…on the East African Campaign (1940–1941).

The document is available here : https://ko-fi.com/s/1c5e02bfc6

At present, this is available in French only. An English translation is in progress. More information soon.

Air War Over the Horn of Africa

Chronicle of Air Operations During the East African Campaign
1940–1941

French version 1.0 (Introduction + June 1940)
132 pages + around a hundred photos
In French

Important: access to and downloading of the Chronicle of Air Operations in East Africa (1940–1941) are completely free, and will remain so. That is a deliberate choice. However, you may make a small donation (in any amount you wish) if you feel the work deserves it, or if you would like to support my research (archive copies, book purchases, proofreading, etc.). This is, of course, entirely optional. The best way to support my research and my work is to help spread the word and share this chronicle.

After several years of research into air operations in East Africa, I have finally decided to begin writing a chronicle devoted to air operations during the East African Campaign of 1940–1941. Covering a subject so vast, both geographically and in duration (over more than a year), represents a considerable amount of work. To give an idea, this first version, which includes only the introduction and the month of June 1940, already runs to around a hundred pages. Unfortunately, as I can devote only a limited amount of my free time to it, I have no idea how long it will take to complete the entire chronicle.

As a result, I have decided to make the document available progressively as the writing advances. Version 1.0 therefore contains the introduction and the air operations for June 1940; version 2.0 will add July 1940, and so on until the final version.

Unfortunately, the subject is considered too “niche” and not commercially viable (despite my attempts with French and foreign publishers), so this Chronicle of Air Operations in East Africa (1940–1941) will be made available online free of charge in PDF format (and possibly as an ebook, if I manage to format it properly). I am handling the proofreading, formatting and layout myself (with limited means). I therefore ask readers to excuse the currently rather basic layout (which I hope to improve later), as well as any remaining proofreading issues. A printed edition may be considered once the definitive version is complete, but for the time being it is far too early to think about that.

For non-French-speaking readers, I am currently preparing an English translation, which I hope to finish as soon as possible.

NB: I hope to release version 2.0 (with the addition of July 1940) by the end of March 2026.

A few notes on this provisional French version 1.0 (Introduction + June 1940):

1°: This narrative covers air operations during the East African Campaign (1940–1941). It is primarily focused on the actions of the RAF and the SAAF (whose archives are relatively complete). I have tried, as far as possible, to reconstruct the activity of the Regia Aeronautica, within the limits of the documentation available and the publications that exist on the subject. Although I have tried to be as precise and comprehensive as possible, many air actions remain unclear or unknown for lack of sources.

2°: Unfortunately, many sorties amount to little more than: “Aircraft Z took off between such-and-such a time and such-and-such a time for a reconnaissance over sector N, or to drop bombs on target M, without observing the results.” To avoid producing a simple list, I was forced to make certain choices and to be selective, focusing on significant events or on those operations for which a few details are available. I have nonetheless tried to pay tribute to all the air units and pilots engaged in East Africa.
To make the account as lively as possible, I have included the rare testimonies available wherever I could, or used indirect material such as mission reports and other documents, notably RAF loss reports.

3°: As the East African Campaign is little known and poorly documented, I decided to include elements relating to land, naval or broader events, so that readers can better understand the conditions in which the air operations took place.

4°: As stated above, this is a provisional version. I have not worked on the layout, and the same applies to the illustrations: the photographs have been inserted without trying to achieve a balanced presentation.

I am, of course, open to any criticism, feedback, remarks, additional information, corrections…

Wishing you an enjoyable read…