Further efforts were made to alter the new armament state to one flight of Tomahawks and one flight of Kittyhawks, all to no avail. Thus the Squadron prepared to return to the Western Desert far from being well equipped but at least with a promise that it would eventually be rearmed with Kittyhawks. A hold up in the re-equipment of aircraft prevented the Squadron from returning to Sidi Azeiz until 15th May. Operations were resumed under the command of 30 Corps with one flight of two Tomahawks and four Hurricanes Is being sent to El Adem to operate in the Corps front. The remainder of the Squadron continued at Sidi Azeiz temporarily attached to 5th Indian Division which was responsible for coastal defence. Reconnaissance in the 30 Corps and 5th Indian Division areas was not to be provided with fighter escorts.
On 27th May the enemy carried out a flanking attack to the North with the apparent object of taking Tobruk causing 30 Corps to retire to Trigh Capuzzo and re-establish itself. Reconnaissance flights from the detached flight at Bir el Gubi showed large concentrations of enemy motor transport in the area though there were no signs of battle. The situation later became clarified and showed the enemy to have concentrated in the Knightsbridge area twelve miles to the East of our forward lines and twenty miles West of El Adem. Their situation seemed perilous, however, being hemmed in by the coast and the Tobruk defences with the 1st and 7th Armoured Divisions completing the encirclement to the East and South. A flight was moved forward to Sidi Resegh in order to be nearer to 30 Corps during this crucial period, and from their continuous reconnaissance flights it appeared that the enemy had abandoned his attempt to dominate the Acroma and El Adem areas and was attempting to extricate his main armoured forces. Later however, the flight which had been moved forward to Sidi Resegh was withdrawn to Sidi Azeiz again as a precaution against the enemy’s increased activity at night, no defences having been allotted to the Advanced Landing Ground.
By the beginning of June the enemy had the initiative and was pushing eastwards. The Squadron had to operate under the most arduous conditions retiring from one forward landing ground to another to meet the continued requirement for up-to-date tactical and photographic reconnaissance of the battle area. Rough landing strips, rising dust and sandstorms together with determined air opposition imposed a heavy toll on aircraft and pilots. Formations of three or four Me 109Fs were lying in wait for the unwary
