From the book being written by Paul Stringer.
The Initial Military Occupants at Port Elizabeth
With war clouds gathering, No 3 Squadron SAAF, equipped with Hawker Harts were sent to Port Elizabeth in September 1939, however, by December the squadrons last four Harts which were ferried back to Zwartkop where they were needed for advanced training duties. No 3 Squadron had been joined by No 14 Bomber/Reconnaissance (BR) Squadron flying three ex-SAA (SAAF Airways Wing) Junkers Ju 86’s which had been converted to bombers and distributed to four coastal squadrons to fly maritime reconnaissance patrols. Junkers flew with 14 BR Squadron from Port Elizabeth from 21st September 1939. In terms of order AHQ 14/6 dated 29th November 1939 No 14 (BR) Squadron was re-designated “B” Flight of the newly constituted 31 (Coastal) squadron with effect from the 1st December 1939.
The advent of war, as far as South Africa itself was concerned, was to be a maritime war with the bulk of operational battles taking place in the Northern Hemisphere. Troops would go off to war, training took place and there was rationing, but for the local populace at home, it was business as usual, as they were to see nothing of the drama’s that took place over the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, other than occasionally when survivors of torpedoed ships from the convoys travelling around the coast would arrive at the various ports. For instance, after going undetected off Port Elizabeth by the Ju 86’s of “B” Flight, December 2 1939 saw the first success of the coastal patrols and the first South African action against the enemy, when a Ju 86 flown by Captain H.Q. Boschoff of 15 BR Squadron, Wingfield intercepted the Watussi after she rounded Cape Point. The Watussi, a Deutsche Ost-Afika Linie liner which had served the South African route had sailed from Lourenco Marques with German passengers to make a dash for Rio de Janiero. After a signal had been sent from the Ju 86 instructing her to head for Cape Town, she sailed on flying a bogus British Red Ensign in an effort to mislead the SAAF crew.
Three bombs were dropped to encourage the ships captain to change course, but the Junkers now had to return to Wingfield for refueling. A second Junkers now appeared on the scene and the pilot Major J.M. Botes asked for permission to machine gun the life boats, but his request was heard by the Watussi’s captain, so he placed men alongside the lifeboats. A Swordfish from Ark Royal also appeared on the scene and circled the vessel, so the German ships captain set his ship alight as the passengers and crew made for the life boats, scuttling her rather than accepting surrender. Shortly after this incident patrolling Ju 86’s from B Flight 31 Squadron spotted a Japanese ship, the Hokoku Maru in Algoa Bay. It had previously also served the South African trade and was proclaiming its neutrality by displaying Japanese flags on either side of her hull.
In support of these coastal operations from Port Elizabeth, ground on the south side of the aerodrome was taken over by the Department of Defence with the permission of the Port Elizabeth Municipality to build a new hanger. (The largest of the rearmost hangers and in the middle of those built for 42 Air School later). “B” Flight of 31 (Coastal) Squadron, which was exclusively manned by the SAAF, therefore moved to tented accommodation on the other side of the airfield.
Courtesy of: Don Bell of Friends of the Port Elizabeth SAAF Museum.
Alan Straton
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