Spitfire losses in North Africa on September 26th 1942

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L

Lfphd

Recruit
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1
Mar 19, 2025
Are there any records on Spitfire losses on this date in North Africa? I can only find a Wellington from 40 Sqdn.

RAF CWGC War Dead Query 1942-09-25

This is a database of all commonwealth airforces casualities in the Second World War. The data is taken from the CWGC site. This tool helps you to easily search for a casuality based on partial name or number, exact date or year of death, or even to locate by cemetary or by unit. The objective...
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Details from the No. 92 (East India) Squadron log books confirm two Spitfires lost:

"26/9/42

The Squadron was ordered off as top cover to HURRICANSE and went out to near DABA, and were attacked by ME.109's. FLIGHT LIEUTENANT MORGAN shot down one and P/O.G.W.ROSE another, both confirmed. Unfortunately WARRANT OFFICER KENWOOD was shot down behind enemy lines and P/O TURVEY was also shot down, but successfully baled out, and has rejoined the Squadron. It is hoped that WARRANT OFFICER KENWOOD landed successfully. He will be surely missed by the Squadron. He was a good pilot, and a grand fellow in every way. He had been put up for a commission."

Some digging online shows some scattered records for P/O Turvey from 92 Squadron.

This link Spitfire pilots and aircraft database - F/L David Lloyd George TURVEY RCAF indicates that David Lloyd Georgy Turvey was a RCAF officer who joined 92 Squadron on 05 September 1942. That matches up with the 92 Squadron log book, which states "P/O. TURVEY posted to Squadron" on 05 Sep 1942.

It seems he may have survived and made his was back to 92 Squadron, and later went on to win a Distinguished Flying Cross with 417 (RCAF) Squadron as a Flight Lieutenant.

This may be a picture of F/L Turvey during his time at 417:
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Sorry, I should have mentioned why I asked. It is because of Hans-Joachim Marseille's claim on September 26, 1942, against a Spitfire pilot. I find the story a bit theatrical and possibly invented. Shores et al. claimed that Marseille in reality entered a dogfight against 12(!) Spitfires, resulting in no casualties. I find this story highly implausible, as it contradicts both Marseille's own account and common sense.

Marseille recalled a desperate dogfight starting at high altitude and ending up low, where he and his opponent traded attacks, each repeatedly turning the tables. With only 15 minutes of fuel remaining, he allegedly climbed into the sun. The blinded RAF fighter was then destroyed by Marseille's accurate fire from 100 meters, ripping off a wing and killing the pilot. Marseille said, "That was the toughest adversary I have ever had. His turns were fabulous... I thought it would be my last fight."

This dogfight, if real, would likely have been fought near Tobruk.
 
From Chapter Nine - The Desert Campaign | 92squadron

"Two more dog fights took place in September. One on 26th when the Squadron was ordered off as top cover to Hurricanes and went out to Daba. They were attacked by 109s and Warrant Officer Kenwood and Pilot Officer Turvey were shot down but both baled out successfully. Flight Lieutenant Morgan and Pilot Officer Rose both shot down 109s and Pilot Officer Carpenter got a probable."

So this wasn't a sole 109 against 12 Spitfires... it was multiple 109s against Hurricanes and Spitfires. Both Turvey and Kenwood baled out successfully, so neither was Marseille's opponent. Also, this action was at Daba, which I think means RAF Al Daba, now El Debaa, 180km West of Alexandra , and 500km from Tobruk. Which, plus the Hurricanes, probably means German bombers also in the area.

All in all, I think not the action you're looking for.
 
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92 Sqn losses happened during the morning of 26 Sept, Marseille claimed 3 Spits and one P-40, there was also Oblt Schlang's Spit claim, RAF lost two Spits and one Hurri, the latter a IIc from 213 Sqn.
The long dogfight happened during the afternoon, nine 109s from I/JG 27 participating, again Marseille claimed 3 Spits, no known Allies' loss. Opponents probably nine Spits from 145 and 601 Sqns, and one of 601 Spits was lightly damaged and Flt Sgt Barker from 145 Sqn claimed one 109 as damaged
 
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Some additional information concerning the bolded part. There was indeed an RAF airfield at Daba/El Debaa/Al Daba, but
92 Squadron was based at Landing Ground 173 at this time (from 04 August to 08 November).

LG 173 lies about 30km/20 miles south of Alexandria. Daba/El Daba/Al Dabaa was about 135 km/85 miles west of LG 173.

List of North African airfields during World War II - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

No. 92 Squadron (RAF) during the Second World War

A brief history of No. 92 Squadron during the Second World War.
www.historyofwar.org
 

Sorry, my mistake. It was supposedly six Spitfires of No. 145 Squadron that Marseille supposedly entered combat against, according to Shores, Christopher F.; Massimello, Giovanni; Guest, Russell (2012b). A History of the Mediterranean Air War, 1940–1945, Volume Two: North African Desert, February 1942 – March 1943. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 978-1-909166-12-7, pp 356-357.

Interestingly enough, nor did No. 145 Squadron report any casualties that day.

Edit: Don't you also find Marseille's report a bit threatrical? It sounds like something he had seen in a bad movie. So he and his opponent were turning close to the ground. Marseille would have to keep the trottle low in his Bf109 to be able to turn with the Spitfire. Then all of a sudden he manages to climb into the sun and turn the aircraft 180 degrees against his adversary and open fire from 100 meters like he was flying a Eurofighter. Marseille was a fantastic pilot, but that is one maneuver I would like to see with my own eyes.

Also considering his triple(?) vision when it comes to downed opponents and lack of a reported casualty, as seen above (a characteristic shared with many pilots at the time), the whole story seems exaggerated and implausible to have happened the way Marseille told it.
 
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