MEDITERRANEAN COMMAND

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 29 August 1942, Page 2

MEDITERRANEAN COMMAND

NAVAL AND AIR CO-OPERATION NEW ORGANISATION ESTABLISHED Alexandria, Aug. 27. The establishment of a new organisation to effect closer co-opera-tion between the air, surface and submarine forces in the Mediterranean was announced by Admiral Sir Henry Harwood, Commander -in - Chief, Mediterranean, in his first interview since he succeeded Admiral Cunningham. He said that adequate air support for the British fleet was at present only a relatively short distance westward of Alexandria.

Geography and air-power were the essence of the whole naval power in the Mediterranean. The Axis air bases in Crete, Sicily, Greece and the Dodecanese and other islands and also along the Libyan coast seriously and continuously threatened the British fleet’s operations. Adequate air protection was esesntial for any successful normal operation, though there were times 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 to fully protect the fleet and simplify its work till 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 t p reinforce Rommel. 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 the enemy shore positions when practicable.—P.A. JAPANESE WITHDRAWALS (Rec. 1.0 p.m.) Rugby, Aug. 28. The Japanese are withdrawing from vital bases at Chuhsien and Lishui in Chekiang, acording to a message from Chungking.—B.O.W