A History of the Mediterranean Air War, 1940-1945: Volume 1 - North Africa, June 1940-January 1942
560
A History of the Mediterranean Air War, 1940-1945: Volume 1 - North Africa, June 1940-January 1942
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Overview
This then represents the first volume of a seminal series dealing with all these aspects and areas, which will also tie in with the earlier Grub Street volumes which he and his collaborators have produced. Thus a full coverage of all aspects of aerial operations throughout the whole of the Mediterranean area will be the ultimate result. Further, these volumes will link appropriately and directly with his other works of this nature, dealing both with the Far East and the war in Europe.
Readers will then be able to follow the wartime careers of units and personnel involved from volume to volume throughout the war. Operations directly over the main battlefronts will be dealt with as previously, on a daily basis. However, to allow a clearer view to be obtained of operations elsewhere in the theater, or of a different nature, separate chapters will deal specifically with the night bombers, the air defense of the base areas, and the naval co-operation activities. Wide use of maps will be made throughout this and subsequent volumes together with a considerable number of photographs integrated into the text. Long awaited by many, if any work can be said to be comprehensive and definitive, this is it.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781908117076 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Grub Street |
| Publication date: | 06/19/2012 |
| Series: | A History of the Mediterranean Air War, 1940-1945 Series , #1 |
| Pages: | 560 |
| Product dimensions: | 7.10(w) x 9.50(h) x 1.70(d) |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
BACKGROUND
The Royal Air Force's Command Structure
Command of the RAF in the area termed 'the Middle East' divested from 11 June 1940 on the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOCinC), Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Longmore, GCB,DSO, who had taken up the appointment as commander of what was already known as 'Royal Air Force, Middle East' from Air Chief Marshal Sir William Mitchell as recently as 13 May 1940. At that time the command was essentially responsible only for Egypt, but Longmore's brief was clear from the start. On the outbreak of war with Italy, he would become liable not just for this country, but for units in Iraq, Aden and British Somaliland, the Sudan, Palestine and Trans-Jordan, and Malta. Additionally, his responsibility would encapsulate any operations which might occur in East Africa (Ethiopia, Eritrea and Kenya), Cyprus, Turkey, the Balkans (Yugoslavia, Greece, Bulgaria and Rumania), and over the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea and Persian Gulf. This was a massive task, which would soon prove to be beyond the abilities of any single commander.
Royal Air Force, Middle East, thus covered potentially a vast area of some four and a half million square miles for which it fielded just 29 squadrons, equipped with around 300 aircraft, most of which were obsolescent if not actually obsolete. Nearly half of this force was based in Egypt for the primary duty of securing the Suez Canal, the main Mediterranean Fleet anchorage and base at Alexandria, and the route via the Red Sea to India and beyond. To aid Longmore in his new role were his Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO), Air Vice-Marshal R.M. 'Peter' Drummond, and his Air Officer i/c Administration, Air Vice-Marshal A.C.Maund. His fellow supreme commanders of the other services were, for the army, General Sir Archibald Wavell, who had a similarly wide-ranging area of command, and for the Royal Navy, Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham, who was Commander-in-Chief Mediterranean and East Indies. Fortunately for the purposes of liaison, Longmore's headquarters were located in the same building in Cairo as were Wavell's; however, Cunningham insisted in carrying on the naval tradition of living aboard his flagship.
Just as Longmore took up his new and demanding position, the German breakthrough at Sedan was taking place, so soon to lead to the withdrawal of France from the war, and the entry of Italy into the conflict. The operations which followed the latter event and which affected those locations outside Egypt and Libya particularly, have been detailed in other titles in this series (see Malta: the Hurricane Years, 1940-41; Malta: the Spitfire Year, 1942; Air War for Yugoslavia, Greece and Crete, 1940-41; and Dust Clouds in the Middle East).
Within RAF, Middle East, Egypt Group had been formed on 18 April 1939 with headquarters at Heliopolis, controlling initially Advanced Wing which incorporated 33, 45, 208 and 211 Squadrons. In command of this very important unit was Air Cdr R.Collishaw, DSO, OBE, DSC, DFC, who had been one of the leading scout (or fighter) pilots of the First World War. Three days after its formation, Grp Capt L.O.Brown, DFC, AFC, arrived from London to become Collishaw's SASO.
Other units formed around this time were 1 (Bomber) Wing with 14, 30 and 55 Squadrons, 2 (Bomber) Wing with 60, 84 and 113 Squadrons, and the Bomber Transport Wing with 70 and 216 Squadrons. However, the majority of these units were based in Iraq or Trans-Jordan at this time; 60 Squadron was actually in India.
Not included within the establishments of any of these wings at the time the new group was being formed, and initially held for the defence of Alexandria and the Suez Canal, were 80 Squadron which had reached Ishailia from England in May 1938, equipped with Gladiators, and a second fighter unit, 112 Squadron, which had disembarked on arrival from the UK during May 1939. However, once established, this unit would be required to despatch detachments southwards for the defence of Port Sudan.
On 4 August 1939, just prior to the outbreak of war in Europe, but with the threat very present, the units of Advanced Wing moved to their war stations. From Ismailia 33 Squadron went to Qasaba, 45 Squadron to Fuka and 211 Squadron to Daba, while 208 Squadron moved from Heliopolis to Mersa Matruh. All these new bases were on the Egyptian Mediterranean coastline, between the Delta and the frontier with Libya. A month later Grp Capt Brown moved from Heliopolis to HQ, Advanced Wing, at Maaten Bagush as commanding officer. His place as SASO of Egypt Group was taken by Wg Cdr E.B.Addison, OBE.
As the Advanced Wing units moved forward, those of 1 (Bomber) Wing began flying into Ismailia, 14, 30, 55 and 70 Squadrons all arriving there during the latter days of August.
Following the outbreak of war with Germany on 3 September 1939, a wholesale renumbering of units occurred. First, however, on the 18th of that month 201 Group was formed from elements of 86 Wing and the Hal Far (Malta) detachment of that wing. The genesis of this unit was somewhat complicated; originally formed in 1937 as 1 (General Reconnaissance) Wing aboard HMS Cyclops, the depot ship of the 1st Submarine Flotilla, it was shore-based at Kalafrana, Malta, to control flyingboat squadrons seeking to counter Italian submarines operating off the Spanish coast during the civil war in that country. It reformed in the UK on the RAF depot ship MV Dumana on 9 May 1939, and on the same day became 86 Wing for Mediterranean Command. It sailed for Malta, but after arrival there moved on to Alexandria at the start of June 1939. Here 201 Group was formed, but shortly thereafter Dumana and the balance of 86 Wing returned to Malta. Thus the new group was based upon Alexandria, to control all General Reconnaissance (GR) units in Egypt, including disembarked squadrons of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm (FAA). Commanding officer was Grp Capt H.W.G.J. Penderel, who in practice initially had control of no squadrons pending the arrival of units equipped with Sunderland flyingboats.
Three days after the formation of 201 Group, HQ, Egypt, became 202 (Operations) Group, responsible for the control of all RAF operations over the Western Desert. This same date, 21 September 1939, saw the formation of four new wings. These were:
250 (Bomber) Wing – created by the renumbering of 1 (Bomber) Wing at Ismailia. The wing was to control only 30 and 55 Squadrons, for 14 Squadron was about to depart for Amman in Trans-Jordan, and then for the Sudan.
251 (Bomber) Wing – similarly created by the re-numbering of 2 (Bomber) Wing at Heliopolis; initially this wing controlled only 70 Squadron, for 216 Squadron had been attached directly to HQ, RAF Middle East.
252 (Fighter) Wing – which formed at Fort Shafrakhana for the protection of Cairo, the Nile Delta and the Suez Canal. Initially it only incorporated 80 and 112 Squadrons, though in May 1940, 2 and 5 Squadrons of the Royal Egyptian Air Force also came under its control (at least nominally). Commanded by Wg Cdr C.B.S.Spackman, DFC & Bar, it would be taken over on 8 May 1940 by a notable fighter pilot of World War I, Wg Cdr J.S.T.Fall, DSC & 2 Bars, AFC. On 3 June 1940 a new improvised HQ would be set up at Seagull Camp, Mex, which was located just outside Alexandria.
253 (Bomber) Wing – which was formed by re-numbering Advanced Wing at Maaten Bagush, controlling 33, 45, 208 and 211 Squadrons. This wing would be absorbed into 202 Group on 10 June 1940, just as war was about to break out in the Middle East.
To operate effectively and on a continuing basis, an air force requires a solid back-up of equipment, training and administration, and in this way Egypt Group was already well-provided when war approached. 101 Maintenance Unit (MU) had been set up during 1938 as No 1 Ammunition and Petrol Depot, and was based at Tura. 102 MU, an aircraft storage unit, had been formed at Aboukir. It moved at the start of 1939 to Abu Sueir where it also operated the training and target towing flights. On 12 November 1939 this unit would be re-numbered 103 MU.
1 Middle East Air Stores Park (ASP) had formed at Fuka on 25 August 1939, but on 28 November became 31 ME ASP. A second ASP, No 12, was formed at the end of November 1939 and was attached to 103 MU. In June 1940 51 Repair & Salvage Unit (R & SU) was formed at Fuka to recover aircraft brought down in the Desert, while during the same month an intelligence photographic flight was set up at Heliopolis in great secrecy to undertake aerial surveillance duties. Two experienced reconnaissance officers, Sqn Ldr H.C.Macphail and Flt Lt Walker were despatched from 1 PRU in the UK with a Lockheed 14 fitted for such duties. Much initial work would be undertaken in the preparation photographically of target maps.
The services provided by these units became immediately apparent, leading to the formation of further such after the war had commenced. At the start of October 1940 32 ASP would form at Aboukir, together with 53 R & SU. In December 54 R & SU would also come into being at this base, but would accompany 32 ASP to Greece almost at once.
In one other way the command was well-served, and this was in the ready supply of trained aircrew. 4 Flying Training School had been formed at Abu Sueir as long ago as April 1921, many recruits from the UK being sent there to receive their training. This unit was by now producing about 300 new pilots each year. On 1 September 1939 it moved to Habbaniya in Iraq, becoming 4 Service Flying Training School (SFTS). Here it was still well-placed to supply RAF, Middle East, with replacement aircrew, many of them British nationals who had been working in the area at the outbreak of hostilities, or residents of the colonies of North and South Rhodesia, Kenya, Uganda or Tanganyika.
The increasing supply of pilots from this source and other training bases being set up around the world, would lead to the formation of the Middle East's own operational training unit (OTU), 70 (ME) OTU, at Ismailia on 10 December 1940. The unit was formed from a nucleus created by the incorporation of the Training and Reserve Pool (of which more later). At the same time as the new OTU was coming into operation, a Middle East Pool was also formed at Ismailia to hold fully-trained pilots arriving from the UK until they were allocated to squadrons.
This then was the structure with which RAF, Middle East, faced the onset of war in Egypt with Italy at dusk on 10 June 1940, or which developed from it during the remainder of that year.
Before progressing further, however, it is important to consider the command and control of the army alongside – and above – which the RAF would have to operate. Wavell's immediate deputy was Lt Gen Sir Henry Maitland Wilson, who was commander of British troops in Egypt. Two days before the Italian declaration of war, the headquarters of 6th Division in Palestine arrived in Egypt under the command of Maj Gen R.N.O'Connor who would take over command of the forces on the frontier, thereby relieving Wilson of the direct responsibility thereof. On 17 June HQ, 6th Division, became HQ, Western Desert Force. Richard O'Connor made a point of establishing an early rapport with Collishaw, whose HQ was located close to his own.
CHAPTER 2THE OPENING ROUNDS
As war broke out therefore, Collishaw's 202 Group had based in the area towards the frontier with Libya, a single squadron of Gladiators – 33 (Sqn Ldr D.V.Johnson), which was located at Mersa Matruh, about midway between El Alamein to the east and Sollum, on the frontier to the west. At nearby Qasaba was 208 Squadron (Sqn Ldr R.A.Sprague) with its army co-operation Lysanders, this unit maintaining detachments of these aircraft well forward at Sidi Barrani, out in the Desert at Bir Kanayis, and far to the south at Siwa Oasis. At Fuka and El Daba, on the coast back from Mersa Matruh, were the Blenheim I bombers of 45 (Sqn Ldr J.W.Dallamore) and 211 (Sqn Ldr J.W.B.Judge) Squadrons.
All other units were based well to the east in the inhabited areas of Egypt. Closest to the Desert was 80 Squadron (Sqn Ldr R.C.Jonas), its Gladiators located at Amiriya for the defence of the great naval base at Alexandria, home of the Royal Navy's Mediterranean Fleet. This unit also had on hand the single Hawker Hurricane fighter available in the Middle East at this time. This was L1669, an early Mark I which had been sent out from England by the Aircraft & Armament Experimental Establishment for Middle East trials; it was soon to gain the nickname 'Colly's Battleship'.
Alexandria was also the base of 230 Squadron, equipped with Sunderland flyingboats, commanded by Wg Cdr G.Francis. Here it would be joined by more of these big aircraft of 228 Squadron (Wg Cdr G.E.Nicholetts), this latter unit being posted out to the Mediterranean from Pembroke Dock in South Wales on 10 June, just as war was about to break out. Both these units would maintain detachments at Malta's Kalafrana seaplane base.
Well to the south and east was Heliopolis, located on the outskirts of Cairo, while some miles further south down the River Nile was Helwan. At the former base were the Blenheim IVs of 113 Squadron and the Bombay bomber-transports of 216 Squadron (Wg Cdr G.C.Gardiner, DSO, DFC). The latter airfield was home to 112 Squadron (Sqn Ldr D.M.Somerville) – a third Gladiator-equipped fighter unit – and the elderly Valentia transport biplanes of 70 Squadron. 113 Squadron (Sqn Ldr G.B.Keily, AFC) would move forward to Maaten Bagush on 10 June, while next day 70 Squadron would transfer to Heliopolis to join 216 Squadron.
Finally, at Ismailia on the Suez Canal to the north-east of Cairo, were 30 (Sqn Ldr U.Y.Shannon) and 55 (Sqn Ldr R.A.T.Stowell) Squadrons which were equipped with Blenheim Is. The former unit had converted a number of its aircraft to the 'F' (Fighter) configuration by the installation beneath the forward fuselage of a pack containing four .303in Browning machine guns. Detachments of these aircraft were located away from the parent unit at Amiriya, Helwan and Maaten Bagush.
At this stage only one other squadron was to be found throughout the Mediterranean area, 6 Squadron (Sqn Ldr W.N.McKechnie, EGM) and its Lysanders being located at Ramleh in Palestine, with detachments available to operate against local dissident elements, and to attempt to keep the peace between Arabs and Jews. No other units were closer than the Sudan and Iraq, areas from which no reinforcements could realistically be anticipated.
On the other side of the frontier in Libya was a considerably larger air force forming the Regia Aeronautica's Aeronautica della Libia. However, this force was divided between the two Libyan provinces of Cyrenaica in the east and Tripolitania in the west. At the commencement of hostilities, units in the latter area were being held ready for potential operations against French forces in neighbouring Tunisia, and were therefore not initially available for action against the RAF.
In Cyrenaica several units were based well to the east, not far from the frontier with Egypt. Around Tobruk on the coast was located 8º Gruppo CT, comprising three 12-aircraft squadriglie; the gruppo was still in the process of converting from the now rather elderly Fiat CR.32 to the more modern CR.42.
At El Adem, in the Desert to the south-east of Tobruk, were 44º and 45º Gruppo BT, each comprising two squadriglie of Savoia Marchetti S.79 tri-motor bombers, 73º Gruppo OA and 2º Gruppo APC, the former with two squadriglie of IMAM Ro.37bis and Caproni Ca.310 army cooperation aircraft, the latter with three squadriglie of Caproni Ca.309 Ghiblis.
Well to the east at Benina, on the outskirts of the port/city of Benghazi, were two more S.79-equipped Gruppi, 30º and 32º. Also at Benghazi was 145º Gruppo comprising two squadriglie of S.75 tri-motor transport aircraft. On the coast between Derna and Tobruk was the seaplane anchorage of Menelao, where the Cant.Z.501 flyingboats of the autonomous 143 Squadriglia were based.
The balance of the Aeronautica della Libia was located in Tripolitania, the main airfields being found around the major port of Tripoli. At Sorman, to the east of the city, were two specialized ground-attack units. 12º Gruppo Ass had two squadriglie equipped with a variety of Ca.310s, CR.42s and Breda Ba.65s, while 16º Gruppo Ass fielded Ca.310s, CR.32s and more Ba.65s. The latter was a single-engined, single-seat low-wing monoplane of fighter-like appearance, quite heavily armed with four 12.7mm Breda machine guns in the wings, and able also to carry a number of light bombs.
Nearby at Castel Benito were 10º Gruppo CT with three squadriglie of CR.42s and 13º Gruppo CT whose three squadriglie operated CR.32s and CR.42s. Two bomber gruppi, 46º and 47¼, were located at Tarhuna, to the south-west of Sorman; the former had two squadriglie of S.79s, while the latter was equipped in the main with the older fixed-undercarriage S.81 trimotors, although supplies of S.79s were just beginning to arrive. This unit specialized in attacks on shipping at sea.
Also in the immediate area was 64º Gruppo OA, an army co-operation unit with two squadriglie of Ro.37bis, and 1º Gruppo APC with three squadriglie of Ca.309s. Another squadriglia of these aircraft, the autonomous 99Av Sahariana, was at Hon, deep in the Desert to the south. Finally, at Bir El Baheira, close to the Tunisian border, were two more bomber units, 35º and 36º Gruppo BT, with between them four more squadriglie of S.79s.
The units based in Libya provided an overall operational strength at the outbreak of war of 118 serviceable bombers (101 S.79s and 17 S.81s), 87 serviceable fighters (51 CR.42s and 36 CR.32s) and seven Ba.65 ground-attack aircraft. These figures did not include the various reconnaissance types – Ca.309 Ghibli and Ca.310 and Meridionali Ro.37, or the maritime Cant.Z.501 flyingboats.
The obvious advantage enjoyed by the Regia Aeronautica in Cyrenaica was the ability to receive reinforcements rapidly both from Tripolitania, and from units based in Sicily and Italy, capable of flying directly across the Mediterranean. Indeed, on 12 June 10º Gruppo CT would move to Tobruk T2 airfield, while next day 47º Gruppo BT would fly in with its S.79s and S.81s to join 30º and 32º Gruppo at Benina. At the end of the month 12º Gruppo Ass would arrive at El Adem and 16º Gruppo Ass at Tobruk T2.
Reinforcement for 202 Group was considerably more problematical, but efforts were being made initially to take advantage of the air route across France while that country was still in the war. On 6 June, prior to the outbreak of war with Italy, six Hurricanes had been despatched from 10 Maintenance Unit to the Mediterranean. However, because of the grave danger in which the almost undefended island of Malta found itself, three were retained here, only three flying on to Mersa Matruh on 13 June. (For more details, see Malta: The Hurricane Years)
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "A History of the Mediterranean Air War 1940-1945"
by .
Copyright © 2012 Christopher Shores, Giovanni Massimello and Russell Guest.
Excerpted by permission of Grub Street.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Table of Contents
Introduction 7
Chapter 1 Background 11
Chapter 2 The Opening Rounds 15
Chapter 3 Graziani Makes a Move 51
Chapter 4 Operation Compass 80
Chapter 5 Enter the Luftwaffe 121
Chapter 6 Reverses and Reinforcements 161
Chapter 7 Cretan Diversion 194
Chapter 8 Midsummer Crisis 208
Chapter 9 Operation Battleaxe 218
Chapter 10 Operation Crusader 289
Chapter 11 A New Year Dawns - Darkly 419
Chapter 12 The RAF's Night Bombing Offensive 448
Chapter 13 Blitz on Egypt 471
Chapter 14 In Defence of Tripoli 489
Chapter 15 In Support of the Royal Navy 507
Bibliography 524
Indices 527