40 SAAF 26 March 1944

[Russell]

Hello all,

On 26th March 44 40 SAAF lost Lt Brande to a Bf 109, and the squadron records state his Number 2 shot down a Bf 109. While working on Med Air War Vol 4 I never could find out any details on this combat. The Air 40 and Air 54 records does not mention the NO 2's name as far as I can find, the official history does not mention it and Mike Schoemans books don't cover 40 SAAF. Post 1943 it is the only claim by a "British" unit I cannot find a name for in the entire Med theater.

Does any one know

what aircraft ( most likely a Spit Vc) Brande was in and what time the combat was?

what aircraft his Number 2 was in, possibly a Spit VC but also may be a Spit IX

and most importantly the name of the number 2.

Regards

Russell

[Col Bruggy]

G'day Russ,

That same day (26th March, 1944), 40 Sqdn encountered EA for the first time since 1943. Two Spitfires on a TACR of the area near Rome were engaged by enemy fighters (reported as four or three Bf109s, or four Fw190s) north of Gaeta Point . Lt EA Brande (in Mk.V ER872) was shot down near Mnt Circeo, SE of Anzio, while his weaver, (Captain Bert Welgemoed in EF738) shot down (or damaged?) one of the EA.

SEE;
Springbok Fighter Victory - SAAF Fighter Operations 1939 - 1945 Vol.4 - Fighters over Sicily, Italy and the Med - 1943-1944.
Schoeman,Michael.
Nelspruit:Freeworld Publications,2011.
p.102

Col.

[Frank Olynyk]

Russell,

Try Springbok Fighter Victory, Vol 4, pg 102. My database says it was Capt F E Welgemoed, in Spitfire V EF738.

Enjoy!

Frank.

[Nick Hector]

Do these two claims perhaps pertain:

26.03.44 Ofw. Ebbinghaus 2./NAGr. 11 Spitfire V Golf d. Gaeta: 2.000m. 06.15 Film C. 2025/I Anerk: Nr.2

26.03.44 Ofw. Hans Spötting 2./NAGr. 11 Spitfire V Golf d. Gaeta: 2.000m. 06.15 Film C. 2025/I Anerk: ASM

[Col Bruggy]

Russ,

P.5843V Frederick WELGEMOED, DFC*, SAAF*.

25/05/1942 - Joined 40(SAAF) Sqn.
22/07/1942 - Two 40 Squadron [SAAF] pilots attached to "C" Flight. Lt. F. Welgemoed and 2/Lt. C. W. Lambon. (208 Sqn RAF ORB (F.540) July 1942. Image 23 of 34).
15/08/1942 - Force-landed 208 Sqn Hurricane IIa BV155 near Qattara Depression - returned safe (HOTMAW2/306).
20/12/1942 - Flew to Cairo and returned with six dozen whiskeys and 80 gallons of brandy in the long range tanks for Xmas party!
12/01/1943 - Aircraft slightly damaged by A/A fire.
09/02/1943 - Promoted to Captain.
23/02/1943 - Awarded DFC (40 [SAAF] Sqn). LG: 23/02/1943, p.930. https://thegazette.co.uk/London/issu...supplement/930
26/03/1944 - See: Post #2.
20/03/1945 - Awarded Bar to DFC (40 [SAAF] Sqn). LG: 20/03/1945, p.1503. https://thegazette.co.uk/London/issu...upplement/1503

17/04/1947 - Killed whilst piloting 60 (SAAF) Sqn., Ventura 6501, which crashed between Malakal and Khartoum, killing all 15 on board.

Col

[Russell]

Hi all

Thanks for the replies Nick Col and Frank. That helps to resolve my questions nicely. Cant look up a books I don't have which is the whole series Springbock fighter victory, which I missed, much to my regret. Nick, the NAGr 11 claims/ losses probably relate to 40 SAAF but also to the 145 and 72 Squadron combats, the main assumption appearing to be the two claims were in the same fight the two losses occurred, but that may not be the case.

Cheers

Russell