The Officer Commanding, Major Pretorius, flew over to the new camp from SHANDUR, accompanied by another of the Squadron's Glen Martins. Additional Officers and equipment were conveyed to assist the advance party, and the layout of the camp was revised and discussed.
The camp itself proved to be ideally situated. Not far from water points, it is also within comfortable reach of the sea. Daily bathing was made compulsory. In view of the rationing of water, but from its inception this popular "parade" received such support as to make compulsion unnecessary.
Apart from the spacious landing grounds provided, the camp revelled in other natural phenomena, making it quite the pick of the landing grounds in this area. There were numbers of small rises round the edges of the landing fields protecting the general camp from heavy dust storms and also providing ideal protection for tents that had to be "dug in".
The “big” news of the day was our first official intimation that we were now under control of No. 3 S.A. Wing. This information was brought from S.A.A.F. H. Q., Cairo, by Maj. M. BARNBY D.F.C., who returned to-day after an official visit as Acting O. C. Squadron.
Coinciding with receipt of this news was the arrival here this afternoon of the Officer Commanding, No. 3 (S.A.) Wing, Col. H. MARTIN, D.F.C.,who came to discuss tentative arrangements for the transfer of some of our aircraft to the forward areas where they were urgently needed. Offsetting this somewhat unpleasant news, was the possibility of a flight of the squadron proceeding shortly into operations, which was also discussed by Col. MARTIN with Maj. BARNBY.
In the evening, Col. MARTIN was able to attend a dance in SUEZ organized by our Sergeants' Mess. The organisation was well up to the standard which most Sergeants' Messes succeed in attaining, when on pleasure bent.
Twelve Baltimores took off at 0715 Hrs. to attack R.R. and R.D. bridges, S.E. of COSENZA. The target was well hit and in addition some bombs dropped on the Railway Station and Marshalling yards.
The fourth anniversary of the War and the news received that General Montgomery’s troops had commenced the invasion of the Italian Mainland.
In a second raid twelve Baltimores attacked the Main Landing Ground at CROTENE; the target area was successfully patterned.