Malta, Operation Bowery, May 9, 1942
The history of BR169 is as follows
2650 EA FF 7-3-42 8MU 15-3 82MU 25-3 Emp Hth 29-3 Tak 4-4 Malta 8-6 603S CA ops 17-5 FACE 18-8 SOC FH68.25
The Emp Hth would be the ship "Empire Heath". "Tak" would be Takali, Malta. Others may be able to help deciphering, as I'm not familiar. The squadron code for 603 was XT. 603 only existed on Malta for four months, for the remaining crews and aircraft were incorporated into 229, Code HB or X, which itself reformed as 603 in Jan 45.
2650 EA FF 7-3-42 8MU 15-3 82MU 25-3 Emp Hth 29-3 Tak 4-4 Malta 8-6 603S CA ops 17-5 FACE 18-8 SOC FH68.25
The Emp Hth would be the ship "Empire Heath". "Tak" would be Takali, Malta. Others may be able to help deciphering, as I'm not familiar. The squadron code for 603 was XT. 603 only existed on Malta for four months, for the remaining crews and aircraft were incorporated into 229, Code HB or X, which itself reformed as 603 in Jan 45.
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A simple Google 'Empire Heath Takoradi' suggests TAK was indeed Takoradi....the trans-Africa route was the standard way of supplying aircraft to Egypt and Malta, the batches flown off carriers in the Med by ferry pilots were emergency reinforcements.
I think the squadron codes identification may not be the full story in Malta . Apparently fictitious codes were ,at least occasionally, applied ( and codes sometimes obliterated) as a deception device. This from an ex-member of 126 Squadron, sadly now deceased.
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611 Squadron - News: Joe Morsheimer's Story
FTM127....I had come across your father's name in connection with the BOAC Curtiss CW-20 St Louis which carried him back to Gibraltar after the first ferry...did he leave any description of the flights back? I got the chance to read the BOAC movement charts for May42 and the St Louis left Gibraltar 1502 ( 16 May), arr. Malta 2045 (flight MG?3) .....dep. Malta 23.15, arr.Gibraltar 0603 (17May)(flight MG5) ....St Louis made subsequent flights back from Malta to Gibraltar on the nights of 29/30 May, 2/3 June and 7/8 June, the latter I guess in parallel with your father's Lodestar transport.
I'm guessing the top general link may be relevant for other readers
FTM127....I had come across your father's name in connection with the BOAC Curtiss CW-20 St Louis which carried him back to Gibraltar after the first ferry...did he leave any description of the flights back? I got the chance to read the BOAC movement charts for May42 and the St Louis left Gibraltar 1502 ( 16 May), arr. Malta 2045 (flight MG?3) .....dep. Malta 23.15, arr.Gibraltar 0603 (17May)(flight MG5) ....St Louis made subsequent flights back from Malta to Gibraltar on the nights of 29/30 May, 2/3 June and 7/8 June, the latter I guess in parallel with your father's Lodestar transport.
I'm guessing the top general link may be relevant for other readers
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The Malta Story
If you can get a copy of the movie The Malta Story (Briefed to Attack was I believe one of the sources for the film), you may want to have a look. Though much of the movie shows the square-tip bubble canopy Spits and fake models most of the time over Malta, there appears to be some original film of Spit Vbs taking off from an aircraft carrier (allegedly the Wasp but I'm not sure of that) and used a fair amount of archival footage . Alec Guinness had the lead and his character was allegedly loosely based on WingCo Adrian Warburton. Which is an interesting story on it's own.
A couple of other book selections to check out might be "Malta Spitfire: The Diary of an Ace Fighter Pilot" by George Beurling and "The Maltese Spitfire: 1942" by Harry Coldbeck if you can find copies. There are also a number of youtube videos on George Beurling.
A couple of other book selections to check out might be "Malta Spitfire: The Diary of an Ace Fighter Pilot" by George Beurling and "The Maltese Spitfire: 1942" by Harry Coldbeck if you can find copies. There are also a number of youtube videos on George Beurling.
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Informations request
Hi all,
I'm new in the forum and I'm very honoured to be part of it.
I've been involved in a research concerning Operation Bowery and particularly concerning the italian bomber attack against Malta in the morning of 1942, May 9.
I've a question: has someone evidences, or just rumours, of a participation of a limited, could be even very limited, number of Curtis P40 among the british defence?
Has been employed any Curitis P40 and one of them after the attack to a Cant Z 1007 Bis has been hit by an italian Macchi 202 and fall to the ground?
Any information concerning this issue is most welcome.
Cheers,
Stefano
I'm new in the forum and I'm very honoured to be part of it.
I've been involved in a research concerning Operation Bowery and particularly concerning the italian bomber attack against Malta in the morning of 1942, May 9.
I've a question: has someone evidences, or just rumours, of a participation of a limited, could be even very limited, number of Curtis P40 among the british defence?
Has been employed any Curitis P40 and one of them after the attack to a Cant Z 1007 Bis has been hit by an italian Macchi 202 and fall to the ground?
Any information concerning this issue is most welcome.
Cheers,
Stefano
