Lt. Bertram Bernard McLeroth

[Adrian Parker]

Greetings,
I am looking for any info and members who knew a family member, Lt. McLeroth. He served in the SAAF (Instructing) & 250 Sqn RAF.
Have the following details:-
Pers details:-
206907v, Bertram Bernard McLeroth.
Attested on 15/07/1941.
Record of service:-
75AS, Lyttleton, SA: Air Pupil 15/7/41 - 17/01/42 (Course 31A)
4AS, Benoni, SA: Pupil Pilot 17/01/42 - 15/03/42 (Course 5)
75AS Pupil Pilot 15/03/42 - 11/04/42 (Course E1)
4AS Pupil Pilot 11/04/42 - 02/05/42 (Course 5 Adv)
25AS, Standerton, SA: Pupil Pilot 02/05/42 - 14/12/42 (Course 7)
Wings date: 27/11/42
62AS, Elementary Instructors Course (Course 25) 14/12/42 - 06/03/43
Stationed at 4AS as an Instructor: 06/03/43 - 15/08/44.
15/08/44 - 25AS - Flying Training - Harvard.
11 OTU (Waterkloof, SA) - 23/09/1944 - 12/10/1944 Fighter Pilots Course 20
He fell ill and was transferred to Fighter Pilots Course 22.
11 OTU (St. Albans, SA) - 27/11/44 - 16/12/44 - Fighter Pilots Course 22.
12/01/45 - MAFD
09/02/45 - 216 GRP
25/03/45 - SBD (?) ADV.TC
25/03/45 - 5RFU ATT
15/04/45 - ADV. TR. CAMP
15/04/45 - 250 (RAF) Sqn, Cervia, Italy.
22/04/45 - Shot down and killed by ground forces during a strike on River Po - flying Kittyhawk Mk IV; serial # FX820. (Strike was to North of town of Ferrara on ferry landing sites).

SAAF members Lt. McLeroth either completed courses with and/or was at 250 Sqn with:-
Capt. Garlick - flew on sortie (22/04/45) in which Lt. McLeroth was killed.
Capt. Cheadle
Lt. Reynolds
Lt. Valentine - posted to 250Sqn on same day (on same posting signal).
Lt. Clifford
Lt. Watts (on Air Pupil Course 31A) - flew on sortie (22/04/45) in which Lt. McLeroth was killed.
Lt. Malherbe - flew on sortie (22/04/45) in which Lt. McLeroth was killed.
Lt. Braatveld
Lt. Wills
Lt. Todt

Many thanks,
Adrian.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Hallo Adrian

I cannot expand one bit on your relaitive, but his aeroplane FX820 first belonged to 5 SAAF before being transferred to 250 Sq. The official report is that it was damaged by flak near Ferrara and failed to return 22.4.1945!
(Incidentally my own birthday...)

B Rgds
Stig

[Adrian Parker]

Good-day Stig,
Many thanks for the reply. Have you the dates when FX820 started and ended service with 5SAAF.
Anyone with pics of FX820 - at either 5 SAAF or 250 RAF. Would be greatly appreciated.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Sorry Adrian

No dates given in Air Britain's monographs. No picture either I'm afraid


Cheers
Stig

[micky]

Hi Adrian, since long time, me and other researchers are working on McLeroth crash. I have a question: there is the possibility that he flew a Mustang instead a Kittyhawk in his last flight?