Aircraft recovery units in Western Desert.

[stefaan]

Hi Guys.
I did not get any response from my last request, so would like to rephrase the question.
During BOB 49 MU collected some of the wrecks of RAF and Luftwaffe a/c for recovery/salvage.
Do any of you know which units did this in the W Desert??
Do you also know under what section those recovery Unit's files can be found at Kew??
I do not live in the UK so need to have some tips as to where to start looking if I visit the Archives.
Somewhere they will have noted the locations and id'ed the wrecks they picked up.
Some of the SAAF Units restored Bf 109's, only to be taken by the DAF HQ.
They also would have written reports on their evaluations.
What units did those evaluations??
Any info will help
Thx
Stefaan Bouwer.

[Håkan]

Hello Stefaan,

Sorry I can't help you much but 51 and 53 Repair and Salvage Units were active in the Western Desert in 1940-41 and at least these unit’s ORBs are available from NA.

Best wishes/Håkan

[stefaan]

Thanks. That helps already
Stefaan

[SteveB]

Hi Stefaan

I think it is the case without digging through a lot of stuff that there was a Repair and Salvage Unit attached to each wing in the DAF. So for example 53RSU that Hakan mentions was linked to 239Wing. During 1944 when the personnel reductions were made to release men for the invasion the RSUs were disbanded and merged into the wing structures. I'll try to do some more checking and get back.

I think Buz has got a pretty good grip on the RSUs linked to P-40 units.

I hope you are well and enjoying the seasonal celebrations

All the best

Steve

[stefaan]

Hi Steve.
Yep, had brilliant weather in Johannesburg over Xmas eve and Xmas day.
Hope you guys managed to have a good time.
Reason I am asking; I am at last starting to do that book on all the axis a/c found by the South Africans as they moved to and fro in the Desert etc.
Some of them then ended up along that road near Gambut.
Some were repaired, as shown to an extent in those Captured 109 books by Jackiewicz.
Many of them have no noted sites where they were found. I am trying to link them with dates when our sqdns moved past them.
Some units must have gone collecting them to use for their metals etc.
Some int units would also have gone to examine them.
I found 1 file in Kew from the 51 MU as given in the note above.(Air 29 series)
Now need to order that file unless someone can look at it for me.
Trying to find similar files from whatever units.
If it is that each Wing had a Unit that would have gone to examine the wrecks I need to find the MU's that looked after 3 SAAF Wing, and all the Wings that 1,2,3,4,5 and 7 sqdn belonged to.
Be good
Stefaan

[SteveB]

Hello again Stefaan

I think I have over stated things in my earlier post.

Checking "Flying Training and Support Units" by Sturtivant and Hamlin I find the pattern I described of linking RSUs to Wings is not as widespread as I thought. I was correct about 53RSU and 239Wing. The books also lists 58RSU attached to 259Wing and 59RSU to 244Wing/7SAAF Wing but I can't see much else. All the others seem to have had a more detached, roaming existence although there clearly was a tendency to specialise in single engine and twin-engine a/c.

Steve