Category Archives: Malta

Spitfires in Malta – Update

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Stuart Bean added this comment…

My granddad was in 137 MU* on Malta and worked in Gzira on the long term repair of Spitfires and Hurricanes. He was involved in the cannibalisation of planes and recovering wrecks to serviceable states. One of the planes he repaired was BP961. Which he received 23/10/42, and it left him 6/12/42. The plane was in a real mess and the books has two pages detailing what they had to do, to get it going again.

* Maintenance Unit

Also worked on BR177 that he described as shot up in action, with shrapnel T/P and M/P 8/4/43.

ORIGINAL POST

Sgt.Keatind's effort at dusk landings

Spitfire Mk Vc BP961
Collection Georges Nadon

Malte

Collection Georges Nadon

Sgt. Keating’s effort at dusk landings

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Sgt.Keating's effort at dusk landings

Spitfire BP961

FF 23-3-42
6MU 24-3-42
RAF Abbotsinch 9-4-42
ff Malta 603S
CB ops 24-4-42
SOC [Hit obstruction on landing Takali 24-3-43] Struck off (RAF) Charge

Additional Info

  • Serial: BP961
  • Mark: Vc
  • c/n: 2711
  • Factory: Chattis Hill
  • Engine: Merlin 46

Source

http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p028.html

 

Other abbreviations:

1 2 3 4 Damage categories
AC CA CB CE Damage categories
Cv Converted
FA Flying accident (followed by Damage Category: CE=Writeoff)
FF First flew
FH Flying hours
FTR Failed to return
GA Ground accident (followed by category)
RNDA Royal Naval Deposit Account
SOC Struck off (RAF) Charge

Flight Lieutenant George Franklin Mercer

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George Mercier Shorty Warcup

George Franklin Mercer with Shorty Warcup

Collection Georges Nadon

MERCER, F/L George Franklin (J17795)

– Distinguished Flying Cross

– No.411 Squadron

– Award effective 13 January 1945 as per London Gazette dated 23 January 1945 and AFRO 471/45 dated 16 March 1945.

Born 5 February 1917 at St.Mary’s, Ontario. Enlisted in Hamilton, 2 January 1941. Attended No.1 Manning Depot, Toronto, 2 January to 21 January 1941; at Picton, 22 January to 18 March 1941; No.1 Manning Depot, 19 March to 30 March 1941; No.17 Equipment Depot, Ottawa, 31 March to 26 May 1941; No.1 ITS, Toronto, 10 June to 8 August 1941 (promoted to LAC on latter date); No.3 EFTS, London, 9 August to 25 September 1941; No.14 SFTS, Aylmer, 26 September to 20 December 1941 (promoted to Sergeant, 19 December 1941). Posted to Halifax; arrived in UK, 21 January 1942. Further trained at No.5 (P) AFU, 12 May to 2 June 1942, No.59 OTU, 2 June to 26 August 1942 (promoted to Flight Sergeant, 19 June 1942). Posted to No.610 Squadron (28 August 1942 to 17 January 1943; promoted to WO2, 19 December 1942; claimed his first sortie was 18 August 1942 and that he flew 85 operational hours);

to No.185 Squadron, Malta (17 January to 13 July 1943; commissioned 22 April 1943; claimed he flew 86 sorties, 115 operational hours; forced to bale out 6 May 1943 when engine overheated and glycol fumes filled cockpit, probably from a bird strike in radiator).

 

Returned to England, 1 August 1943. At Station Cranfield, 16 August 1943 to 18 April 1944 (promoted to Flying Officer, 22 October 1943). Posted to Canada on leave, 26 April to 16 June 1944. Returned to UK, 26 June 1944. No.411 Squadron, 18 July to 16 November 1944 (promoted to Flight Lieutenant, 10 October 1944, flew 106 sorties in 125 hours ten minutes of operational flying). Shot down by flak while strafing a train, 16 November 1944; held at Stalag Luft III. Safe in UK, 8 May 1945; returned to Canada, 8 July 1945. Remained in RCAF until 11 November 1947 (mainly at Trenton). Medal presented in UK, 1949. Aerial victories (incomplete) as follows: 9 July 1943, one MC.202 destroyed; 12 August 1944, one Bf.109 destroyed east of Alencon; 27 September 1944, one FW.190 destroyed and one FW.190 damaged east of Nijmegen. Photo PL-31990 shows him examining wreckage of German aircraft.

 

Flight Lieutenant Mercer is now on his second tour of operational duty. During his flying career he has shown exceptional skill and keenness in leading his flight on fighter bombing and armed reconnaissance sorties. He has always displayed a fine fighting spirit, especially in missions against ground targets and has destroyed seventy enemy transport vehicles. He has also destroyed four enemy aircraft.

 

NOTE: Public Records Office Air 2/9043 has recommendation dated 4 November 1943 when he had flown 166 sorties (210 hours); text does not differ materially from that published.