Tuesday 27th January 1942

Bad news from Libya – for those of us who know the place and realise what the discreet and laconic comment in today's paper really means:

“Rommel's forces fresh advance... may attempt to bye-pass Benghasi... battle raging north or northeast of Msus...” Msus! We used to call it Z'Moos! If the enemy win this battle, they're on the desert tracks to Mechili once more, and in a position to cut off Benghasi, Barce, Derna and in fact the whole of the green belt coastal region.

Presumably they already hold the pass at Esc. Sceleidima...