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Re: Full names of some RAF airmen in Middle East
Hello,
Re: A-20 Boston 41-19594.
Interesting letter in Air Enthusiast Quarterly Five, November 1977-February 1978, p.78 (Talkback - Tiger Ferry, from R. C B. Ashworth):
I thought your readers might be interested in the following extract from an RAF ferry pilot's log book*, particularly in view of the article "Tiger in the Sky" in AEQ/Four. It shows that some of the P-40Es were delivered from the Middle East to the AVG by the RAF ferry organisation.
This pilot, made two such flights in April/May 1942. The first was in P-40E 5720 (presumably 41-5720) from Ismailia (Canal Zone) on 17 April to Dinjan, which was reached on 3 May. He then flew an operational patrol covering Myikyina on 5 May before continuing to Kumming via Poashan and Yunnan. The return trip was made as a passenger in C-47 17731 from Kumming to Dinjan on 7 May, then by Short "C" Class G-AEUE from Calcutta to El Paraq between 13-16 May.
He then picked up P-40E 5668 (41-5668) at Ismalia on 21 May and flew it to Karachi, arriving on 24 May. The flight back to Egypt was very eventful. He left Karachi on 27 May aboard A-20 Boston 119594 (BZ576), staging at Sharjah before force-landing on a beach at Rerqk, The aircraft was written off while trying to taxy up a slope to higher ground, and the crew were missing for 11 days before being located. A Blenheim dropped supplies on the following day and they were picked up by a naval sloop, HMS "Beabelle II", on the 13th day. They left the scene after salvaging aircraft equipment.
I am not certain that all the place names are correctly spelt - they are as written in the log book.
* Probably referring to James Pickering.
R C B Ashworth, Paidstow, Cornwall.
Col.
Last edited by Col Bruggy; 25th April 2020 at 12:26.
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