Hidden Gems from the Desert Air Force in 1942

XV571 · July 22, 2020

Hi Everyone,

I'm sure we're all aware of the Imperial War Museum Film collection and the visual treasures contained within their archives. While looking around for films that might have footage of 43 Squadron during WWII (there's some of their Hurricanes departing for the Dieppe raid, but that's another topic) on the main page there are currently two links somewhat cryptically titled 'Advance Record Material' and 'Boston Raid'. Intrigued by the titles I took a look since the thumbnail pictures appeared to cover the North African campaigns so might have something I was originally looking out for. Although the films turned out to be shot in Libya rather than Tunisia, they proved to be hugely informative. It just goes to show that an apparently random title could have fascinating information and details on the aircraft and personnel of the era.

'Advance Record Material' https://film.iwmcollections.org.uk/record/41432 starts off with footage of a British truck convoy wending its way along desert roads arriving at an airfield. At 2:20 it changes to a clip of a group next to a hangar when a chap runs out and pretends to fire a Very Pistol; the group then scrambles revealing waiting 33 Squadron Hurricanes, foremost being a very careworn HV471 RS-A. This scene then repeats with the bloke with the Very actually discharging it! The Hurricanes then start and taxy out; the sequence ending with shots of various wrecked Lufwaffe aircraft. Of note is the single cannon fit on the Hurricanes. The vehicle convoy shots are repeated, then at 6:40 groups of Hurricanes appear and land. These are a mix of 33 and 213 Sqn Hurricanes. At 8:31 there's a Clapperboard titled 'Hurris with LR tanks arrive Benina' dated 2/12/1942. The arrival shots are repeated concluding with some shots of sunken ships.

In the Additional Media tab there is a second film https://film.iwmcollections.org.uk/record/41432/media_id/7263 . This starts off with aerial shots, possibly also over Benina, with more wrecked Luftwaffe aircraft including what appears to be a Gotha 242 glider. At 3:30 it changes to ground footage with RAF Regiment Armoured Cars driving past abandoned Me110s, Ju87s and Bf109s. This is dated 20/11/42. At 6:00 an 'erk' appears to be painting the spinner of a Bf109F red(?) folowed by a corporal painting out the fuselage cross and fin swastika. The same aircraft is then pictured starting up and taking off having apparently being taken on strength by 3Sqn RAAF! This is followed by a Ju87D that has been 'adopted' by 601Sqn and a 'Hentschel' 126 also being repainted. The film ends with some 'whistling bomb' shots and the earlier Bf109 being serviced (and armed!) then, finally, the repainted Hs126. It's fascinating watching the aircraft being re-marked, particularly the application of the national markings in so many variations!

The 'Boston Raid' collection https://film.iwmcollections.org.uk/record/41431 starts off with a frame with dead Afrika Korps soldiers (just to warn you) then cuts to ground crew packing up with a 112Sqn Kittyhawk in the background. This is followed by the whole squadron in convoy departing for pastures new. At 2:36 a Storch in RAF colours takes off followed by more footage of the AAHQ vehicles moving off. The middle section films Italian POWs and more dead Afrika Korps soldiers. From 6:15 aerial shots, presumably taken from the Storch as it flies alongside the AAHQ vehicles. At 8:37 the Storch reappears along with AVM Sir Arthur Coningham and, I think, Air Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder. Both get in the Storch and depart. The film ends with more shots of destroyed German vehicles and a LST(?) being offloaded.

The second segment https://film.iwmcollections.org.uk/record/41431/media_id/7260 starts with AVM Coningham and 'Monty' in conference then after some general footage at 3:00 Hudsons take off. After some shots of abandoned Bf109s a Hudson is being unloaded. This segment ends with another Hudson and Bombays landing.

The final segment https://film.iwmcollections.org.uk/record/41431/media_id/7261 begins with what appears to be trucks full of Italian prisoners changing to two officers inspecting a Bf109 graveyard then a camouflaged Gotha 242 glider. At 1:41 a 92Sqn Spitfire V taxies out and the squadron takes off. After some shots of a German war graves the scene changes to a Ju87 wreck being looked over then on to the captured Storch landing. At 3:29 a 92Sqn Spitfire EP613 QJ-S taxies up to a very tidy Bf109F immediately cutting to another Go242 glider then back to the Spitfire/Messerschmitt combo. There are then various shots of the pilot jumping out and inspecting his opposition. The clip ends with another Spitfire Vb taxiing up to a rather less pristine Bf109!

Curiously there are no shots of Bostons in any of these three unless the title is referring to the aftermath of a raid by Bostons on what may be Benghazi or Tobruk harbours!

I don't recall seeing any of the content before so I hope you find these as interesting and useful as I did.

Jonathan