10 October 1940 Southern Front Around 15h45, three Caproni Ca.133 from 31bis Gruppo BT attack the Wajir airfield. They are followed, five minutes later, by three other aircraft of the same type on the Lodwar airfield. In both cases, the bombardment does not seem to give significant results. The South African archives mention the injury…
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9 October 1940 Northern Front No.14 and No.223 (RAF) Squadron attacked the airfields of Gura and Mai Edaga with two (L2657 and K7767) and two (L2715 and K774) Vickers Wellesley respectively, between 1635 and 2245 hours. Here again, it is difficult to assess the impact of these bombings, as the results could not be observed…
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8 October 1940 Northern Front After several weeks of break for training on Blenheim, No.14 (RAF) Squadron is back in action with Vickers Wellesley as Flight Lieutenant Cecil Rowan-Robinson, with K8631 (17h00 – 22h40), carries out an attack on the Mai Edaga airfield.[1] [1] « 8 october 1940 », No. 14 (RAF) Squadron : Operations Record Book (Form…
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7 October 1940 Northern Front Vickers Vincent, from No.8 (RAF) Squadron, are sent on mission, the last operation (mentioned in the ORB) being in August. The attacks, however, did not take place in East Africa, but over British territory. In this case, it is a series of punitive bombings, during the whole day, carried out…
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6 October 1940 Southern Front No.40 (SAAF) Squadron continues daily reconnaissance operations on Hartbees from various advanced terrain in northern Kenya. For example, on 6 October, Hartbee No. 803 (Lieutenant Lawrence H.G. Shuttleworth, Sergeant Goosen) took off from Garba Tulla for a patrol over Arba Jahan. The report indicates the presence (abnormal) of many traces,…
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5 October 1940 Northern Front The RAF decided to test another form of operation by sending three Vickers Wellesley of No.47 (RAF) Squadron and two Gloster Gauntlet : K5355 (Flight Lieutenant A.B. Mitchell) and K4295 (Pilot Officer Arthur N.W. Johnstone) of No.430 (RAF) Flight for an armed reconnaissance between Metemma and Gondar, in order to…
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4 October 1940 Northern Front In the morning, Captain Brian J. L. Boyle (N5852), Lieutenant Andrew Duncan and Servaas de Kock Viljoen of No.1 (SAAF) Squadron take off from the Azaza Airfield to conduct a patrol in the Azaza – Gallabat area. Above the Metemma border post, the Gladiator Gladiators are cruising three Fiat CR.42…
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3 October 1940 Northern Front Despite a smaller pace of operation, the Aden-based Bristol Blenheims continue their regular attacks on the various targets of the Eritrea and Northern Ethiopia. However, these operations are often limited to three aircraft and crews often failing to observe the possible damage of the bombs. The objective of the RAF…
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2 October 1940 Northern Front Three Bristol Blenheim of No.45 (RAF) Squadron take off from Wadi Gazouza, at 14h30 to attack the Gura airfield. Approaching the target, they are intercepted, above Mai Edega, by six Fiat CR.42 of 412a Squadriglia CT. As during the events of 30 September, one of the British aircraft falls victim…
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1st October 1940 Northern Front A new reconnaissance flight was made over the Dessie area by the Escadrille d’Aden (Flight Lieutenant Jacques Dodelier, Yves Trecan Warrant Officer, Sergeant Ronan Michel and Joseph Portalis).[1] Southern Front In Kenya, the beginning of October is marked by the official transformation of the C Flight of No.1 (SAAF) Squadron…
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