Facebook Post by Charl Schmahl 10th October 2022
SAMVOZA attended the:
Alpine 44 Service In memory of the members of 31 & 34 Squadron SAAF who died in the Italian Alps on 12/13 October 1944.
78th Anniversary Bays’ Hill Swartkop Pretoria
Well attended by dignitaries from the SA Air Force, Family and Friends of the fallen as well as the Alpine 44 Club.
The impetus of the association we now call “Alpine 44 Club” owes its existence to the tragic events of a night over 70 years ago.
16 B-24 Liberator heavy bombers of 31 Squadron SAAF and 4 of 34 Squadron were detailed to drop supplies to Italian partisans in North-West Italy on the night of 12 October 1944. The weather unexpectedly turned very bad, with a change in the wind direction and very heavy cloud and rain. Of the 20 planes, only 3 located their drop zones and delivered their cargo successfully. 11 Aborted the mission and returned to base safely, and 6 were lost. 5 Crashed into the Alps, and one is presumed to have crashed into the sea off the Ligurian coast between Genoa and La Spezia.
This was the single largest loss of aircraft and men in a single day in the history of the SAAF.
As there were 8 men per crew, a total of 48 men died.
We Will Remember Them
“When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say, For Your Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today.” John Maxwell Edmonds (1875 - 1958)
SAMVOZA Were represented by: Veteran Godfrey Giles MMM - SAMVO Vice Chairman Veteran Dr. Charl Schmahl - SAMVOZA Tshwane Club Chairman
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