大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War website by Julia Shuvalova on behalf of Mr Jack Millin, and has been added to the site with their permission. The authors are fully aware of the terms and conditions of the site.

My introduction to the South African Air Force and the American B26 Martin Marauder - known to some as the 'Flying Prostitute' - or 'The Widow Maker' - was at the Shandur Operational Training Unit in Egypt.

Later in the service, still alive though still with the Marauder, I had the unusual experience of carrying bombs to Italian northern airfields, taxying to a grassy area and then dropping the bombs!

The bombs weren't fused! This was immediately after the German surrender and the idea was that the bombs - fused this time - would be going on a further journey. It was a hurried move to forestall any move by Tito to occupy part of Northern Italy.

Although there were many losses during training, most crews, after completing a successful OTU, I did eventually fall in love with the sleek and beautiful Marauder, even if she was a lafy of doubtful repute.

I arrived to Egypt for training via the Air Crew Receiving Centre, London, in April 1943; Initial Training Wing, Number 2 Radio School at Yatesbury, Number 8 Gunnery School at Evanton, the 'Monarch of Bermuda' to Port Said, and pre-OTU in Jerusalem.

On arrival at Shandur I and nine other WOp/Ags were taken to a hangar and told find SAAF crews who needed one.

The good news was that my captain was a 29-year-old married man with a family, that he had been instructing in South Africa, and that the observer was an ex-infantry soldier who had survived Tobruk before volunteering for aircrew. With such maturity and experience we had great assets in the survival stakes.

When the B26 appeared in 1940 it was said to be the most advanced bomber in its class. It could claim many firsts - four-bladed props, weapon pods, all-plexiglass nose, power-operated turrets and rubber safety-sealing tanks. A total of 5,266 B26 Marauders were built. They were opeational in the Pacific, North Africa and Europe as well as Italy.

Early models had a top speed of 323 mph, a cruising speed of 258 mph and a range of 1,200 miles.

The crew of six had at their disposal 11.5-inch Browning machine guns, a bomb load of 4,000 lbs - and a landing speed of 135 mph!

Later models, after modifications and extra armour plate, only had a top speed of 282 mph.

Unfortunately, the early Marauder was too advanced except for the very best pilots and mechanics. A spate of fatal accidents led to the rumours of Marauders being unsafe to fly.

Some statistics put matters into perspective. A total of 521 B26 Marauders were purchased, equipping 2 Squadron RAF and 5 Squadron SAAF. Of these 154, that is 35%, were lost. Only 55 were accounted for by enemy action, the other 99 were accidents!

It appears that some crew members were a bit hair-raising. I remember wll, while at OTU, having to squeeze through the bomb bay between two bomb racks when approaching the target. This meant carrying my chest parachute while manouevring along a nine-inch wide cat-walk, holding on to a two-rope handrail. When I was right in the middle, at 12,000 feet, the bomb doors were suddenly opened, a 'special treat' for me planned by the rest of the crew.

I recall the 5.30 am calls for 6 am PT sessions, arranged for that time because of the high day-time temperatures in Egypt. After a while we conspired to give it a miss. At 6.15 am all of us still abed had our names taken.

On Sunday, our "day off", we were lectured on keeping fit and detailed to walk the two-mile runway picking up empty cartridge cases and ammo belt gun links which had dropped out of landing aircraft. Eventually, we thought the job was completed. The South African CO inspected the runway in his jeep and sent us back again.

Nor was that all. After a walk right across a desert airfield for lunch we were presented with overalls, 45-gallon drums of paraffin and long brushes and told to wash and clean our Marauders - in the heat of the blazing afternoon sun. No one missed PT again!

After 22 months and 22 days in the Service, I joined 12 Squadron SAAF at Jesi, near Ancona, in February 1945 to take part in the last stages of the Italian campaign. All the operations were in daylight, flown in two boxes of six or three boxes of four formation, against communications targets and ammunition dumps in Northern Italy and South Austria, usually at 12,000 or 13,000 feet. During the last major battle the Squadron attacked Po river bridges and tropp concentrations, bombing only 100 yards ahead of 'T' markers laid by British Army units.

My last flying duty as a WOp/Ag was with the Flight Commander, transporting passengers to Rome and Naples. The Commander had the distinction of shooting down an Me 109 with the four front guns of a B26, an exploit which won him the DFC.

In July 1945 I returned from the SAAF to the RAF.

I and many of my colleagues were transferred from flying to ground duties. I became a Motor Transport driver, tackling anything from a 15 cwt pickup to a 10-ton diesel, transporting equipment from Naples to Rome, Bari etc.

In March 1946 this was relieved by a three-week home leave in the UK. When I got back to Italy I was greeted by "Don't unpack - your early class B release has come through". This was to allow me to return to the building trade, 12 to 18 months before my release group.

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