The South African
Military History Society
Die Suid-Afrikaanse Krygshistoriese Vereniging


Military History Journal
Vol 1 No 5 - December 1969

SOUTH AFRICAN AIR ACES OF WORLD WAR II

by Squadron Leader D.P. Tidy

EDITOR'S NOTE:

Four articles in the series "South African Air Aces of the 1939-45 War", by Squadron Leader D.P. Tidy, have appeared in this journal to date.

These articles have created considerable interest and several letters have been received from readers. The following is one of the letters, written by Mr. E.C.R. Baker, author of "Pattle-Supreme Fighter in the Air", and "Fighter Aces of the RAF".

"I am writing to congratulate you on the series in the Military History Journal about South African Air Aces, 1939-1945. The first four are excellent and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

"I am enclosing a few notes which you might find interesting. The first is a copy of the diary of W.J. Ringrose, who was Pattle's fitter in Greece. It has arrived since the publication of "Pattle", and seems to confirm that Pat's score could have been nearer to 60 than 40.

"With regard to Chris le Roux's final score, the total of 234 which I gave him in "Fighter Aces of the RAF", was in fact taken from the Air Ministry release to the newspapers on the day following his death in September, 1944. Much of my information about Le Roux was taken from wartime editions of "Flight". I well remember a photograph of Le Roux (sporting a handlebar moustache) in the Service Aviation section which also contained the citation to his second bar to his DFC. The caption, as far as I can remember it, said that this veteran pilot of the Battles of France and Britain, was now fighting in the Middle East, and that he had brought his score to at least 14. The extra information I have about Le Roux I am enclosing." The notes he mentions are printed below:

SQUADRON LEADER M.T. ST. JOHN PATTLE, DFC

(No 1 in the series)

Extracts from the diary of W. J. Ringrose, who was Pattle's Fitter in 33 Squadron.

April 2nd: Joined 33 Squadron. S/Ldr. Pattle.  
April 4th Gs declare war on Greece. Patt on patrol. 2 ME 109's.
April 5th: Escort No. 11 Squadron over enemy transport. 1 CR 42.
April 6th: Escort 211 Squadron on airfields. 2 ME 109's.
April 7th: Raid on our drome; Patt took off. 1 JU 88.
April 8th: Escort II Squadron again at 1530 hrs. Target. 1 ME 109.
1 ME 110.
April 9th: Heavy raids on our drome; Patt took off. 1 HE 111.
1 JU88.
April 10th: On drome patrol met and shot down. 1 S 79.
Probable 109.
April 11th: Air raid alarm, couldn't find enemy.  
April 12th: Big day air raids ever lasting. 07-10 1 ME 109.
08-43 1 JU 88.
10-04 1 ME 110.
13-08 1 S 79.
17-40 1 JU 88.
April 13th: Big day again 06-35 2 JU 88.
1 Probable.
10-12 1 ME 109.
14-50 1 JU 88.
1 Probable JU 87.
18-20 2 ME 109's.
Retreated at 20-32 hours.
April 16th over Kleusis, strafing and bombing at 14-12 2 M.E. 109's
15-41 1 J.U.88
Patt was shot down at Liself at 17-20; 2 Heinkels to his credit before they got him  
April 17th: Retreated to Kadamata.  
Total: 11 -- 109's.
1 -- CR 42.
8 -- 88s.
3 -- Hienkels(sic).
2 -- ME 110's.
2 -- S 79's.
Full Total: 27 -- 3 probables.

The above extract is exactly as it appears in the diary of Ringrose. Discrepancies in dates are due to the fact that Ringrose did not have a current 1941 diary at the time. He says that he must have used the days rather than the dates. He further says that he completed his diary, which he carried with him the whole of the time, as soon as Pattle returned from a mission. If in fact the above is a true record, then Pattle's final score would be:

With 80 Squadron: 25 destroyed, plus shares in the destruction of 3 more.
4 probably destroyed.
5 damaged.
3 destroyed on the ground.
With 33 Squadron: 27 destroyed.
3 probably destroyed.
Total: 52 destroyed, plus shares in the destruction of 3 more.
7 probably destroyed.
5 damaged.
3 destroyed on the ground.

SQUADRON LEADER J.J. LE ROUX, DFC

(No 3 in the series)

Posted to 91 Squadron as a Flying Officer in April, 1941.

31/ 7/1941: 1 JU 88 damaged at 1300 hours at Cap Gris Nez.
17/ 8/1941: 1 BF 109E destroyed at 1620 hours between Cap Gris Nez and Boulogne when the squadron met 15 BF 109's at 9,000 feet.
29/ 8/1941: 1 BF 109E destroyed at 1400 hours between Calais and Gris Nez. He engaged two 109's at 500 feet.
4/ 9/1941: 2 BF 109's destroyed at 1335 hours, ten miles west of Berck sur mer when he attacked 3 BF 109's at 5,000 feet.
22/ 9/1941: 1 BF 109 probably destroyed at 1245 hours, l.5 miles north-west of Boulogne.
28/10/1941: 1 BF 109F destroyed at 1600 hours over Calais. He engaged two BF 109's in cloud at 2,000 feet.
11/11/1941: 1 BF 109 destroyed at 1,400 feet near Dover. He engaged two 109's at 10,000 feet, and chased one down to 1,400 feet before it exploded.
16/ 9/1942: Le Roux returned to 91 Squadron at Hawkinge as supernumary after 9 months at O.T.U. He was now Flight-Lieutenant.
30/ 9/1942: 1 FW 190 damaged at 1820 hours at Hawkinge and 1 FW 190 damaged at 1825 hours, five miles north-east of Calais.
24/10/1942: Visit to London to meet Field Marshal Smuts.
31/10/1942: 2 FW 190's destroyed over the Straits at 1710 hours and 1800 hours.
23/11/1942: Left 91 Squadron to proceed overseas to join 111 Squadron.
8/12/l942: Awarded a Bar to his DFC

GROUP-CAPTAIN P.H. HUGO, DSO, DFC

(No 4 in the series)

No. of Operational Flying Hours 1 134 hours 45 minutes.

List of times wounded or shot down
August 16th, 1940 Hurricane P-2963. Shot down by Me 110s over Newhaven.
August 18th, 1940 Hurricane R-4333. Shot down by Me 109s over London.
Wounded in left leg, left eye and right jaw.
April 27th, 1942 Spitfire BL-248. Shot down by FW 190s between Dover and Dunkirk.
Baled out, wounded in left shoulder.
Lucky Mascot - One small, white, felt rabbit, sewn on the inside of his battledress.

Postings after the end of the war:

HQ 11 Group   10/7/45
Staff College Bracknell President of Aircrew Reallocation Board 7/8/45
Air Ministry Director of Intelligence 25/2/46
Air Ministry Unit Duty with Foreign Office 26/1/48
No.230 Operational Conversion Unit Refresher Course 23/9/48
No.90 Squadron Commanding Officer 29/11/48
Placed on the Retired List at own request retaining the rank of Group-Captain   19/2/50

List of victories:

20/ 5/40: Over France. 1 He 111 destroyed.
14/ 7/40: In sea off Dover. (A) 2 Ju 87b's destroyed.
17/ 7/40: Haywards Heath. 1 Do. 17 damaged.
20/ 7/40: Between Selsey and Dover. 2 Me 109's destroyed.
25/ 7/40: Convoy off Dover. 1 Me 109 destroyed.
27/ 7/40: Goodwin Sands. (B) 1 He 59 destroyed.
12/ 8/40: Near Royal Sovereign Lightship. 1 Me 109 destroyed.
16/ 8/40: Over Newhaven. 1 He 111 probable.
14/10/41: Off Ostend. (C) 1 He 59 destroyed.
27/10/41: Ostend Seaplane base. (D) 1 He 59 destroyed.
12/ 2/42: Over Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. 1 Me 109 destroyed.
1 Me 109 damaged.
14/ 3/42: German convoy off Le Havre. 1 Me 109 destroyed.
1 Me 109 damaged.
27/ 3/42: Le Havre. 1 Me 109 destroyed.
1 Me 109 damaged.
12/ 4/42: Fecamp. 1 FW 190 damaged.
16/ 4/42: Abbeville. 1 Me 109F damaged.
27/ 4/42: Dunkirk -- Gris Nez. 1 FW 190 probable.
1 FW 190 damaged.
12/11/42: Near Djidjelli. (E) 1 Do 217 destroyed.
13/11/42: Bougie Harbour. 1 Ju 88 probable.
1 Ju 88 damaged.
15/11/42: Bone Harbour. 1 He 111 probable.
Ju 88 damaged.
16/11/42: Camp des Chenes. 1 Ju 88 destroyed.
1 Me 109 damaged.
16/11/42: La Calle Area. 1 Me 109 damaged.
18/11/42: South of La Calle. 1 Ju 88 destroyed.
21/11/42: Bone Airfield 1 Me 109 destroyed.
26/11/42: Souk el Arba area. 1 Me 109 destroyed.
1 Macchi 202 damaged.
28/11/42: Near Mateur. (F) 1 Me 109 destroyed.
2/12/42: La Galite. 2 Breda 88s destroyed.
14/12/42: Cruiser Ajax patrol near La Calle. 1 Sav. 79 destroyed.
29/ 6/43: Comiso. 1 Me 109 destroyed.
2/ 9/43: East of Etna. 1 FW 190 destroyed.
18/11/43: Tivat, Yugoslavia. 1 Arado 196 destroyed.
10/ 7/44: Allesandria. 1 Me 109 damaged.

The above aircraft bracketed were shared as follows:

(A) Shared with F/O Collard.
(B) Shared with S/Ldr. Kayll.
(C) Shared with S/Ldr. Gillam.
(D) Shared with F/O Strickland and F/O Slade.
(E) Shared with F/Lt. Eckford.
(F) Shared with 81 Squadron.

List of victories other than aircraft:

18/ 9/41: Off Ostend. Shared between 8 aircraft:
1 Flakship sunk, 1 blown up and 1 set on fire.
18/ 9/41: Off Ostend: Shared between 4 aircraft:
4 Mine-sweepers sunk.
1/10/41: Off Le Havre: Shared between 8 aircraft:
3 E-boats sunk.
3/10/41: Off Dunkirk: Shared between 8 aircraft:
1 R-boat sunk, 2 Flakships set on fire,
500 ton cargo vessel on fire,
5 Flakships damaged, 2 R-boats damaged.
9/10/41: Off Ostend. Shared between 4 aircraft:
1 Flakship damaged.
16/10/41: Flushing. Shared between 2 aircraft:
1 Barge sunk, 1 Barge set on fire,
3 Oil Tanks on fire, 1 Flakship damaged,
1 R-boat damaged.
17/10/41: Zeebrugge. Shared between 8 aircraft:
2 Cargo boats on fire.
7/11/41: Beauchamps. Shared between 8 aircraft:
Distillery set on fire.
8/11/41: Ramecourt. Shared between 8 aircraft:
Distillery set on fire.
15/11/41: Bourbourgville. Shared between 8 aircraft:
Distillery set on fire.
18/11/41: Hesdin. Shared between 2 aircraft:
Locomotive set on fire.
23/11/41: Bourbourgville. Shared between 8 aircraft:
Distillery set on fire.
27/11/41: Fecamp. Shared between 12 aircraft:
2 Flakships on fire.
6/ 5/44: Civita Vecchia. 1 Tank, 1 Truck and 2 Cars destroyed.
7/ 5/44: Lake Bolsena. 1 Truck, 1 Bus, 1 Staff Car destroyed.
7/ 5/44: Leghorn. 1 Tanker, 1 Lorry destroyed.
13/ 5/44: Genoa - Spitzia. 1 F-boat destroyed and 1 damaged.
(Shared between 12 aircraft.)
25/ 5/44: Siena. 3 Ammunition Lorries blown up.
30/ 5/44: Canino. 1 Lorry and 1 Bus destroyed.
3/ 6/44: Orvieto. 1 Lorry destroyed.
4/ 6/44: Florence. 1 Staff Car destroyed.
5/ 6/44: Ventralla. 3 Lorries destroyed.
5/ 6/44: Lake Vico. 2 Half-tracks destroyed,
3 damaged and 1 Ambulance destroyed.
6/ 6/44: Florence. 1 Ambulance destroyed.
7/ 6/44: Trasimeno. 9 Lorries destroyed and 7 damaged.
8/ 6/44: Trasimeno. 1 Lorry destroyed and 2 damaged.
9/ 6/44: Trasimeno. 7 Lorries destroyed.
9/ 6/44: Casciano. 7 Lorries destroyed and 4 damaged.
10/ 6/44: Orvieto. 8 Lorries destroyed, 2 damaged.
10/ 6/44: Orvieto. 1 Lorry destroyed and 3 damaged.
12/ 6/44: Orvieto. 1 Lorry destroyed and 4 damaged.
13/ 6/44: Trasimeno. 1 Lorry destroyed.
14/ 6/44: Poggibongsi. 3 Lorries destroyed and 2 damaged.
20/ 6/44: Siena. 4 Lorries destroyed and 1 damaged.
25/ 8/44: Avignon-Lyon: Hundreds of vehicles burning.
(Shared between 12 aircraft.)
26/ 8/44: Road blocked, Montelimar. Hundreds of vehicles burning.
2 sorties, between 12 aircraft.

Further articles in this series will appear in Vol. 1, No. 6 (June, 1970). In the meantime the author, Squadron-leader Doug Tidy, will be very pleased to hear from readers who have photographs or information concerning any of the Aces, a list of whom appeared in Military History Journal, Vol. 1, No. 2 (June, 1968), p. 30.

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