Sir Henry Harwood, Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet, in his first interview since he succeeded Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham. He said an adequate air support for the British fleet is at present avail-

able for only a relatively short dis- ' tance westwards of 1 Alexandria. Geography and air power were the • essence oi the whole-naval power in the Mediterranean. ’ The Axis air bases in Crete, Sicily, Greece, the Dodecanese and other islands and also along the Libyan < coast seriously and continuously' threatened the British fleet’s operations. Adequate air protection was essential for any successful normal operation, although there were dimes When it was necessary for warships to risk all to carry out vital tasks. The strong Allied air forces in the, area would be unable fully to pro- 1 tect .the fleet and simplify its work until the Allies took Cyrenaica, thus ■ providing more forward aerodromes. Admiral Harwood expressed the opinion that the Axis Powers used air transports extensively as well as • ships to reinforce General (Rommel’s forces. There was no way of knowing the quantities and types of Axis equipment and reinforcements reaching Egypt, but the Allied ships were continually cutting at .the enemy’s supply lines. The navy was also shelling enemy short positions When practicable. C