Australian Forces

Warm front over the desert

Imperial War Museum

The typical clouds shape of an incoming warm front– in brief: warm air on altitude, cold air on the ground, rain – over the Western Egypt, February 1941. The aircraft is the Gloster Gladiator Mark II, fuselage code N5786, fighter of No. 3 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force climbing from their landing ground near Sollum, Egypt, during the last stages of the British assault on Bardia during Operation Compass (December 1940-February 1941) the first major British offensive against the Italian forces of Marshal Rodolfo Graziani penetrated in Egypt. The British and Commonwealth forces advanced from inside Egypt to Central Libya. The first operational flight of No. 3 Squadron RAAF, in Egypt from September-October 1940, dated on 13 November 1940, a tactical reconnaissance. On 13 November 1940 the first air-combat with the Regia Aeronautica’s fighters CR.42s: both the parties claimed victories, but, a part some CR.42s damaged, the only loss was an Australian pilot, the Squadron Leader Peter Heath killed in action. Victor Sierra