Chapter 3 - Malta 1941 And The Land of the Pharaohs

 

 EGG WHIPPED? HERE WE COME!

            Converting from Pegasus engine Wellington bomber IC’s aircraft to Merlin engine Wellington 11’s in 1941 was a joy – nearly double the speed.  Our detachment of 5 aircraft left Harwell for Cairo via Gibraltar and Malta.  During our evening meal at Gibraltar, we gleaned that there was a dance hall close by.  We were naïve enough to think that Spanish girls would be available as partners.  The dance floor was crowded, with not a girl in sight, only RN sailors enjoying waltzes and quicksteps.

            Such was the state of preparedness in 1941 that our aircraft had to be refueled by 4 gallon cans of petrol which, when emptied, were rolled down the wing on to the tarmac.  As our tents were close by, we had little sleep.

            We were please to take off for Malta early next morning flying below 100 ft. to make detection difficult.  Between Pantellaria, a German fighter base, and Sicily, the rear gunners’ turret touched the top of a wave.  His shout told me that he was not amused.

            Landing at Luqua, Malta, we were marshalled at break neck speed to a distant dispersal, just in time, as the airfield was bombed within minutes.  Early next morning we set off for Abu Suer, near Cairo; all landed safely except one who had undercarriage problems.  Whilst we were watching the crash, an airman approached us and said he had to collect our issued Omega watches.  Naively we handed them over.  We saw neither him nor our watches again!

            This was our salutary introduction to the land of the PHARAOHS.

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Jim’s Aircraft Log 8 August 1941 – 20 August 1941

·         Portreath              Ferry Command                    8 August 1941

·         Gibraltar              Ferry Command                   10 August 1941

·         Malta (LUQUA) Ferry Command                   11 August 1941

·         Abu Suer             Ferry Command                   12 August 1941

·         Kasfareet            ME Pool                                15 August 1941

·         Kabrit                 148 Squadron                        20 August 1941

 AF Ferry Command was the secretive Royal Air Force command formed on 20 July 1941 to ferry urgently needed aircraft from their place of manufacture in the United States and Canada, to the front line operational units in Britain, Europe, North Africa and the Middle East during the Second World War.

Previously known as RAF Portreath, the station was built during 1940, opened in March 1941 and had a varied career during the Second World War, initially as a RAF Fighter Command station, from October 1941 as a ferry stop-over for aircraft bound to/from North Africa and the Middle East. (Wikipedia)