Tribute site: WW2 Reconnaissance Pilot Jack Orpen
Hi and welcome to this site;
I received an e-mail from Jack Orpen's granddaughter, Sue McConnell, who sent me a most fascinating and detailed personal war diary of Jack.
Jack's diary is an amazing account of the experience and emotions of a young pilot during war.
I was introduced to Jack's daughter in law, Jane Orpen, who kindly allowed me to copy Jack's flying log book and some art work.
Thanks to Sue, Jane and also to Jack's daughter Sally for help and contribution to set up this tribute page.
John Joseph Overton Orpen joined the South African Air Force in late 1941 and qualified as a fighter pilot.
Jack was sent to the Middle East and joined SAAF No. 40 Reconnaissance Squadron in mid 1942, flying Hurricane aircraft.
Pilots of 40 squadron flew extremely dangerous sorties over enemy concentrations to gather tactical information for the army. Sorties were flown in pairs and mostly unescorted.
During Jack's combat tour he took part in the Alamein battles of 1942 and the subsequent push to Tunisia of 1942/43.
Jack became famous in the squadron for his distinctive painted aircraft nose art work. His little gremlin men were very popular and every pilot wanted one to be painted on their aircraft.
After Jack's tour expired he returned to South Africa and was involved with air crew training until the end of the war, flying twin-engined aircraft.
After the war Jack had a successful career as an architect.
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 Jack, 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
February 2015
Thanks to Brent Best for profile art work.
Military career
Sept 1939 Infantry Transvaal Scottish 2nd Bn.
April 1941 75 Air School Lyttleton, ground training
02/09/1941 No.4 Air School Benoni, elementary flying training, Tiger Moths, 42 hours
05/09/1941 First solo
28/10/1941 25 Air School Standerton, service flying training, Miles Masters , 102 hours, above average assessment
13/02/1942 Qualified for SAAF flying badge
04/04/1942 SAAF base camp, Amirea
23/04/1942 74 O.T.U. Palestine, Hurricanes, Harvards, 54 hours, above average assessment
08/06/1942 SAAF No. 40 Squadron, flying Hurricanes and a couple of hours on Spitfires.
27/06/1942 First operational sortie, TAC/R
21/03/1943 End of Operational tour, 30 sorties, 61 ops hours
23/03/1943 1 M.E.T.S. ? Spitfire conversion
08/04/1943 75 O.TU. M.E., flying Blenheim IV
04/05/1943 1 Air Delivery Unit, Ferry Spitfires from Takoradi to M.E.
22/05/1943 Crash landed a Spitfire in Sudan, picked up by motor vehicle.
05/06/1943 Return to South Africa
12/11/1943 62 AS Bloemfontein, Oxford course
17/05/1944 SAAF HQ
01/06/1944 62 AS Bloemfontein, flying Ansons and Dominie
Jan 1945 64 AS Bloemfontein, Ansons
12/08/1945 Last flight, Anson
Jack's wedding with in 19...
A crashed 40 squadron Hurricane displaying Jack's nose artwork.
Published in the Air Force magazine "Wings" in Feb 1942
40 Squadron Hurricanes
Jack posing in a German flare parachute. (Flares used by the Germans for night bombing.)
ART WORK
LOG BOOK ART
CIVIL AVIATION LICENCE ,1938
