11 October 1940
Northern Front
At approximately 09h45, HMS Auckland [1] reported an unsuccessful attack by two Savoia-Marchetti SM.79s from an estimated altitude of 3 500 meters off Aden. The Bristol Blenheim L9042 (Flying Officer Grice, Sergeant Jenkins, Leading Aircraftman Ffoulkes, Aircraftman Woolford) of No.203 (RAF) Squadron intervenes to attacks the Italian bombers, but they can escape.[2]
HMS Auckland. Collection : Imperial War Museum.
Southern Front
Three Fairey Battle of No.11 (SAAF) Squadron: No. 905 (Captain Johan L.V. de Wet, Air Sergeant RJ van Heerden), No. 909 (Lieutenant B.L. Hutchinson, Air Sergeant S.H. Hipkin and P.J. Lamont) and No. 902 ( Lieuteenant Cornelius A. van Vliet and Air Sergeant J.L. Wright) are sent to Neghelli from Archers Post. The South African pilots decide to focus on a concentration of vehicles on which three 250 lb. and two 20 lb. bombs are dropped causing serious damage.[3]
Bombing of a concentration of vehicles at Neghelli by Fairey Battle of No.11 (SAAF) Squadron. This could be on 11 October 1940. Collection : SAAF Museum Swartkops Allen Taylor via Tinus le Roux.
[1] The ship will be sunk on 24 June 24 1941, off Tobruk, by German bombers. http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/3910.html ou http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-18SL-HMS_Auckland.htm
[2] « 11 october 1940 », No. 203 (RAF) Squadron : Operations Record Book (Form 540 and Form 541). Kiew : TNA, AIR 27 / 1198.
[3] « 11 october 1940 », October – Narrative Norther Operations SAAF. Kew : TNA, AIR/54/8 ; « 11 october 1940 », No.11 (SAAF) Squadron : War Diary. Kew : TNA, AIR/54/3.
