The importance of the Middle East increased daily. Troops of the Allied armies were kept on watch at all strategic places, and the liaison between the two commands is complete. Cooperation between land and air units was absolutely essential under desert conditions such as those suggested by this impressive picture. This 285-mph Bristol Blenheim 1 Bomber, armed with two machine-guns, is taking off after reporting to a mechanised desert patrol on Wartime manoeuvres in Egypt.