A little collection of snapshots I picked up on ebay last summer from a US seller, that has been lurking in my PENDING tray for far too long...around 30 pics in all, they appear to be RAF chaps in North Africa, c. 1942-43. Very limited information on the backs of the pics...a few puzzles for those who like such ! (RAFNA1) On back "Con depot 1942" - "Convalescent depot" ? (RAFNA2) Larking about with captured kit no.1 - definitely RAF badges ! (RAFNA3) Larking about with captured kit no. 2 (RAFNA4) Larking about with captured kit no. 3 - Pz III funk variant of some kind ? View attachment 27010 (RAFNA5) Convoy for the truck experts to identify... (RAFNA6) More... (RAFNA7) Chaps in camp (RAFNA8) Ditto (RAFNA9) Some ex-Luftwaffe assets (RAFNA10) "11 WD" on back ? (RAFNA11) Ah yes the mascot..."Port Said 1942" (RAFNA12) "Port Said 1942" View attachment 27019 (RAFNA13) "Port Said 1942" View attachment 27020 (RAFNA14) Interesting date (RAFNA15) "Port Said 1942" View attachment 27022 (RAFNA16) "Near Martuba" (RAFNA17) Tunisia ? (RAFNA18) Dinner gong or anti-gas alarm ? RAFNA2-6 all dated "January 1943". My suspicion is that they are RAF ground crew of some description...but all ideas welcome... And before anyone asks...there are no names...
Some nice photos there. Certainly looks like RAF ground crew and good to see a photo of a Coles crane in RAFNA5.
The fact they have a Thompson (Not your normal ground crew issue I suspect) I wonder if they might be RAF Regiment? Either way a nice collection of pictures me old China
Could be Drew...I dunno. Not my area...but sure someone here will pop up and answer it .... PS As a total aside...my surname being, er, Thompson, I was known as Tommy Gun at Primary School in the '60s...and another lad, surname Rae, was of course...Ray Gun...
Paul - as in the Airfix Recovery set ? I thought I recognised it ! (evidence of a wellspent youth...)
Great photos, thanks for sharing. My Grandad served in the RAF (he was an engineer/fitter) in North Africa, in Egypt, Sudan and (i think) Libya I have loads of photos, unfortunately none are scanned in at present. If I get the chance soon I'll add them to this thread.
Drew - yes indeed...and some very intriguing graffiti on the main "thing" (whatever it is) that is sadly largely unreadable on the small original snapshot
China Hand - Colin Hotham might your man to talk to as he was in Aircraft Recovery around Tripoli for awhile hauling shot down planes of both sides back for repair - spares etc ... Cheers
335 (Greek) Squadron RAF flew Hurricanes in the area and period these were taken. Formed at Aqir on 10 October 1941 and composed of Greek personnel, it was equipped with Hurricane Is and was employed on defensive duties until January 1942. It then moved to the Western Desert and began air defence operations, but in June it returned to Egypt and re-equipped with Hurricane IIBs, which it took back to the Western Desert in September. It remained in the Western Desert on offensive operations until after the Battle of El Alamein when it moved onto shipping protection duties along the Libyan coast. In January 1944 it re-equipped with Spitfires and in September moved to Italy, where it conducted operations over Albania and Yugoslavia. In November the squadron returned to its homeland, from where it attacked German forces in the Greek islands of the Aegean and on Crete. The squadron disbanded on 31 July 1945 and was transferred to Greek control
Great photos, thanks for sharing. My Grandad served in the RAF (he was an engineer/fitter) in North Africa, in Egypt, Sudan and (i think) Libya I have loads of photos, unfortunately none are scanned in at present. If I get the chance soon I'll add them to this thread. I've a couple of photos of my Uncle in 'Alexandria' in the 1940s. I've been promised more by my cousin, although she doesn't see the interest in these things. I would LOVE to see some of yours. I've only just joined the site so want to check up on rules for posting images. If anyone has any N. African photos of Jeeps, preferable RAF PLEASE post. REG PS You'll see from my user name that I am a WWII Jeep owner and I have been toying with the idea of 'converting' her to RAF N African markings. All the best!
I've a couple of photos of my Uncle in 'Alexandria' in the 1940s. I've been promised more by my cousin, although she doesn't see the interest in these things. I would LOVE to see some of yours. I've only just joined the site so want to check up on rules for posting images. If anyone has any N. African photos of Jeeps, preferable RAF PLEASE post. REG PS You'll see from my user name that I am a WWII Jeep owner and I have been toying with the idea of 'converting' her to RAF N African markings. All the best! Forgot all about this thread, so the pics arent scanned in yet. I have a bit of time on my hands at the moment, so I'll be sure to do them shortly. I'll let you know when I post them incase you dont see the thread. I'm fairly sure that some of the pics in question are in Alexandria too. Chris
In photo 2 and 3, isn't the figure on the right in the German Helmet wearing 1936 or 39 pattern flying boots?
My father was serving in 232 Squadron RAF, in North Africa 1942-1943 before he was shot down. I am attaching a group picture. I think a few of the guys in my father's picture look like a few from China Hand's picture labelled RAFNA6. In RAFNA10, there is a picture of a dog. In one of my father's letters from North Africa, he mentions a puppy.