LEST WE FORGET
Air Sergeant Maurice James FLEMING
From Australia serving in the South African Air Force
Service No: 94468
Born: Location, Date unavailable
Enlisted in the SAAF: Date unavailable
Unit: No. 21 Squadron (SAAF)
Died: Air Operations: The Second Libyan Campaign (No. 21 Squadron Maryland aircraft AH344), Libya, 11 December 1941, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Maurice E and Mary Fleming
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Column 246, Alamein Memorial, Egypt
Remembered: Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll
On 11 December 1941, Maryland AH344 took off from landing Ground 76 as No. 2 in the second of four pairs of Maryland aircraft sent at intervals to patrol an area over the Mediterranean Sea about 53krn north of Derna to intercept German Ju52 aircraft ferrying fuel from Crete to Appolonia. AH344 was shot down by return fire during aerial combat and crashed 1.5krn north of Gazala. Four crew members were killed and were not able to be recovered and one was taken prisoner.
Air Sergeant Maurice James Fleming (94468) (SAAF)
Second Lieutenant David Harris (103254) (SAAF)
Air Sergeant Max Greenberg (102171V) (SAAF)
Second Lieutenant A H M Moolman (47885) (SAAF) (Supernumerary) PoW
Lieutenant William Lewis Wood (103252) (SAAF) (Pilot)
Lieutenant Moolman was a fighter pilot from No. 94 Squadron RAF.
References:
Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Gunby D (David) and Pelham Temple, Royal Air Force Bomber Losses in the Middle East and Mediterranean, Volume 1 1939-1942, Midland Publishing UK, 2006