Image: Royal Air Force Operations in the Middle East and North Africa, 1939-1943 CM2505

Description: Royal Air Force Operations in the Middle East and North Africa, 1939-1943 Major J E "Jack" Frost, Commanding Officer of No. 5 Squadron SAAF sits between two of his most experienced pilots, Lieutenant R Pare (left) and Captain A Duncan, at LG 121, Egypt. "Jack" Frost joined No. 3 Squadron SAAF as a flight commander in 1940, having been a member of the South African Permanent Force for five years. He saw considerable action in Somaliland and Ethiopia, scoring a number of victories over Italian aircraft, before he was evacuated in May 1941 with acute appendicitis. On his recovery he was appointed to command 5 Squadron, leading them to Egypt in early 1942 and through the heavy air fighting during the Battle of Gazala in May and June. Although Frost was posted to the staff of No. 233 Wing on 31 May, he resumed command the Squadron when his successor, Major Duncan, was killed that same day. He in turn was shot down and killed over El Adem by German fighters on 16 June. He was an outstanding pilot and leader, and remains the SAAF's top scorer with 16 aerial victories. Robin Pare, also a member of the South African Permanent Force, was commissioned in the SAAF in April 1940 and posted to No. 1 Squadron SAAF, seeing action over East Africa until April 1941. After a period as an instructor in the Union, he joined 5 Squadron in December 1941. He was promoted commander of 'B' Flight on 31 May 1942, but was shot down and killed by Oberleutnant Hans-Joachim Marseille of I/JG27 near Bir Hacheim on 3 June, just after scoring his sixth victory. Andrew Duncan was the son of the Governor-General of South Africa, Sir Patrick Duncan. After qualifying as a pilot with the Active Citizen Force in December 1939, he was posted to No. 1 Squadron SAAF and fought in East Africa. He returned to the Union in April 1941 as a Captain, and joined 5 Squadron in June as commander of 'A' Flight. Duncan succeeded "Jack" Frost as the Squadron Commander on 31 May, only to be shot down and killed that evening, south of Acroma, after shooting down his sixth victim earlier.
Title: Royal Air Force Operations in the Middle East and North Africa, 1939-1943 CM2505
Credit: http://media.iwm.org.uk/iwm/mediaLib//55/media-55082/large.jpg This is photograph CM 2505 from the collections of the Imperial War Museums.
Author: Royal Air Force official photographer
Permission: This image was created and released by the Imperial War Museum on the IWM Non Commercial Licence. Photographs taken, or artworks created, by a member of the forces during their active service duties are covered by Crown Copyright provisions. Faithful reproductions may be reused under that licence, which is considered expired 50 years after their creation.
Usage Terms: Public domain
License: Public domain
Attribution Required?: No