20 Août 1940
Northern Front
Despite the difficult struggles of the previous days, the Aden-based units remain active. Five Vickers Wellesley of No.223 (RAF) Squadron return to Ethiopian aerodromes between 08h00 and 13h30. Several buildings are claimed to be damaged on the Dessie airfield despite poor weather conditions.[1]
They are followed by five Bristol Blenheim Mk I of No.11 and 39 (RAF) Squadron (one and four) on Dire Dawa between 09h00 and 12h35. If the attack, against the facilities of Ala Littorria, is a success with a Savoia-Marchetti SM.81 and a Fiat CR.32 claimed damaged, the bombers are intercepted by two Fiat CR.42 of the 413 Squadriglia CT . Two victories are then claimed by Capitano Corrado Santoro. The Bristol Blenheim Mk I L8474 of No.39 (RAF) Squadron (Pilot OfficerPaul E.O. Jago[2], Sergeant John A. Wilson-Law[3], Coporal John H. Wintle[4]) crashes into flames, killing his crew. In addition, No.11 (RAF) Squadron’s L8535[5] (Pilot Officer William D. Rowbotham, Sergeant Jones and Young) is forced into a forced landing in Aden. The Italian fighter, however, is also slightly damaged.[6]
Capitano Corrado Santoro (413 Squadriglia CT), 20 août 1940. Collection : Håkan Gustavsson – Biplane Fighter Aces from the Second World War
In Sudan, operations are slowed down by bad weather. One Gloster Gauntlet and three Vincent Vickers of No.430 (RAF) Flight were damaged by a powerful gust of wind.[7]
At the same time, No.47 (RAF) Squadron sends three Vickers Wellesley to Barentu. The very low cloud cover prevents the bombers from locating the target and they are forced to turn back on the Kassala fort with no probable results.[8]
Finally, the Aden squadron makes a new reconnaissance over Somaliland with the Glenn Marin 167-F No. 82 (Lieutnant Flight Roger Ritoux-Lachand, Flying Officer Pierre Fenot de Maismont, Flight Sergeant Raymond Rolland and Emile Lobato de Faria). Several vehicles are spotted on the roads, as well as a aircraft (IMAM Ro.37bis or fighter) on the ground of Hargeisa.[9]
Southern Front
The day is relatively calm. No.2 (SAAF) Squadron receives six new Hawker Fury. A Hartbees: No. 864 (Lieutnant Gideon J. de Greef[10], Air Sergeant Mornie A. du Plessis[11]) is nevertheless lost during a reconnaissance mission. Despite intense research, they will never be found.[12]
[1] « 20 august 1940 », 223 Squadron RAF : Operations Record Book (Form 540 and Form 541), Kew – TNA, AIR 27 / 1374. C. Shores et C. Ricci, Dust Clouds in the Middle East, 2e éd., London, Grub Street, 2010, p. 55 ; J. Sutherland et D. Canwell, Air War East Africa, the RAF versus the Italian Air Force, Barnsley, Pen & Sword Military, 2009, p. 64.
[2] « Casualty details : Jago, Paul Edwin Osborne », Commonwealth War Graves Commission : http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2273310/JAGO,%20PAUL%20EDWIN%20OSBORNE
[3] « Casualty details : Wilson-Law, John Astil », Commonwealth War Graves Commission : http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2273352/WILSON-LAW,%20JOHN%20ASTIL
[4] « Casualty details : Wintle,John Herbert », Commonwealth War Graves Commission ; http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2273353/WINTLE,%20JOHN%20HERBERT
[5] The damage seems important, since the aircraft no longer appears in the Squadron ORB.
[6] « 20 august 1940 » 11 Squadron RAF : Operations Record Book (Form 540 and Form 541), Kew – TNA, AIR 27 / 162 ; « 20 august 1940 » 39 Squadron RAF : Operations Record Book (Form 540 and Form 541), Kew – TNA, AIR 27 / 407 ; C. Shores et C. Ricci, Dust Clouds in the Middle East, op. cit., p. 55 à 56 ; J. Sutherland et D. Canwell, Air War East Africa, the RAF versus the Italian Air Force, op. cit., p. 64 ; Håkan Gustavsson, « Generale di Divisione Corrado Santoro », Biplane Fighter Aces from the Second World War : http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/italy_santoro.htm
[7] C. Shores et C. Ricci, Dust Clouds in the Middle East, op. cit., p. 56.
[8] « 20 august 1940 » 47 Squadron RAF : Operations Record Book (Form 540 and Form 541), Kew – TNA, AIR 27 / 463.
[9] « 20 august 1940 » 8 Squadron RAF : Operations Record Book (Form 540 and Form 541), Kew – TNA, AIR 27 / 114.
[10] « Casualty details : De Greef, Gideon Johannes », Commonwealth War Graves Commission : http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1536436/DE%20GREEF,%20GIDEON%20JOHANNES
[11] « Casualty details : Du Plessis, Mornie André », Commonwealth War Graves Commission : http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1536524/DU%20PLESSIS,%20MORNIE%20ANDRE
[12] « 20 august 1940 » 40 Squadron SAAF, Repport on recce sorties, juillet – decembre 1940, Kew – TNA, AIR 54 / 5 ; « 20 august 1940 » Narrative northern operations SAAF, August 1940, Kew – TNA, AIR 54 / 8.
