4SQN SAAF - Number 4 Squadron South African Air Force - early 1942

I recently had the pleasure of catching up with a former member of this unit and having a look through his log book and assorted mementos.

His name is Captain Melville Duff-Richardson DFC P47952V SAAF (sometimes referred to as Lieutenant Richardson in some publications and even Duff-Richards half way through his DFC citation)

I intend to add what I know of him to this thread as I go along. I will also load up what I have compiled regarding some of his colleagues that he recalls serving alongside.

I am printing out everything I can find and adding it to a folder that Melville now has - he enjoys finding out what became of his comrades.

I don’t know if much info is available specifically on his unit, what I have so far I have gathered from a bunch of disparate sources as I couldn’t really find much in one place on the activities of the unit circa January - May 1942.


I will lead off with a period photo of the man himself plus his entry in the publication "Those Other Eagles":

 

Hi Dave,

Quite a bit on the unit in The National Archives, Kew. All the ORB and the Appendices are available for download

AIR 27/52 to AIR 27/59 inclusive.

I think that they are also in the AIR 54 range as well
edit - The free download pdf is AIR 54/185 and covers No.4 SAAF Sqn, 1944 Nov.- Dec.

Regards
Ross

 

Thanks Ross - I didn't even think of looking at the TNA files, which is odd because I have been quite happily using the new service being offered for digitized records of RAF squadrons.

I might invest in a few of their ORBs and try matching them to Melville's log book entries.

cheers


Dave

 

I just finished downloading four files covering the unit from early 1941 (when it was formed) to mid 1942 (after my bloke had left the SQN).

All up it cost 14 quid (around 22 Aussie pesos) which is an out and out bargain seeing as I ended up with over 500 pages of documents.

The three smaller files (50 / 60 / 100 pages) are the SQN's OORLOGSDAGBOEK (War Diary) and the 300 page file seems to contain Circumstantial Reports detailing various flying incidents (just started to skim through the file).

A treasure trove of info.....

 

Do you have anything on what he thought about the Tomahawk as a fighter?

All the best

Andreas

 

Andreas - sorry for the delay, he loved the Kittyhawk as it managed to deliver him to a semblance of safety (minus his leg) after taking part in a battle where the weight of numbers was against his unit.

Most of his operational flying was in the Kittyhawk, with some hours in the Mohawk which I don't think was a very popular aircraft with the South Africans.

Following is an extract from a modelling site (Hobbycraft 1/48 P-40B/C) which sums up the SAAF view on the Kittyhawk -


********************************************************

Initially the Tomahawks were delivered in US equivalents of the RAF dark earth, dark green and sky scheme. This was replaced by the standard desert camouflage scheme of azure blue, mid stone and dark earth.

At this stage of service, several 4 squadron aircraft displayed an attractive winged Springbok squadron badge on the cowling with the motto “We’ve Had You”. Two further squadron badges appear to have been used by 4 squadron at this time. One was decorated with an eagle crest and the Afrikaans motto “Nader die Pale Toe”, a phrase from rugby football which translates as “Closer to the Goal Posts”, while the other depicted an eagle destroying a German aircraft and the Afrikaans motto “ Vir Vryheid en Reg”, translated as “For Freedom and Justice”.

The Tomahawk acquitted itself well in the hands of SAAF pilots and they accounted for a number of enemy aircraft. Indeed in an encounter with 1/JG27, then under the guidance of “The Star of Africa” Hans Joachim Marseille, one 4 Squadron aircraft managed to crash land close to base despite a very severe mauling. The fact that this badly damaged plane still made it back to base impressed the SAAF personnel to such an extent that photos of the aircraft were sent to the manufacturer in the US congratulating them on the sturdiness of their aircraft.

The Tomahawk’s legendary ability to “take it,” returning to base even when badly shot up by the enemy, endeared it to its pilots.

 

Some more info on Melville, a copy of his DFC citation from the Flight Global archive and a copy of the letter his CO sent to his mother following his hospitalisation:

 

Any ideas how I could find out more about my father's navigator in RAF Squadron 51, Snaith, 1944? Edward "Ted" Marsh from South Africa. My father, Roy Edward Abell DFC was the pilot. They called Ted the "old man" because he was in his thirties!

 

Many thanks Dave! Sorry for the long delay in responding.

All the best

Andreas

 

Any ideas how I could find out more about my father's navigator in RAF Squadron 51, Snaith, 1944? Edward "Ted" Marsh from South Africa. My father, Roy Edward Abell DFC was the pilot. They called Ted the "old man" because he was in his thirties!

Hi RJ - info on South African servicemen is pretty thin on the ground. If they died during the war then the CWGC provides some info, although it is not uncommmon to see only a casualty's initials rather than their first names.

If they received a gallantry medal / MiD then the London Gazette may offer some info - if they were a commissioned officer likewise their appointment / promotions will have been gazetted.

I suppose it depends on what info you are actually after. There is an ex-serviceman's legion down there that might be able to offer some assistance as to what happened to your bloke post-war.

cheers


Dave

 

Dave

Hi there. I'm not sure if you received this message I sent earlier in the year. I have a photo of Vivian Greenberg (he was my grandfathers younger brother) who flew for Squadron 4 SAAF in WW2. I am not entirely sure of the dates he flew for the 4th Squadron. The photo has a no of other people in who I assume are all from squadron 4. I have no idea who they are but I saw you were looking for info on 4th Squadron SAAF. You can view the photo at this link
Family Photos - Remembering Tanny
I wondered if Melville might be able to recognise anyone in the photo

Kind regards
Karen

 

My father, Kenneth Hayes Lawlor was a pilot in 4 Squadron. He crashed or was shot down 4 Jun. 1942 – 10 miles west Bir Hacheim and captured by the Italians. I have 2 photos of him with aircrafts but am not sure what type they were. Photos attached.

 

During the above period, 4 Squadron were operating with the Tomahawk IIA (April 42 - April 43) and the Mustang I (May 42 - March 44)

 

Welcome aboard Pendray - nice photos. The 4SQN SAAF ORB (attached) mentions the loss of your father but doesn't have much in the way of detail.

Where does your info come from? (probably direct from the man himself......)



The reason I ask is that coverage of the actions of SAAF units in the desert is relatively scarce - if there is a publication or a website that I don't know about it may have some info of relevance to me.

 

I am really sorry I missed this post the first time around - Viv Greenberg is mentioned in some correspondence of Melville's. Plus he is also mentioned in a couple of book extracts along with Melville for certain missions they flew together.

The link to the photo doesn't seem to work but I wonder if it is the long shot of all of the SQB pilots standing in front of an aircraft - the photo featured in a wartime magazine.

 

Hi Pendray,

Here he is shown as being held at POW Camp 47, Modena in August 1943. This is from the file WO392/21, held at the National Archives in London. I should say that this document has been known to be inaccurate at times, but I felt you would like to see the image nonetheless.

Best wishes

Steve

 

Are you sure about the Mustang I dates?

On the pictures, left definitly a Hurricane, right could be a Curtiss Mohawk?

All the best

Andreas

 

Thanks so much for the ORB. Very interesting but struggling to read and understand the text! The information I have is both from my late father and also from some service documents from the SADF. I do not know if I have any source re: SAAF in Africa that might interest you as you have probably researched all the sites that I use.

 

Thanks for the image. I do have some information on his POW records so I believe yours is accurate. My father was an amazing man and assisted with the Darling 2 rescue operation.

 

If you are interested you can read my first post - under POW Darlington 2 most successful rescue of POWs.