RCAF PARTICIPATION WITH THE 12th BOMBER GROUP U.S.A.A.F. IN NORTH AFRICA

Lest We Forget

The following web page deals with the RCAF's participation in North African campaign during World War 2. Particularly, the involvement of a hand full of airmen from across Canada who voluntarily joined the RCAF in 1940 and early 1941, trained as air gunners and wireless operators and were subsequently attached to squadrons of the 12th Bomber Group U.S.A.A.F..

In The Beginning

September 1st 1939, the Nazis forces of Germany invaded Poland prompting an immediate declaration of war on Germany by Great Britain, the British Empire and France. Canada's official declaration of war was issued by Prime Minister MacKenzie King on the 10th of September 1939 after a formal parliamentary debate, thus initiating one of the most determined, heroic and costly episodes in Canadian history...not withstanding the 60,000 souls lost during the Great War.

Canada participated in many notable and critical campaigns throughout the course of WW2, including the Battle of the Atlantic, the Battle of Britain, the devastating invasion of Dieppe, the doomed defense of Hong Kong, the invasion of Italy and of course the D-Day landing at Juno beach, Normandy leading to the liberation of Western Europe. However, the single most expansive contribution to the war effort was Canada's role in the formation and administration of the Commonwealth Air Training Plan in which, by war's end, produced more than 130,000 air-crew graduates...including more then 16,500 Australians and New Zealanders (most of whom had taken Elementary Flying at home), 42,000 plus out of Britain, and nearly 73,000 Canadians.

The Battle For North Africa

German and Italian aspirations for the control of North Africa posed a serious threat to Britian's position in Egypt and Palestine and was based on cutting British access to petroleum supplies by blocking the vital communications link to India and the Far East through the Suez Canal. The task of removing the Axis forces from North Africa (after Italian retreats and Erwin Rommel's seesaw battle with British General Sir Claude Auchinlerck) was handed to General Alexander and the British Eight Army commanded by Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery. The beginning of the end for Rommel's forces started with the second battle of El Alamein (code named "Operation Lightfoot"), on 23rd and 24th of October 1942. The 8th Army ground operations were supported in large part by the American 9th Airforce, which included the 12th Bomber Group.

Air-crew In Training

The Canadians who were attached to the 12th Bomber Group share a similar story...each voluntarily enlisted into the RCAF, went through basic training and were posted to wireless schools in Calgary or Montreal.

Following wireless training, many graduates went on to one of the many bombing and gunnery schools scattered throughout Canada.

Hello Britain

By the month of October 1941, the newly trained Canadian Airmen were ready for their overseas posting. Many of these young men received their travel orders, leaving Halifax aboard the HMS Andes and landing in Liverpool. A long wait in England was ahead of these men as new orders for their next posting was not issued until late December 1942. In the meantime, they spent their time on refresher courses, visiting around the olde country and going to the occasional social event.

Cairo Commandos

Finally, in January 1942, the RCAF aircrew boarded the Louis Pasture and headed south around the tip of Africa and north to Egypt, landing at Port Taufiq in early March. For five months, the aircrew dined on RAF rations, wrote many letters to there loved ones and invested many hard earned dollars at the New Zealand Club in Cairo.

Here Come The Earthquakers

July 16th, 1942...the S.S. Louis Pasture leaves New York with 4,882 men of the 12th Bomber Group on board. The 12th BG was based out of McChord Field in Tacoma, Washington. The Earthquakers...(the nickname of the 12th BG) was made up of the 81st, 82nd, 83rd and 434th Bomber Squadrons. After landing at Port Taufiq on the 16th of August orders were handed over to the RCAF airmen to join the 12th BG as wireless air gunners. These men served their respective squadrons for the next year participating in the battle of El Alamain almost immediately and chasing Rommel's Afrika Corps in support of the British Eight Army through to Cape Bon Tunisia... ending Germany's venture in North Africa by May 1943. The following, is a list of the RCAF airmen who participated with the Earthquakers.

Note: This list may not be complete....if readers are aware of RCAF air-crew that operated with the 12th BG, please email me and I will make the appropriate corrections.

Life In The Desert

These photographs illustrate daily life in the desert. Most of these pictures were taken by P/O Carl Fleck RCAF, while in the 83rd Bomber Squadron.

83rd Squadron Logo, The Black Angels

Aircraft In North Africa

The Mitchell B-25C was the bomber used by the 12th BG. The B25 shown in this image is of a later model; however, the paint scheme reflects that of those planes used during the North African Campaign.

The upper half paint was initially sand coloured, but soon bleached under the sun to a pinkish sand. The Lower half of the plane was painted medium grey.

German Aircraft

Land of heat and sweaty socks,
And sun and tons of pox,
Streets of which I gave no name,
Steets of sorrow, streets of shame,
Streets of filth and stinking dogs,
Harlots, thieves and pestering wogs,
Hordes of flies that buzz around,
Piles of wog shit on the ground,
Clouds of dust that choke and blind,
Driving blokes out of their mind,
Aching hearts and aching feet,
Gyppo guts and camel meat,
Adams heaven, soldiers hell,
Land of basterds fare thee well.

Go On To The Air Medal Page

Those That Paid The Supreme Sacrifice

Official Dispatches Issued Regarding The 9th AF

If you have any comments, please send them to: larkspur@worldchat.com

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