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Allied and Soviet Air Forces Please use this forum to discuss the Air Forces of the Western Allies and the Soviet Union. |
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#1
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Why no Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika presentation squadrons in the RAF in WWII?
Hi Guys,
I have noticed that, unlike virtually every other major British colony, none of those in East Africa provided a unit named for the colony to the RAF. Why was there no ???th (Kenya), (Uganda), or (Tanganyika) Squadron in the RAF to join the likes of Rhodesia, Newfoundland, Nigeria, Trinidad, Fiji, etc., etc.? Cheers, Sid. |
#2
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Re: Why no Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika presentation squadrons in the RAF in WWII?
There was No. 46 (Uganda) Squadron RAF.
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#3
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Re: Why no Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika presentation squadrons in the RAF in WWII?
Hi Alfred,
I must have missed that. Thanks. However, Tanganyika and especially Kenya were much wealthier than Uganda, so that remains a mystery. Cheers, Sid. |
#4
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Re: Why no Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika presentation squadrons in the RAF in WWII?
Perhaps Tanganyika, having been only recently transferred from German control, simply had less British settlers willing to dip into their pockets.
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#5
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Re: Why no Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika presentation squadrons in the RAF in WWII?
Hi Graham,
Nope, I checked that. In mid war Kenya had 31,000 settlers, Tanganyika 17,000 and Uganda 3,000. It is possible that as Tanganyika was technically a League of Nations Mandate, it could not be seen to be partisan. I know that its small naval unit could not be used outside its own waters for this reason. The big mystery is Kenya, for which I can find no likely explanation. It was a wealthy colony (Hence the phrase "Kenya for the officers, Rhodesia for the other ranks".) After Southern Rhodesia, it had the second largest civil air fleet in the British African colonies and the only other air line. So the air mindedness, European settlers, finance and civil air resources were very probably available to underwrite a named RAF squadron and perhaps even to man it. Cheers, Sid. |
#6
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Re: Why no Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika presentation squadrons in the RAF in WWII?
I can add that the Italian Army was in Kenya and was engaged by South African troops and the SAAF.
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#7
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Re: Why no Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika presentation squadrons in the RAF in WWII?
Hi edwest2,
No, the Italian Army was not in Kenya. It was in Italian East Africa, now Somalia and Ethiopia. The SAAF was a Dominion air force separate from the RAF. Cheers, Sid. |
#8
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Re: Why no Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika presentation squadrons in the RAF in WWII?
You've probably missed that the Italian penetrated quickly in Kenya in 1940. And were indeed engaged by South African troops.
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