13th August 2011, 05:28
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Member
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Posts: 30
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Identity of SAAF Unit Sought
An RCAF press release dated 9 September 1944 stated, in part, "More than a dozen Canadians fly with a South African Air Force bomber squadron in daily attacks on the German retreat paths [in Yugoslavia]. Among these are WO George Blake of Manchester Avenue, Toronto, P/O Guy Pelletiier, Moncton, New Brunswick, WO Norm Britton, Saint John, New Brunswick, F/L Gordon Cook, Lethbridge, Alberta, F/O Bill Wickens, Revelstock, British Columbia and F/O Bert Knapp, Sackville, New Brunswick."
The SAAF history "Eagles Victorious" mentions a F/L Wickens (who might or might not be the man above) as operating with No.16 Squadron SAAF, but as a Beaufighter unit it hardly meets the description of a "bomber squadron". No.25 Squadron has been suggested as the unt. Is anyone aware of a SAAF squadron in the Italian/Adriatic theatre that had an unsually high concentration of RCAF aircrew ?
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