Fighters clash over the desert

27 March 1942: A grandstand view for the infantry as they watch RAF Hurricanes take on German Stukas and their escort

A lorry passes by a sign that warns of the danger of low-flying enemy aircraft in the Western Desert, 22 March 1942.

The crew of a Valentine tank have a wash and shave in the Western Desert, 27 March 1942.

Valentine tanks training in the Western Desert, 27 March 1942.

In the Libyan desert it was a relatively quiet time as both sides sought to build up their reserves for the next big push.

James Brown was with the South African division on the Gazala Line.

On the 27th March 1942 he recorded in his diary a diversion in the air over their lines: