However the Advanced Landing Ground party at Gabr Saleh had been misinformed as to Squadron movements and was taken completely by surprise when the Advanced Landing Ground suddenly came under heavy shell fire.
It was while the Advanced Landing Ground party was going about its normal duties, just before the attack, that Corporal D. Hogg was detailed to go with a driver to No. 65 Forward Supply Dump to collect 3 days rations and water for the party. He set off in the three-ton lorry with a water trailer; unknown to him however, the Advanced Landing Ground was being attacked and, within ten minutes, it had been evacuated. On returning to the Advanced Landing Ground he noticed large convoys of Army trucks heading south. He stopped four drivers in four different convoys to find out where they were heading, but not one of them knew anything. He proceeded towards the Advanced Landing Ground to find out for himself, however on approaching the landing ground he was hailed from 400 yards by personnel standing around four small cars. On approaching the party Corporal Hogg noticed twelve tanks behind the cars and when he arrived within ten yards of the party an officer challenged them, then levelled a Tommy gun and fired. Corporal Hogg fired two shots at point blank range as the driver wound on full left lock and accelerated away as fast as he could covering the enemy in a cloud of dust.
The driver 
headed south and after a hectic race eventually shook off the German cars. Some time after this they found seven of our own tanks attached to the Armoured Brigade. These tanks were forced to a halt by German aircraft attacking the convoy and no sooner had the aircraft gone than the tanks, and Corporal Hogg’s three-tonner, were shelled by approaching enemy tanks. Once again he beat a hasty retreat and finally found 274 Squadron who obtained information regarding the 208 convoy which had evacuated Gabr Saleh. Some time later he joined up with the Squadron in a somewhat shot up three-tonner but none the worse for his narrow escape.
Tactical and photographic reconnaissance carried out by the Squadron was often the only intelligence available to the Corps Commander and its value could not be overstated. The enemy increased his efforts to destroy the aircraft both on the ground and in the air. As the situation became static the enemy took
