At 13:35 hours on 27 June eight Kittyhawks of 260 Squadron had taken off to escort nine Bostons of 12 SAAF Squadron in an attack on LG-121 between Sidi-Barrani and Matruh where the Luftwaffe had just moved.
Before six Me-109's of NG-27 attacked the Kittyhawk formation, four fires had been started in the German camp. When the tally was made, 260's Commanding Officer, S/L Hanbury had claimed one Me-109 as destroyed and another probable, and Sgt Parrott had destroyed another enemy Messerschmitt. Although 260 suffered no losses, JG-27 had claimed one of the escorting Kittys. A Boston bomber had been chased but had been able to escape unharmed.
The same day F/Sgt Cundy of 260 was sent on a recce mission southwest of LG-09 with his eyes open for an unidentified armoured column. He returned to base to report the column was British. Spirits rose with the news and, once again, the fighter pilots allowed their fears to calm. Back to combat on a limited scale 18 June most bomber and fighter squadrons, including the men of 260, did not take part in offensive operations. The only action they saw was that of a few Kittyhawks who travelled to LG-100 to pick up an ambulance plane. The aircraft would be used to carry General Fryburg, wounded in action, back to LG-09.
In the meantime, Axis ground forces had been advancing rapidly. By nightfall panic poured through the base of 233 Wing. Twenty-one Panzer Division was on the escarpment in control of Fuka landing grounds only seventeen miles from LG-09. A large concentration of vehicles was already preparing for the night only miles short of that base.
"The order was given to evacuate immediately,” Eddie wrote. "All serviceable aircraft were flown off by the light of a few drums set on fire. They landed under similar conditions at LG-106.” The Kittyhawks landed at their new base about thirty miles east of LG-09 in the dark. It was about nine o'clock and the day had been long for most, but not long enough for F/Sgt Copping