WW2 SAAF air gunner Dick Hague tribute page
Richard Edward M Hague joined the SAAF in 1940. In 1941 Dick completed his Air Gunner's course and was sent to North Africa where he joined SAAF No. 24 bomber squadron.
24 Squadron flew operations with Boston medium bombers and attacked targets such as enemy airfields, -motorised transports, -troop formations and -strongholds.
At one stage, in early 1942, Dick's aircraft was shot down by enemy fighters. He was wounded and after a couple of days in the desert he and the crew were rescued and hospitalised.
Soon afterwards Dick returned to the squadron for operations and finished his tour in October 1942, just before the breakthrough at Alamein.
After returning to South Africa, Dick joined SAAF No.22 squadron. He then did an Air Traffic Controller course and in 1944 was sent to Italy where he joined SA 3 bomber wing and did duties as a traffic controller.
After the war Dick had a long and successful career working at Jan Smuts airport and retired in 1982 as Chief Air Traffic Controller.
1945 , Italy
2015, Johannesburg
This is a living web site. Any input and/or participation will be much appreciated regarding additional information, correctness, information from relatives of members who served with Dick, photographs, stories etc. Please e-mail me.
If you perhaps have a family member who served as a SAAF fighter pilot during WW2 and you would want to find out more about his war service please contact me, hopefully I can be of some help.
Tinus le Roux
August 2015
VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH DICK
June 2015
Having lunch at a restaurant after the video interview. (photo: John Houghton)
A 24 Squadron Boston bomber in North Africa
Military Career
01/04/1940 Joined the SAAF , 41 Air School, East London, Air Gunner's course
??/06/1941 Operational Training Unit, Shandur, Egypt. Flying in Maryland and Boston bombers, crews formed
??/09/1941 Joined No. 24 Squadron flying Boston bombers.
21/03/1942 Shot down by German Messerschmitt Bf109 aircraft, spent 2 days at the wreck in the desert, wounded. Rescued by air. Operated at Gambut clearing station and then hospitalised in Cairo were Dick recovered. Again joined the squadron and continued with operations at the Alamein front.
??/10/1942 Operational Tour Expired, returned to South Africa
??/10/1942 Joined 22 Squadron, Mtubatuba in Natal
??/05/1944 Air Traffic Controller course, RAF base at St. Jean, Haifa, Palestine
??/07/1944 Joined 3 Wing SA (Bombers) as an Air Traffic Controller in Italy
??/09/1945 Returned to South Africa and resigned from the SAAF
24 Squadron logo
Air Gunner training, East London 1940-1941
Dick became a member of the Late Arrivals Club because he arrived "late" to the squadron when they got shot down.
