Lt. Col. Pretorius arrived back from CAIRO this morning with the necessary permission and shortly before eleven o'clock took his farewell of the squadron, formed up in a little square about their Officer Commanding. In his farewell address, Lt. Col. Pretorius thanked the squadron personnel for their loyalty and support through many difficult days – he was satisfied he said that there could be few Commanding Officers who had had the privilege of leading such an outstandingly loyal and hard-working band of men. To the ground personnel, in particular he said went the highest praise and thanks. They had maintained the aircraft and kept them in the air and the pilots all fully realised this to-day. He hoped that they would all meet soon again in perhaps happier circumstances than these but whatever happened, he concluded, the loyalty and devotion shown by all about him at the present moment, would forever be remembered by him.
Three rousing cheers, speedy handshakes and our popular "Kernel Oh See" had taken his seat in the pilot's cockpit of the aircraft that was to bring him to the Union. Flying with him and acting as second pilot in the Observer’s cockpit was Peter Long-Innes one of the outstanding members of our flying personnel. Assisting in the ferrying of the aircraft to the Union was Tom Earnshaw, acting as Wireless Operator, while "Bob" Giani. Flight Sergeant of Headquarters Flight completed the crew. The engines roared to life, the hood on the pilot cockpit closed, a cheery "thumbs up" from the squadron, and the last of our Blue-bellied Marylands (the others had been flown to A. A. D. the previous day) turned into wind and took off in a cloud of dust.
The squadron watched the aircraft fade away to nothing in the clear skies, some of us with wistful looks, perhaps, but all with the best wishes in their hearts for those aboard. Au revoir, Col. Jan, and the best of good luck!
The thoughts of your squadron – the squadron you built and made – are with you. We will not easily forget a man who understood men, a leader who really appreciated what we were fighting for and who put all his efforts behind that object.
The bonds of friendship your leadership has brought to us all will remain ever with us and when the days of peace are upon us again we will then, perhaps even more than now, appreciate the happiness your association with this squadron brought to us all……