in the Mediterranean. Italian bombers had been seen at two locations, one just off the coast of Malta, and the other just north of Sidi Barrani close to the Egyptian border. The weather was said to be very warm with cloudless blue skies, which was in stark contrast to the weather pattern over England and the English Channel where it was stormy with heavy rain and thunderstorms. Heavy cloud at 9/10ths covered most of Britain. Rain was widespread over most of the west, the midlands and the north. Showers were prevalent over the south and the south-east and over the Channel. OPERATIONS IN DETAIL: The heavy clouds of the dawn along with the driving rain made most of the pilots turn over and take advantage of a 'lie-in'. In these conditions, the Germans made the most of the cloud cover and made photographic reconnaissance flights over possible and probable targets, but the Dornier 17s that usually made these flights often suffered heavy losses. But being as no 'scramble' calls were made during the early hours of this day by Fighter Command it was believed that the German Luftwaffe enjoyed the freedom of the skies although most kept out over the sea but keeping the distant English coastline in sight. 0730hrs (7.30am): 66 Squadron (Spitfires, Coltishall) got a 'scramble' call and one section took off into the driving rain after the Chain Home radar station at West Beckham had picked up a blip on the radar. (RAF aircraft carried a sensor