No. 2 Squadron SAAF – 23rd March 1943

I have been busy the last few days hence the lack of posts on this project. Thankfully I am not doing it in ‘real time’ to the event so it is not a major issue. Here is the entry for 23 March.

“BOMBING HIGHLY SATISFACTORY”. This message, transmitted back from Army Headquarters, was expression of appreciation for the work done by the Kittyhawks of our wing in a bombing raid on an enemy strong point about 30 miles North West of MEDININ and just in front of the MARETH LINE. The enemy strong point consisted of a hill with gun emplacements, commanding a road up which our troops were endeavouring to advance. Nine of our aircraft with Lt.Col. LOFTUS leading in the tenth Kittyhawk, took-off at 0630 hours fully armed. They were followed by Kittybombers of No. 5 Squadron and No. 4 Squadron provided top cover of fighters.

The enemy strong-point was located and our aircraft dived from 8000′ to drop their bombs, some of the pilots strafing in their dive. Bombs were all in their target area and direct hits on emplacements were registered. One bomb is thought to have hit an ammunition dump as “quite a pyrotechnic display resulted”.

An indication of the success of the bombing was the fact that the Americans, who were to have bombed after us, were not called upon to do so. Over 30 per cent of the enemy emplacements were put out of action, it was learned, and the position was taken. From all aspects this was a most successful operation, as the enemy were taken completely by surprise and there was no A.A. Fire from the target are to speak of, when our planes swooped down.

The main road to FOUM TATAHOUINE passes our camp and with the recent thrust towards the GABES GAP, this road has lots of interest. This evening under the cover of darkness, tanks and supply vehicles began rumbling up and numbers of our personnel stood at the road “watching the tanks go by” – a heartening spectacle for us.

TNA, AIR 27/22 ‘No. 2 Squadron SAAF Operations Record Book’ 22 March 1943

A Case Study in Army-Air Force Co-Operation

My post blogging of the Battle for the Mareth Line, which I have fallen behind with, was based upon research I had done in preperation for a conference I attended last year. I have been playing around with word press and I have just realised I can upload PowerPoint so I thought I would upload so people can have a look. The paper I am writing for the conference publication is based on this presentation.

A Case Study in Army-Air Force Cooperation

Ross

No. 2 Squadron SAAF – 22nd March 1943

Here is the third entry of No. 2 Squadron SAAF.

The weather was dull and overcast this morning and the was lots of rain about when Major ARMSTRONG, CAPT. HAPUTFLEISCH and LT. HOJEM set out at 1100 hours to do an armed reconnaissance with No. 239 Wing. They did zone circuits at FOUM TATAHOUINE but No. 239 Wing did not appear and owing to the weather conditions at the time, our aircraft returned with their bombs.

A feature of night-life in the Officers Mess tonight was the entertainment of Group Captain Petrus Hugh, D.S.O., D.F.C. and two bars, Croix de Guerre and palm-leaves who visited our squadron with our Wing Commander, Lt.Col. LOFTUS, D.F.C. The famous South African Ace, who had come across from the other side – the First Army – was rapidly made to feel at home in the atmosphere of a South African mess and was entertained with a special “broadcast-programme” the evening ending with a sing-song featuring, mostly, South African “lindjins”. This singing, conducted in the brilliant moonlight and to the accompliment of occasional A.A.Fire and bombs dropped at a landing ground in this vicinity, rounded off a pleasant and interesting evening.

TNA, AIR 27/22 ‘No. 2 Squadron SAAF Operation Record Book’ 22nd March 1943