These photographs originate from the private albums of ww2 SAAF fighter pilot Harold Kirby. It was kindly made available to me by Robin Kirby, Harold’s son. I scanned and placed the photographs on this web site in order to share these gems to enthusiasts and the wider public as a gesture of homage to these brave men of past glory. Please respect the copy rights of these photographs and contact me to obtain the necessary permission if you want to duplicate some of this material in other web sites or printed matter.
thanks
Tinus le Roux
April 2012
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No. 7 Squadron mechanics restored a Bf-109 G to serviceable condition in December 1942. This aircraft
is currently being exhibited at the SA national war museum, Saxonburg Johannesburg. Harold also flew
with this aircraft.
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Operation "Thesis" was a retaliation attack on German forces in Crete for a murder of 100 civilians by the
German occupiers. Besides RAF squadrons, SAAF No. 7 and No. 41 squadrons participated. Harold flew
in this operation with sqdn leader Corrie van Vliet. Hurricane II c's wre used by No. 7 sqdn.
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Harold lead the initial No. 7 squadron detachment with the occupation of the island of Cos. Here the
detachment flew intense sorties and Harold shot down a Messerschmitt Bf-109. After a few days the Allied
forces on the island were overrun by a strong Germans force. No. 7 squadron lost a number of aircraft
and six officers killed. Harold got away with a lift on a RAF Beaufighter aircraft on the 23d of September.
Here a Few pages of Michael Schoeman's book "Springbok Fighter Victory. Vol 4" on this topic.
