One of my priests was in the Western Desert May 1941 and then Takoradi February 1942 .... can you tell me what was happening there at that time ? .... I know that it was a supply base at Taloradi ... but what else was going on there ? Thanking you in advance Annie
Takoradi, in Ghana (then known as the "Gold Coast") was mainly used as a staging post for aircraft being ferried from the United States via Brazil, up to Egypt - i.e, avoiding a long North Atlantic crossing and then the Luftwaffe over the Med. The seaport was used for anti-submarine patrols.
I had heard that several crashes occurred there. The CWGC website lists 62 graves from WW2 at Takoradi. Some of these would have died from disease, in the tropical conditions. But checking some random dates, on 1/6/43 five men died, Lt EA Baxter, Lt SS Beattie, Lt TL Habergham, Flt/Sgt RV Murray, all South African Air Force, and F/S T O'Leary RAFVR. Their unit is listed as 26 Sqdn, but 26 Sqdn RAF was a Mustang unit based in the UK at the time, so this must have been 26 Sqdn SAAF.
Adrian The were part of 26 South African Squadron, and were killed in Wellington MP572 when the engine cut and the aircraft stalled whilst attempting to land downwind. The squadron was an anti-sub/coastal patrol one.
Takoradi SAAF 26 Squadron was based in Takoradi flying Wellingtons on anti submarine patrols. There is a website which details much of their activities. It also lists many aircraft accidents that occurred there during WWII and the crews taht were lost. The crews list is being updated at the moment and will eventually list all crew members and their status at the end of the War. There are quite a number of them buried in Takoradi and many including those MIA are commemorated in various places such as Malta. The 26 Squadron web site address is : SAAF 26 Squadron Regards
26 Squadron SAAF Motto Hi All Does anyone know what SAAF 26 squadron's (latin) motto was? Many squadrons had this embeded in their badge but 26 didn't. Just one more request again; if anyone has any material at all that relates to 26 Sqn SAAF please, send it to me or post it on the website. 26 Squadron SAAF Thanks
Hi Wellington Many squadrons did not have an official motto - like the badge, it had to be officially approved, and a number of wartime squadrons were either too short-lived or Commonwealth squadrons whose requests weren't considered in time.
I posted this this afternoon however it disappeared. As Kyt has said, late squadron formations even in the RAF IIRC did not have Mottos.
Thanks Wellington. Lately, I've been trying, off and on, to find books written by or about SAAF aircrew without much luck. You website has given me a couple of leads.
Glad its of use to you. If you come accross any references to 26 Sqn SAAF please pass them on to me. Here's a list of some others that I haven't checked out yet (might be some duplication) South African Forces World War II: Vol.2 Brown, James Ambrose A Gathering of Eagles (The Campaigns in ITL East Africa 4006-4111) 1970, Purnell, Cape Town, 342pp. Ill. Vol.4 Brown, James Ambrose Eagles Strike (The Campaigns in EGY,LIB,TUN,MAD,Cyrenaica,Tripolitania) 1974, Purnell, Cape Town, 448pp. Ill. Vol.6 Martin & Orpen Eagles Victorious (The Ops. Med.,ITL,Balkans,Aegean,Gibraltar,W.Africa) 1977, Purnell, Cape Town, 494pp. Ill. Belling, Ron A Portrait of Military Aviation in South Africa 1989, Midland Counties, Earl Shilton, 160pp. Ill. Bouwer & Louw The SAAF at War 1940-1984 1989, Rensburg Publ., Melville, 220pp. Ill. Bouwer & Louw The SAAF at War 1995, Rensburg Publ., Melville, 271pp. Ill. Maxwell & Smith Per aspera ad astra 1920-1970 1970, SAAF, Johannesburg, 144pp. Ill. Potgieter & Steenkamp Aircraft of the South African Air Force 1980, Janes, London, 180pp. Ill. Potgieter, Herman Aviation in South Africa 1986, Janes, London, 160pp. Ill. Potgieter, Herman & Birns More Than Game 1995, AirReport, Morningside, 200pp. Ill. Spring,Ivan Squadron and Special Markings of the Post-War SAAF 1994, Spring Air, Norwood, 30pp. Ill. Regards
Thanks again, Bruce. I'll keep my eyes open for 26 Sqn references. Not many recent publications in your list. Is there much of an 'industry' in SA for producing such titles i.e. have the veterans themselves published much or been the subject of biographies in recent times (as is the case in the UK, Australia, NZ, Canada etc)? Missed out on this on Ebay the other day. It's one of the very few SAAF books I've come across: Warriors of the Sky: Springbok Air Heroes in Combat (Pen & Sword Aviation): Peter Bagshawe: Amazon.co.uk: Books I have a letter to send to an SA chap though who has recently published a book. I'll find the details.
Thanks Andy, haven't come across anything new in quite a while so I'm definitely interested in the one you've found!
My father was an observer/navigator in a Blenheim Squadron from June to December 1940 and was then sent to Takoradi by ship, the Blenheim arriving later. Crated Hurricanes were shipped to the port of Takoradi, assembled locally and then flown across Africa for the desert war. My father's job was to navigate across Africa leading the fighters in his Blenheim. After the USA joined the war they used the facilities at Takoradi for the same purpose. My father told the story that he offered his services to a US Squadron to guide them across to the desert; an offer that was not accepted. The squadron departed never to be seen again.
Hi Robert, thanks for making contact. There were unfortunately a lot of mishaps in the area and as I understand it quite a few airmen were lost on route to the Middle East. My Dad flew Wellingtons (26 Sqn SAAF) on anti submarine patrols but his log book shows that he also flew partway along the supply route via Maiduguri Airport in Northern Nigeria. I can only assume that this was also as a guide. My website for 26 Sqn SAAF has a new address at http://www.26squadron.co.za Regards Bruce
