Alpine 44 Memorial Service

By CO Maryke Lynn

On 12 October 1944, forty-eight members of the South African Air Force, the Royal Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force were involved in a supply- drop mission over Italy. During this operation they ultimately paid with their lives for their bravery when bad weather closed in on the crews of the six B-24 Liberators and caused them to lose their way and crash into the Italian Alps. Even though it remains a mystery to this day as to exactly what happened, we still fondly remember and celebrate the lives and memory of these fallen heroes.

A well-attended memorial service in tribute to these young men was held on Sunday 16 October 2005. This day marked the 61st anniversary of one of the greatest losses the South African Air Force ever had to face. The venue for this commemoration service was also very appropriate, since Bay’s Hill and the Swartkops Airfield were most probably these men’s last sight of South African soil as they took off for duty in Europe.

A flypast by a Caravan started the service, during which verses from Psalm 16 and Phillipians 4 were passionately read in Italian. The names of the 48 men from 31 and 34 Squadron were also read out and this was followed by the lowering of flags and a one-minute silence.

The South African Air Force, the SAAF association, the Royal Air Force Association, the Alpine 44 Club, the Associazione Nazionale Alpini, the Associazione Nazionale Carabinieri, the Zonderwater Block, the Warsaw Flights Committee, the Polish Combatants Association, as well as family and friends of the deceased, laid beautifully colourful wreaths, showing their support and affection for these brave men who lost their lives while doing their duty.

We will remember them!
 

The six missing crews were:
Maj S.S. Urry, Lts G.A. Collard, P.J. Lordan, N.W. Armstrong, W/O L.B. Bloch, F/Os T.R. Millar (RAAF) and
G.E. Hudspith (RAF) and Sgt R. Fitzgerald (RAF)
Lts C.P. Nel, C.B. Vorster, P/O R.W. Johnson (RAF) and RAF Sgts J.E. Boswell, E. Lockey, H. Foy, R. Bailey and H. Austin
F/Sgt G.W.Lawton (RAAF) and P/O T.D. Fotheringham, RAF Sgts E.H.A. Clift, D.W. Bishop,
G. Tennison, D.R. Wellon, S.E. Lockton and J. Bucks
F/Sgt D.V. Watson (RAAF) and RAF Sgts W.R. Young, D.C. Shearer, R. Best, H.W. Bowden, S.S. de Lisle,
J. Houghton and A.D. Griffin
2 Lt A.H.R. Metelerkamp, W/Os E.A. Jones and R.P. Whitelaw, F/O J. Thompson (RAF) and RAF Sgts L Whalley,
J.R. Smil/ie, W.A. Rogers and L. Parker
Capt L van S Beukes, Lts M.C.F. du P. Kruger and G.D.A. Shipman, WO D.A.W. Francis and RAF Sgts G.F. Anstee,
C.L. Forster, J.H. Woods and W.L. Pryce