This section
reflects the questions and answers we deal with.The
Questions are recieved from visitiors to the website, and the answers
are provided by Steve McLean, a resesearch assistant to the SAAF
Museum,
AFB Ysterplaat, Cape Town.
Steve McLean is the author of the definitive books "The Spitfire in
SAAF Service" and "The Squadron of the South African Air Force and
their aircraft" and is the Southern African correspondent for
Flypast magazine.
Query - 21 Sqn East
African operations
Comments: I have a request for information
relating to 21 Squadron SAAF
that operated in East Africa during WW2 (1941-43?)
On a visit to Kenya earlier in the year I visited the CWG Cemetery at
Gilgil and noticed one of the graves bore the Jewish Star of David and
was placed on the resting place of Lieutenant S D Davis of 21 Squadron
SAAF.
Gilgil
Cemetery - Image by Raymond Batkin
(Click for a higher
resolution and additional images)
I have a photograph of his grave (which I would be very happy to send
to you by e-mail attachment if so requested)
I noted Lt Davis' was killed on 5th September 1942.
I mentioned this to friends in Israel who discovered that Lt Davis
(Observer) was not listed in the Jewish Servicemen War Dead
records so we have now been able to rectify this omission.
I then started to wonder about his fellow crewmen (assuming that it was
an aircraft casualty) but I had not looked for any graves that covered
the day in question and from SAAF members..but I have now checked the
CWG list for Gilgil and have found the graves of two of Lt Davis'
comrades. These are Captain D J Jacobs DFC (pilot) and Air Mechanic W
Weekes. Both gravestones refer to 05/09/1942 and 21 Squadron.
From the SAAF references on the websites available I have tried to
track 21 Squadron's sphere of operations. I have only found limited
information (21 Squadron operations against Italian forces in Somalia
and Ethiopia and also in North Africa) but I have little detail to go
on. I wondered if there is a 21 Squadron History in print. I would be
very interested in reading it is one exists.
As there seemed to be only a 3-man crew I made a speculative guess that
the aircraft involved may have been a Blenheim - is this correct or not?
The nearest sphere of operations mentioned would have been Ethiopia but
I am curious as to how Captain Jacobs and his crew were buried in
Gilgil which, of course, is some distance from the old Kenya/Ethiopia
border. Was any official account of this casualty recorded in SAAF
reports?
My interest is entirely historical. I have no connection with any of
the three SAAF members.
I hope you can shed some light on this story - for which I thank you in
anticipation.
Raymond Batkin, Plymouth, UK
Answer
21 Squadron
were heavily involved in the North African campaign in late
1941 flying Martin Marylands. They were active participants in
Operation Crusader and suffered extensive personnel and aircraft
losses. On 21 January 1942 they were withdrawn to LG98, near Amiriya
south of Alexandria, to re-equip with Martin Baltimores.
The first four of the
type to arrive were so
clapped-out, engineers managed to build 1 flying aircraft from the four
delivered ! However further Baltimores eventually made there way to
LG98, following which the unit moved to El Firdan and later Kasfareet
in July for continued familiarisation and training on the type.
On 24 August they moved to Shandur. It was from here that Baltimore III
AH138 was lost on 5 September 1942 when it spun into the ground near
Lake Naivasha in Kenya, killing Lt S.D. Davis, Captain DJ Jacobs, F/Sgt
RB Jennings and Air Mech W Weekes. I don't have the squadron files
readily at hand, but one must assume they were on a training flight
when the accident occurred.
Hope the above answers your query. Many thanks for the kind offer of an
image of Lt Davis' grave, it would be greatly appreciated if you would
e-mail it through for our records.
Steve Mclean
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