Tribute page: WW2 SAAF pilot Geoff Krummeck
Hi and welcome to this site!
I made contact with Cheryl Veitch who is Geoff Krummeck's daughter. She kindly offered to send me scans of Geoff's log book and photograph album via her sister, Bronwen Kimsey. Thanks to Bronwen who did a lot of effort to get the scans done!
Geoffrey Courtney "Geoff" Krummeck joined the Special Service Battalion in 1936. He was then selected for flying training as a cadet in the SA Military College. He qualified as a fighter pilot and became a flying instructor at the SA Central Flying School.
Geoff joined No. 2 Fighter Squadron in North Africa in mid 1941 as a flight commander. He had an eventful combat tour and was involved in several air battles. He flew the American Tomahawk aircraft in sorties such as bomber escorts, armed recce's, ground strafing and bomb-line patrols. He was subsequently promoted OC of the squadron. In early 1942 he returned to SA after his tour expired with 56 sorties flown in 131 "ops" hours.
Geoff attended the Empire Central Flying School of the Royal Air Force for advanced fighter pilot training in England in mid 1942.
Again Geoff was sent up north in late 1943 to command No. 41 Fighter Squadron stationed in the Middle East. The squadron flew Hurricanes and Spitfire IX's. Several bomber escorts were flown to Crete.
In October 1944 Geoff was promoted to sweep leader of SAAF 7 Wing stationed in Italy. He did an enormous amount of fighter-bomber work until the end of the war, flying the Spitfire IX mostly. (95 sorties in 134 ops hours)
In 1945 Geoff was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and presented to him by King George VI.
After the war he held a variety of command posts as well as Air Attache at the South African Embassy in Washington DC in the 1950s. His final post was Officer Commanding, Maritime Command from which he retired. The SA Government awarded him the Southern Cross Medal in recognition of his outstanding service.
Geoff passed away in 1993.
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 Geoff, 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 2017
Service Record
Special Service Battalion 1936
Pilot training in Wapiti aircraft
Geoff and Grace
Horsemanship training SA Military College
Wedding, Geoff and Grace
With 41 Squadron in Middle East. Geoff in the centre back row,
Geoff with his good friend Brian Boyle
Geoff and Brian front row
Grace, Bronwen and Geoff
First flight with Vampires
Vampire team