Marmaduke Pattle

Marmaduke Pattle joined the South African Air Force (SAA.A.F.) as Cadet in 1936. In 1937, he left for England to complete his training. He was then assigned to the Squadron 80 equipped with Gloster Gladiator. In April 1938, the unit was sent to Egypt and Pattle regularly ascended the ranks to be, in 1939, Chief of Escadrille. In August 1940, Sqn 80 is based at the Libyan border where Pattle fights for the first time. On August 4, 1940, during an escort of Lysander, he met an important formation of Italian Fiat Cr-32 and Breda Ba-65. In the bout, Pattle won his first two wins. But three of the four committed Gladiators are shot down and the fourth is seriously damaged. Pattle and another pilot manage to jump in a parachute and land in enemy lines, but they manage to return to their base the next day.   

In November 1940, Sqn 80 was sent to Greece to support the Greek Army on the Albanian front. It was on this front that Pattle won the biggest part of his victories. It is decorated with D.F.C. In February 1941. The same month, the Squadon touched its first Hurricane Mk I and on the 20th of the month, Pattle won his first victory with this aircraft. On February 28, he killed four Italian aircraft, then three others on March 4. Following his 23rd victory, Pattle was awarded the "Bar" on his D.F.C .. Also in March, he was promoted to Squadron Leader and headed the Squadron 33, which had just joined the front.

Seeing the Italians trampling to invade Greece, on April 6, 1941, the Germans intervened and submerged the British defenses. Allied troops retreated and conditions became more and more difficult for them. During the retreat, many documents are lost, which makes it difficult to authenticate the victories obtained by Pattle in April 1941.

On April 20, 1941, while Pattle was at the head of the decimated remains of Squadrons 80 and 33, he suffered from fever and showed signs of great fatigue. In the early afternoon, he makes his third outing of the day. He directs the last 15 Hurricanes to a formation of German bombers over the Bay of Eleusis. He shoots a Me Bf 110 who pursues one of his teammate But two other 110 of the 5./ZG 26 take him in chase and shoot him down.

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