P-40 crash in Tunisia

[Laurent Rizzotti]

I have not yet checked this period in French archives, but here is what is written in the French book "Pilotes français sur l'Afrique du Nord et la Corse" (French pilots over North Africa and Corsica).

"On 28 July 1943, at 8 hrs, sergent-chef Borg of GC2/5 La Fayette crashed on start of a mission from Sidi Ahmed, Tunisia. His P-40 fell during a turn and hit the ground. He was killed, and was buried the next day in the military cemetary."

The mission was probably cover of Allied ships of the coast. GC 2/5 flew two other missions of this type during the day: at 10 hrs to cover a cargo and two minelayers that were never found by the two pilots sent, and from 19 to 21 hrs over a convoy sailing to Sicily.

The probable reason of the crash is listed by the book as "siphonnage" in French, but I don't know how to translate that in English.

The accident report in French archives will probably give the serial and the full name of the pilot, but sadly I won't return there until fall.

Hope it helps.