4 November 1940 Northern Front One of the few existing documents relating to No.1 (SAAF) Squadron provides some details. The unit is based in Azaza (Gedaref) with eight Gloster Gladiator Mk II and the following pilots: Major Schalk van Schalkwyk, Captain Brian J.L. Boyle, Lieutenant Johan J. Coetzer, Andrew Duncan, John L. Hewitson, Robin Pare,…
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2 – 3 November 1940 Northern Front Christopher Shores indicates, in his book “Dust Clouds in the Middle East”, that during the day of 2 November, a Savoia-Marchetti 79 of 44bis Gruppo BT is involved in a confrontation with five Gloster Gladiatoer around 09h30 am. A Fighter is claimed destroyed while the Italian bomber is…
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1er November 1940 Northern Front Ground fighting erupts in the region of Gallabat. Three Gloster Gladiators of No.1 (SAAF) Squadron are sent to escort Gloster Gauntlets, equipped with bombs, of No.430 (RAF) Flight. Several Italian vehicles are reported destroyed. At the same time, Caproni Ca.133 attack British troops. A short confrontation breaks out during which…
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The Italian Blitz – Richard Worrall Richard Worrall. The Italian Blitz (1940–43) : Bomber Command’s war against Mussolini’s cities, docks and factories. Osprey, 2020. 96p. As the author points out, it should be noted that while the action of Bomber Command over Germany is relatively well documented, the same cannot be said of the bombing…
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31 October 1940 Southern Front At the end of October, South African Prime Minister General Jan Smuts decides to organize an inspection tour of his armed forces in Kenya. He is accompanied for this purpose by his adviser General Pierre van Ryneveld. The visit also coincides with the arrival in Kenya of Major-General Alan G.…
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27 – 30 October 1940 Northern Front After several days of intense training, No.14 (RAF) Squadron makes its first operation with its new Bristol Blenheim Mk IV. For this purpose, three aircraft take off with Flight Lieutenant John K. Buchanan at 06h00 to bomb the warehouses of the port of Massawa from an altitude of…
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26 October 1940 Northern Front On the northern front, an air incident is close to turning to tragedy for No.14 (RAF) Squadron. The unit is still in training on the Bristol Blenheim Mk IV. For this purpose, the Squadron Leader Deryck C. Stapleton is responsible for testing the Bristol Blenheim T2057 in flight. He is…
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Victory Was Beyond Their Grasp – Douglas E. Nash Douglas E. Nash. Victory Was Beyond Their Grasp: With the 272nd Volks-Grenadier Division from the Huertgen Forest to the Heart of the Reich. Casemate Publishers, 2015. 416 p. I recognize that I am not a great reader of monographs about Army units. However, I wanted to…
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25 October 1940 Southern Front The events of the day allow to highlight the major evolution provided by the arrival of the Hawker Hurricane on the southern front. Thus, three Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 are sent to bomb Port Reitz, near Mombasa, at an altitude of about 4 500 meters. Two Hawker Fury of No.2 (SAAF) Squadrons…
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23 – 24 October 1940 Southern Front This day is relatively insignificant in terms of activity. Two Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 make a surprise visit on the Kenyan airfield of Malindi. Nevertheless, these very small attacks probably have only a psychological objective in order to keep the opponent under pressure. Yet 24 October is a major turning…
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