This month much of the Western world mourns the men who laid down their lives fighting against the Central Powers during the First World War, however Firearms.co.za wants to use this month to celebrate the brave South Africans who served in the Second World War. Most people when they think of this conflict have images in their minds of soldiers from America and Britain, but few know of the 43 nations that fought alongside these nations in this great cause, especially the South African heroes whose stories should not be forgotten.
An estimated 334 000 South Africans volunteered for full-time service. From vaunted guardians of the sky to a prisoner of war who single handedly sank a German transport boat, these men and their acts of bravery were instrumental in this awful conflict, and around 11 000 of them lost their lives. In this article, we will focus on the exploits of the incredible Sailor Malan.
Adolph ‘Sailor’ Gysbert Malan is undoubtedly South Africa’s most celebrated fighting ace who shot down an estimated 27 Axis planes during the Battle for Britain as a member of the RAF. His heroics in the air earned him a Distinguished Flying Cross, a Distinguished Service Order and many other medals that would decorate his uniform as his prestige within the RAF grew. With his strong, wide jaw and blue eyes, Sailor personified the very archetype of a flying ace. As his nickname implies, Malan began his service in the war primarily as a sailor. As a young man of 14 or 15 years he joined the South African Training Ship, General Botha in 1924 or ‘25.
In 1935 he left the shores of South Africa and joined the RAF, learning to fly in a de Havilland Tiger Moth at an elementary flying school near Bristol in England. Malan was a natural born aviator and found himself rapidly climbing the ranks of the RAF and was an acting pilot officer within a year. By 9 March 1939, six-months before the war began, he was promoted to flight lieutenant.
During his tenure with the RAF he took to the skies in key battles including The Battle of Dunkirk for which he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for five kills. During this battle, he achieved the unprecedented feat of shooting down two Heinkel He 111 bombers in a solo night flight in his trusty Supermarine Spitfire fighter plane, using only the moon as his source of light.
He soon became a squadron leader in many key Battles of Britain. As a squadron leader of the number 74 Squadron, he would go on to command three raids against the Germans, each lasting a full day of flying during which the squadron shot 38 enemy aircraft, and his squadron soon became one of the most respected in the RAF.
Malan was a relentless dogfighter and is rumoured to have shot down but not killed the feared Werner Mölders, one of the most feared aces of the Luftwaffe whose kill tally numbered more than 100. Not only was Malan a brilliant aviator, he was an extremely bright strategist and reshaped the way the RAF approached dogfighting with his ‘Ten Rules for Air Fighting’ which goes as follows:
- Wait until you see the whites of his eyes. Fire short bursts of 1 to 2 seconds and only when your sights are definitely ‘ON’.
- Whilst shooting, think of nothing else, brace the whole of the body, have both hands on the stick, concentrate on your ring sight.
- Always keep a sharp lookout. “Keep your finger out!”
- Height gives you the initiative.
- Always turn and face the attack.
- Make your decisions promptly. It is better to act quickly even though your tactics are not the best.
- Never fly straight and level for more than 30 seconds in the combat area.
- When diving to attack, always leave a proportion of your formation above to act as top guard.
- INITIATIVE, AGGRESSION, AIR DISCIPLINE, and TEAMWORK are the words that MEAN something in Air Fighting.
- Go in quickly – Punch hard – Get out!
These ten succinct rules were adopted by many pilots in the wider RAF, and not just those under Malan’s command.
Malan finished his active fighter career in 1941 with 27 kills destroyed, 7 shared destroyed and 2 unconfirmed, 3 probables and 16 damaged, as one of the highest scoring pilots to have served wholly with Fighter Command during World War II. He was transferred to the reserve as a squadron leader on 6 January 1942.