The last day of the dying old year! The Padre, El Newman and party left this morning on a search for some of the aircraft we lost on 20th November. The task was successful insofar as 1612 was concerned, the burnt out remains of this aircraft (which was flown by Roy Haines) was discovered south of SIDI REZEGH and close at hand was a single grave with the inscription “Unknown airman SAAF Maryland 1612 shot down 20/11/1941” They were unable to identify the body, which was lightly covered by soil. A cairn of stones was piled up round the grave and a funeral service was held for the unknown comrade.
No further graves could be discovered and after a long search they were forced to return to camp.
Today a show was held with six Marylands on M.T. on the AGEDABlA–MATAR road. All our bombs were well within the target area. Two large fires were started.
The old year passed away with but few regrets and a few headaches after all who could lay their hands on some form of liquor or other were able to slake their thirst. The squadron marches on from the old year into the new!!
General
The end of the year finds the squadron with as high a standard of morale, health, discipline and energy as when it first embarked on operations in the Western Desert. Hard blows have been dealt us repeatedly and it is to the eternal credit of this squadron that after each successive blow they have come up smiling– perhaps a grimmer smile — and were ready to continue the good work. From the lowliest air mechanic to the O.C., each and every member of the squadron has-proven his worth – sectionally they have striven against each other in earnest competition but each and all have stood together as Squadron twenty-one!
We are all looking forward to the next phase of this campaign and all our energies at this turn of the year are concentrated on getting ready for the next push, "per aspera, ad astra”.