Fifth film in a series showing the story of air power and its impact on the world. This film illustrates the war in the desert and the desert air force.

Since World War One the Middle East has been guarded by slender forces of British and colonial troops and a few members of the air force. The film also shows: Middle East forces which are to defend Egypt and the Suez Canal, culminating in December 1940 with the Italians being driven out of Egypt; the Germans moving into the Mediterranean and taking Crete; Operation Crusader, and its objective to drive towards Tripoli; the struggle for Malta, Operation Hercules; Winston Churchill's visit during the third winter offensive; October 1942, El Alamein; entering Tripoli, Mussolini's capital in Africa. The film concludes by showing that Mussolini's Empire ended here in the desert.

Notes

Production: made in conjunction with the Air Ministry and with the cooperation of the Admiralty, War Office, Ministry of Supply, Central Office of Information, the British aircraft industry, British Commonwealth governments and the member nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation