Rhodesians in the Air 1939-45
A contemporary account from early 1945
(Click on images for a closer look)
“First in the Sky”
No. 237 (RHODESIA) SQUADRON.
A Lion passant guardant charged on the shoulder with an Eagle’s Claw and holding in the Forepaw an Elephant’s Tusk.
Motto: “Primum Agmen in Caelo”
(which may be translated as “Vanguard in the Air” or “First in the Sky”)
The design is based on the Crest of the British South Africa Company. The fact that this unit was originally a unit of the Southern Rhodesian Air Force is commemorated by the introduction of the Eagle’s Claw, the Southern Rhodesian Air Force having used the R.A.F. Eagle and a Lion as their Badge.
“Vanguard in the Air” or “First in the Sky” is the proud motto of No. 237 (Rhodesia) Squadron, Royal Air Force. The justification is that they were the first United Nations airmen to fly to a potential battlefront, having left Rhodesia for Kenya on August 31st, 1939, the day before Germany invaded Poland and four days before Britain entered the war. Their expectation (and the expectation of everyone in Southern Africa at the time) was that Italy would range herself on Germany’s side immediately, and they went to Kenya to keep watch on the Abyssinian (now Ethiopian) frontier. But France was not yet on her knees, Mussolini was not yet ready for the dagger-thrust, and so for ten months these Rhodesian airmen, who had left Rhodesia in obsolete Hawker Hart and Audex aircraft, patrolled the Northern Frontier district, flat, waterless, camelthorn country with few amenities for comfortable existence. Then on June 10th, Mussolini struck. The days when Rhodesian airmen waved in response to the friendly salutes of Italian airmen were, temporarily at least, over.
The Rhodesians made their first contact with the new enemy in a way none of them ever expected. On the morning of June 13th several of them were sleeping on the roofs of native shops in Wajir owing to the intense heat, when three Italian bombers came roaring down on them. The drop to the ground was 15 feet, but that was no deterrent. All of them were wearing pyjamas except one, and he was clad in a sarong. He lost it in the scramble for the slit trenches. Their petrol dump was the squadron’s first casualty. They soon retaliated with bombing attacks of their own which kept the Italians on the jump, and they held the fort until the South African Air Force arrived to relieve them. The Rhodesians then moved on to the Sudan and became the first occupants of the camp at Gordon’s Tree on the White Nile, which was their base for attacks on the borders of Abyssinia and Eritrea. Equipped with Lysanders they became an Army Co-operation Squadron and in the later stages of the East African campaign were constantly active on the Eritrean front in support of the 4th and 5th Indian Divisions. They earned a fine reputation and the soldiers’ gratitude for the way they harassed the enemy with bombs and guns at Barentu, Agodat, Biscia, Keren, Asmara and Massawa.
An exploit during this campaign, which a Daily Express correspondent called “ one of the grandest stories of the war” will serve to illustrate the quality of the men of 237 Squadron. It concerns Flight Lieutenant (as he then was) Miles Johnson, who as an Acting Wing Commander, lost his life in air operations in September, 1944. The story of how Miles Johnson won his D.F.C. is told by the correspondent as follows:
“One of the most amazing feats in a succession of battles over the Eritrean front was performed by two young Rhodesians, who were piloting an army reconnaissance aeroplane over enemy lines when the pilot sighted three S133s. His machine, by the nature of its work, was slow and clumsy, but he signalled his rear gunner that he was going to attack. He dived on the enemy and the first burst sent one crashing. He turned to the attack again and knocked out another, so scaring the third, who beat a retreat.
“On the way home three Fiat C.R.42s dived on him. His position looked hopeless but he gave fight and, though swarmed over by Italians, his rear gunner soon had smoke pouring out of one of them, which dived away. The other two Italians attacked, hitting his rear gunner in the hand and himself in the body, arms and legs. He succeeded in making a forced landing safely in the waterless desert. He collapsed, but the rear gunner, though in great pain, got stores and water from the plane, hoisted the pilot on his shoulder and set off on the homeward tramp. Despite tremendous heat and loss of blood the gunner succeeded in reaching his base after two days’ trek. The gunner with the pilot on his shoulder just staggered in.” The rear gunner, Sgt. J.G.P. Burl, R.A.F.V.R., was awarded the D.F.M.
When Italian resistance in north-eastern Africa collapsed, No. 237 Squadron moved northward into the blistering heat and sand of the Sudan, making their camp at Kufra Oasis. A couple of months later they went to Egypt to re-equip and returned to the desert as a tactical reconnaissance squadron in time for General Auchinleck’s push. They spent themselves in that strenuous campaign and were ordered back to Egypt for a short rest before being sent to Mosul*, in Iraq, to help train the 10th Army in the uses of an army co-operation squadron. These were easier days than those of East Africa and the Western Desert and they made good use of their opportunities for sport. At rugby they beat all comers, except London Scottish, whom instead they taught to sing the famous South African song, “Sarie Marais”. When their spell in Iraq was over they returned to Egypt by way of Transjordan and Palestine, were converted to fighter, and eventually became a Spitfire Squadron. They carried out valuable tactical duties under the Mediterranean Command, until, when the blow against Europe’s under-belly was delivered on August 15th, 1944, the squadron helped give air cover. After that it operated in Western Europe. Africa – Near East – Middle East – Italy – France and finally Germany – few Rhodesians in this war can have travelled so widely as the men of 237 have done.
.
.
“Stabber of the Skies”
No. 266 (RHODESIA) SQUADRON.
A Bateleur Eagle volant. Motto: “Hlabezulu”
(which may be translated as “The Stabber of the Sky”).
The Bateleur Eagle was adopted as it is common all over Southern Rhodesia and is known for its acrobatic propensity.
.
This is not the only Rhodesian squadron operating in the war. Living in a sparsely-populated land of vast distances, Rhodesians are naturally air-minded. In their choice of service, first place for the majority of them was the air. It was not long before Rhodesia had sufficient men to man two more squadrons, and after passing through the Rhodesian Air Training Group’s stations, they went to England to give the Colony’s name to a fighter and a bomber squadron.
No. 266 Squadron, which became the Rhodesian Fighter Squadron, has a surprisingly long history. It came into being in the First World War. In August, 1919, it was disbanded. In October, 1939, it was revived and equipped with sixteen Fairey “Battles”. Shortly afterwards it changed to Spitfires and first went into action on June 2nd, 1940, at Dunkirk. Its record that memorable day was a foretaste of its future achievements; in battles fought at 22,000 feet the Squadron destroyed four Messerschmitt 109s and one M.E. 110 for the loss of only two pilots. A few weeks later the Squadron entered one of the fiercest phases of its existence when from August 8th to August 21st it was in continuous action from forward aerodromes in the south of England that were under constant bombing by the enemy. In this period the fighter pilots destroyed eleven German aircraft, probably destroyed five more and damaged eleven. On August 22nd the Squadron moved back from the front line, but they had no opportunity for rest. During the heavy German night raids on London, Birmingham and Coventry they became night fighters and even in those early days, or rather nights, of this specialized form of offensive defence, had a good bag of enemy raiders to their credit.
During this time the flying personnel were not wholly Rhodesian, but by August, 1941, the Squadron, with the exception of the leader, Squadron Leader T.B.de la P. Beresford, and some members of the ground staff, became entirely manned by Rhodesians and was given official national recognition. At that period its main work consisted of convoy escort duties and sweeps over France.
Early in 1942 a Rhodesian took command. He was Squadron Leader (later Group Captain) Charles Green, holder of the Distinguished Service Order and Bar and the Distinguished Flying Cross. He is a remarkable son of a remarkable father, for his father, Mr. Luke Green, a former Member of the Rhodesian Legislature who for many years farmed in the Marandellas district, won the D.S.O. and the M.C. in WWI, and in spite of his years was determined not to be kept out of this one. This, in fact, is Luke Green’s third war, for as a lad of 16 he acted as messenger for Colonel Baden-Powell in the siege of Mafeking in the Boer War, and was thus the world’s first Boy Scout. He was 60 when he travelled to England to fight in this one, and by dyeing his grey hair and reducing his age tried desperately to get into the R.A.F. as an air gunner. But he was recognized almost at the last moment, and instead went into the R.A.F. Regiment in which he gained commissioned rank. He served throughout the worst of the Blitz in England before being returned to Rhodesia to serve with the Rhodesian Air Askari Corps. His son is obviously a chip off the old block; shortly after being awarded the D.S.O. in addition to his D.F.C. he led a formation of rocket-firing Typhoons which destroyed twelve German tanks and six armoured vehicles on the banks of the River Sienne in Normandy, and on August 7th, 1944, was responsible for smashing a concentration of German tanks and vehicles at Mortain which threatened the American positions at Avranches. The Rhodesia Squadron played a notable part in this action, in which 135 enemy tanks were destroyed or damaged.
When Green took command of the Rhodesia Fighter Squadron in 1942, the Rhodesians entered upon a momentous period. They were the first R.A.F. Fighter Squadron to be equipped with the new Typhoon fighter, and they helped to add this famous aircraft to the list of formidable British fighter types by nursing it through its “teething troubles”. As one Rhodesian has put it: “At that time we were practically test pilots.” The first Typhoon attack on enemy territory was carried out by the Rhodesia Squadron and the first German aircraft to fall victim to its deadly fire-power was bagged by two Rhodesian pilots who shot a J.U.88 into the North Sea. The Squadron’s fighter sweeps went on more or less continuously until October, 1942.
Early in 1943 a new phase opened when the Germans launched tip-and-run raids on many parts of England’s southern coastline. But the Typhoons discouraged the adventurous Luftwaffe, and after a few weeks the enemy decided that tip-and-run raids were too costly with deadly Typhoons waiting to shoot them out of the sky. In that period the Rhodesian Fighter Squadron fully justified the motto that adorns its crest of an eagle and a word – “Hlabezulu”- a Matabele word meaning “Stabber of the Skies”. When the enemy raiders stayed at home the Rhodesians turned to a new field, the sea. In seaboard sweeps they covered practically every mile of the enemy coastline from Holland to the French Atlantic Coast, specializing in attacks on enemy warships, particularly the smaller R-boat type, enemy aerodromes and troop movements, and escorting “Bomphoons” on a variety of sorties. Up to the middle of July, 1943, the Squadron had accounted for 41 enemy aircraft destroyed, 21 probably destroyed, 30 damaged and eight locomotives destroyed, with many enemy ships damaged. Since then it has fully maintained its activity and was part of the great armada that supported the Allied ground forces in the invasion of Normandy. With the development of operations in France, Group Captain Green was transferred to another command and was replaced by another Rhodesian, Squadron Leader “Barney” Wright. Both Group Captain Green and Squadron Leader Wright later became prisoners of war.
All the Rhodesian fighter pilots serving in the Royal Air Force are not, of course, concentrated in No. 266 Squadron. Like their fellow-countrymen in the Army, they are scattered among a number of other formations. One of the most notable of these “lone hands” is Wing Commander J.A. (Johnny) Plagis D.S.O., D.F.C. and Bar, now commanding a Mustang Wing in a famous Fighter Command Group. A Rhodesian of Greek parentage, born in the little mining village of Gadzema, Johnny is a veteran of Malta and was one of the “glorious dozen” who helped defend the indomitable island in the stormy days of 1942. He destroyed eleven enemy aircraft off Malta and achieved fame by shooting four raiders out of the sky in one afternoon. He led the first Spitfire sweep over Sicily, when he shot down an Italian bomber, and since being posted to England has enhanced his reputation as a fearless fighter who scorns the odds. On a recent occasion, with one of his flight commanders, he was patrolling an area over the Brest Peninsula when he sighted a pack of seven Messerschmitt 109s and attacked them head-on. Each of them shot an aircraft down before the others fled for safety.
“The King’s Thunderbolts”
No. 44 (RHODESIA) SQUADRON.
On a Mount an Elephant. Motto: “Fulmina Regis lusta”
(which may be translated as “The King’s Thunderbolts are Righteous”).
The design is based on the seal of Lo Bengula, the chief of the Matabele on the conquest. The seal shows an elephant which, as used by the Squadron, suggests the weight of their attacks.
No. 44 Squadron of the Royal Air Force, one of the “heavies” of Bomber Command, also bears the name “Rhodesia”. Like No. 266, its history goes back to the last war when, having been formed in Hainault, Essex, in July, 1917, it flew Sopwith Camels. It was employed on home defence duties until its disbandment at the end of 1919. It was revived as a bomber squadron in March, 1937, and its pilots flew Hinds, Blenheims and Hampdens until, on December 31st, 1941, it was the first squadron to take over the new Lancaster. It had become officially recognised as the Rhodesia Squadron, Bomber Command, four months before, on September 11th, 1941.
It was not long before the Rhodesian bomber pilots showed their quality. Of the many immortal deeds of the R.A.F. in this war, perhaps the most memorable is the raid on Augsburg in southern Germany on April 17th, 1942. It is the one in which Rhodesians take the most pride, for six Lancasters of No. 44 Squadron took part in it and Squadron Leader John Dering Nettleton who led them earned the Victoria Cross. They flew at tree-top height. Shortly after crossing into enemy territory they ran into a group of between twenty-five and thirty enemy fighters and in the battle that followed four of the Rhodesian bombers were shot down until only two remained, those of Squadron Leader Nettleton and Sgt.-Pilot L.L. Dando. The fighters were shaken off but the target was still far distant and there was formidable opposition to be faced.
“With great spirit and almost defenceless,” stated the official citation, “Squadron Leader Nettleton held his two remaining aircraft on their perilous course and after a long and arduous flight, mostly at only 50 feet above the ground, he brought them to Augsburg. Here anti-aircraft fire of great intensity and accuracy was encountered. The two aircraft came low over the roof-tops. Though fired at from point-blank range they stayed the course to drop their bombs true on the target.” Sgt.-Pilot Dando’s aircraft, hit by flak, burst into flames and crash-landed, the pilot being taken prisoner. Although his aircraft was riddled with holes, Squadron Leader Nettleton flew safely back to base, “the only one of the six to return.” Six bombers of No. 97 Squadron also reached the target and like the two Rhodesian bombers made a successful attack on the diesel engine factory.
For this exploit, in addition to the V.C. awarded to their leader, four Rhodesians were decorated – Flight Lieutenant C.S.C. McClure and Pilot Officer P.A. Dorehill with the D.F.C. and Sgt.-Pilot Dando and Sgt. D.N. Huntly with the D.F.M.
The Augsburg raid set a standard for the Squadron. Since then Rhodesian bomber pilots have taken part in almost every major attack on Europe, out night after night in the long battle of the Ruhr which lasted throughout the spring and early summer of 1943 and taking part to the mighty assault on Hamburg at the end of July and beginning of August. The Squadron also sent picked crews on the first long “shuttle” attack from Britain to North Africa, one of the longest operational flights made up to that time by British bombers, when the radiolocation factory at Friederickshafen was bombed on the way out and the Italian naval base at Spezia on the way home. No. 44 was also in the forefront of the Battle of Berlin and of the tremendous assault on the outer bastions of the European Fortress that paved the way for the Invasion. As long as bombs are needed to convince the enemy of the inevitability of his defeat the pilots of No. 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron will help to drop them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unless otherwise shown, the above photos from period publications are believed to have been taken by official SRAF / RAF photographers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rhodesia’s contribution to the war in the air was surveyed by Air Marshal Sir Bertine Sutton, Air Member for Personnel, at the end of September, 1944, when handing a gold cup to the Rhodesian High Commissioner in London for presentation to the Rhodesia Air Force “as a token of comradeship and esteem” from the Royal Air Force.
Sir Bertine Sutton said:
“ I would like to recall that No. 1 Rhodesian Squadron (now No. 237 Spitfire Squadron) was the first Dominion squadron in the field when war broke out. It was, indeed, at its station – at Nairobi – two days before war was declared. There it began its war career, and nearly five years later we find it covering the landing in the South of France a few weeks ago.
“Rhodesia was also the first in the field in connection with the Empire Air Training Scheme. It was in Rhodesia that the first E.F.T.S school was opened – in May, 1940, a week before the opening of E.F.T.S schools in Canada.
“No. 44 Squadron can also claim a ‘first’ in that it was the first squadron to be equipped with Lancasters, and I think the first to have its own Rhodesian commander – Wing Commander F.W. Thompson, D.S.O., D.F.C., A.F.C.
“The third Squadron, No. 266, is a Typhoon Squadron which began operating in Normandy very soon after D Day.
“And all this from Rhodesia with, I believe, a white population [in 1940] of under seventy thousand. But this seventy thousand has placed no less than eight thousand men in the fighting services, of whom as many as one-quarter are in the Royal Air Force. That is an outstanding contribution, and I believe it would have been greater had it not been necessary to restrain the flow of volunteers in order to preserve essential services.
“Well, the Air Force pays its tribute to those two thousand Rhodesians and expresses also its thanks for the generous hospitality shown to our air crews who were trained in Rhodesia, and thoroughly enjoyed their stay there.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
* S/Ldr. A.S. “Sandy” MacIntyre was killed in action over France on 15 August 1943 aged just 24.
When one reads the accounts of these brave volunteers who came to the aid of Britain, and the price paid by so many of them, it makes one want to weep in the light of Britain’s subsequent disgraceful behaviour towards Rhodesia. – CW