“Ours not to reason why, ours but to do and die” – yea verily we are fighting this year in this year of grace 1941 as we did in that blundering Crimean war that called forth Tennyson's epic. Yes indeed we were again made to do the same show of the previous day; fighter patrol duty over the sea betwixt DERNA and CRETE.
It seems that we cannot even profit from our own follies and blunders! To make mistakes is human but the wise man profits from them. Unfortunately no such wisdom was forthcoming this black day for the Marylands went off on their strange task in pairs.
The first pair Gillies and Andy went off and old Gillies distinguished himself by trying to bomb an enemy flying boat beneath him! His adversary made off in cloud cover and the pair had to return without any further excitement .
The second pair were not so fortunate and were tackled by ME110 fighters just as they commenced their patrol and nothing further was heard of them that day. The third with "Chick" and Potgieter never saw an enemy aircraft and both returned after an uneventful patrol.
The fourth pair were as unlucky as the second and although young Golding eluded the enemy fighters, the last he saw of Major “Mike” Fowler was with an enemy ME 110 on his tail. Yes it is indeed a bad day for us. Three crews evidently gone west their loss caused by sheer lack of knowledge of the capacity of the old Maryland.
What fine fellows have gone – Major Mike Fowler one of the most dashing leaders that our Air Force has produced. Lt. “Obie” Oberholzer, one of the very best with 18 months of active service behind him and Viljoen and Hattingh two splendid gunners, then young Parry one of our newcomers with his “Aussie” observer Sgt Hart and Aussie W/Op Gunner Sgt Dillon and Sgt Phelps.
News was received late at night that Capt. Ramsey and his crew were safe, having force landed at TOBRUK – saved from the wreck.
What a price to pay, five machines and three valuable crews lost. What does it help even to try and bolster up the spirits of the squadron? A definite gloom has descended on one and all and was only made worse with the news that Major Fisher and Lieut. Parsons and their crews from 12 squadron, were also missing.
Long faces and sore hearts were everywhere. To us older members of this squadron the strain of seeing all our old comrades fall in battle is becoming most unbearable – when this is added to the fact that our two blackest days were the result of misuse of aircraft, one can understand our mental strain.
One observation about this sorry loss of ours. Surely we give our enemy’s credit for being able to “spot” a Maryland and signal that information to base on or after yesterday’s efforts and what more natural thing than that a trap will be baited for us on the second occasion. Ah well, we have again suffered and must bear our sufferings, for the nonce in silence.
Old MacDonald has succeeded in getting away to the Union and everyone is envying his lot. He has put up a damn fine show in the squadron and we all wish him well.
Today we are all longing for the day when we may be back in our own country, but let us get this job over first and then possibly we will be considered as seasoned enough to go and fight the enemy who is bringing the war nearer and nearer to our shores!