HEADO'jartepv) ROYAL AIR FORCE MIDDLE EA^T AMERICAN CONFIDENTIAL JANUARY-MARC -A MIDDLE EAST REVIEW NO2
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MIDDLE EAST r« RV HEADO'JARTEPv) ROYAL AIR FORCE MIDDLE EA^T AMERICAN CONFIDENTIAL JANUARY-MARC -A MIDDLE EAST REVIEW NO2 HEADQUARTERS ROYAL AIR FORCE MIDDLE EAST 1l: tl i iiA| jM i*<-* Contents Forwarct to Tunis. Section I. With the VHIth Army to Mareth Page 5 Section II. Tunisian Encounter 23 Section III. The Pincers Begin to Close 40 Tables Showing Scale of Effort 51 Tables of Operations in the Mediterranean 55 Malta's Contribution 61 Rescued at Sea in a Storm 72 Madagascar Sideshow 75 The Other Side of the Picture 82 Fighter Recce — The Formation of 285 Wing ... 90 Filming Under Fire 95 Night Operations by Bostons 100 The Enemy's Last Days in Tripoli 105 From the 540s ... 110 Acknowledgment 113 Maps — Eastern Battle Area, 1st January - 31st March, 1943 4 Western Battle Area, November, 1942 Marcb, 1943 22 Malta, Sicily and the Toe of Italy 62 Madagascar 76 ^ ^ ^ Review is Secret (= American Confidential). It 'is intended for, theJxSBmation of all officers and flying crews, under conditions of security app^0j0K^oy the Commanding Officer, who is to ensure that within these limits it has as wide a circulation as possible. No quotation may be made from it without the authority of 8.A.A.O., H.Q., B.A.F., M.E.; neither are any of. its contents to be communicated to anyone out side the Services. All persons are hereby warned that the unauthorised retention or destruc tion of this document is an offence against the Official Secrets Act, 1911-1920. Any unauthorised person obtaining possession of a copy should immediately forward it in a closed unstamped envelope to H.Q., R.A.F., M.E. Foreword IS umber Two of the R.A.F. Middle East Review covers the first quarter of 1943, during which Tripoli was captured, the enemy was forced out of the Mareth line, and the pincers of the British, American and Allied forces began to close on the enemy in Tunis from the west, south, and east. Certain changes in the operational control of the air forces engaged ivere therefore inevitable. Mediterranean Air Command was established as a combined American and R.A.F. Operational Headquarters to co-ordinate all air force effort. The Twelfth U.S.A.F. and the R.A.F. Eastern Air Command, which were operating from the Algerian side, were combined into the North-west African Air Forces, including the North-west African' Tactical Air Force, the North-west African Strategical Air Force, and the North-west African Coastal Air Force. In February, following their entf-f into Tunisia, the Western Desert Air Force and part of the Ninth U.S.A.F?, entered under the operational control of the N.A.A.F., while Air Head quart? ers, Egypt, changed its name to Air Headquarters, Air Defences, Eastern Mediterranean, responsible for fighter defence over Tripolitania, Cyrenaica,. Egypt and the Levant, the coast line and convoys, from Tripoli (Trip.) to Tripoli .(Lev.). R.A.F. Headquarters, Malta, also changed to Malta Air Command under the operational control of Mediterranean Air Command. The scope of the R.A.F. Middle East Review is not confined merely to reporting the activities of formations and units controlled by H.Q., R.A.F.. M.E. Its task is to present, as far as possible, a clear story of operations in the Middle East theatre as a whole. The historical narrative section, therefore, includes the work of the Dominions, Allied, and Royal Naval Air Squadrons which are working with, or as part of, the Royal Air Force. It is, however, obviously impracticable to designate the nationality of every aircfaft or squadron employed in mixed formations, but it is intended, in future numbers of the "Review", to cover, from time to time, the operations of each Dominion and Allied Air Force separately, if desired, over the period of their employment in the Middle East. **• ,»ir Forward To Tunis! Daring the early days of November, 1942, it became evident that the "Battle for Egypt" had been won by the VUIth Army. From June to October the Axis threat to the Delta had been ever-present although progressively diminished; the next month, Rommel's battered remnants mere in full flight westwards. The R.A.F.s part in stemming the enemy's advance into Egypt, aiding the VIIlth Army's break-through at El Alamein and attacking the Axis columns in their retreat across Cyrenaica has already been recorded in the previous number of the R.A.F. Middle East Review. The war in Africa then entered a new phase. Menaced from the west by the Allied troops who had landed in North-west Africa and having no hope of hailing the VI11th Army advancing from the east, the. Axis f< rces at length took to I heir Tunisian strongholds, determined to keep a fooling on the southern shores of the Mediterranean as long as possible. The story is now told of the air operations during the. first three months of 19'iS, ivhich were of paramount importance in the process of squeezing the enemy out of Africa. The account is divided into three sections; the first two deal separately with the operations of the Western Desert Air Force and the North-west African Air Forces up to the end of the halt at Mareth, and the third section gives a composite picture of the air activity during the attack on- the Mareth Line and the advance of the Allies in the northern and central sectors of the Tunisian battlefield. The operations of Malta-based aircraft against Tunisian targets are not included in this account, as the activity of the Malta Force during the time that the island changed from a Mediterranean outpost to an offensive base for attacks on Tunisia and Italy is dealt with separately in the "Review". SECTION I. WITH THE VIII ARMY TO MARETH AT THE CLOE OF 1942, Rommel's forces had in oru-i" to hinder their occupation by the Western completed their withdrawal to the Buerat de- Desert Air Force. fences. In the final stages of this withdrawal The abandoning of Sirte by the enemy's 15th no serious attempts were made to check the Armoured Division without offering any resist- VHIth Army's advance by rearguard actions, al- ance and the withdrawal from Wadi Chebir, the though some delay was imposed by the thorough natural first line of defence of the Buerat posi mining of roads and the rigging of booby traps. tion, before pressure was exerted by our land In addition, the landing grounds at Sirte and forces, indicated that the enemy had by no means garnet were ploughed up and strewn with mines recuperated sufficiently to make a determined stand. Rommel's fighting strength was still de the R.A.F. Regiment protected squadrons on the pleted and, in particular, the Italian part of it move and were responsible for the safety of land consisted mainly of untried formations: the Ger ing grounds. man tank strength was put at 70 to.80 and that At the opening of 1943, Rear A.H.Q., Western of the Italians at something under 30. The Desert, was located at Benina and the Advanced enemy's deficiencies at this stage were in equip H.Q. at Marble Arch; by the second week in ment and fuel even more than in man-power. January, however, the rear and advanced sections His transport losses had been severe, his tank had moved up to Nofilia and Tamet, respectively. strength was low, and for artillery he was mainly Early in January No. 244 Wing consisting dependent on new Italian divisions, supplemented of four Spitfire squadrons and No. 239 Wing of by guns gleaned from the back areas which were four Kittyhawk squadrons were operating from mostly of obsolescent types. It was clear that the Hamraiet landing grounds; the reconnais reinforcements of tanks and guns were essential sance squadrons of Spitfires, Hurricanes and before he could give battle to our armour. An Baltimores were up in the Tamet area; there even more immediate need was petrol. Units was a rear force of Kittyhawk and Hurricane had been chronically short for two months and squadrons at Belandah and Jedabya, respective the withdrawal across Cyrenaica had been made ly; and No. 3 S.A.A.F. Wing of two Boston and possible only by the stringent rationing and con one Baltimore squadrons was based at Solluch servation of fuel. with advanced landing grounds at Gzina. It is worthy of note that at this time, apart from the The Opposing Air Forces three light bomber squadrons, six of the eighteen At the beginning of 1943, the enemy's Tripoli fighter and reconnaissance squadrons were tanian-based air forces were estimated to consist S.A.A.F. unit§. of 155 German aircraft, of which all but 25 were As part of the Western Desert~"Air Force, also, ME.109s, and 310 Italian aircraft, which includ certain fighter and bomber squadrons of the ed 110 MC.200S and 202s and 100 CR.42s. Here Ninth U.S.A.A.F. were well up in the forward again, the shortage of fuel limited offensive area. No. 57 Fighter Group, which included three action. In the Mediterranean area, in general, Warhawk squadrons, was operating from Tamet however, the Axis air forces were still formidable and No. 12 Bombardment Group of four Mitchell as numerous squadrons of all types, were located squadrons was based at Gambut, with advanced in southern Italy and the adjacent islands, and landing ground at Magrun.