Alex .
Airman 1st Class
I have tried to do a search about this, however it appears to be playing up at the moment, so I apologise if this has been done before.
I'm curious as to any allied or axis squadrons adopting mascots during WWI and WWII, and of any stories behind them...extra points for pictures!
My uncle often told me of a pair of pigs 148 Squadron RAF adopted whilst serving in North Africa, I did a bit of digging round on the internet and it seems his story was quoted on a now extinct forum, in his own words....
On 6th November 1945, 148 Squadron left Foggia and Flew to Gianaclis in Egypt. Geoff Hill remembers the trip well and quotes "We left Italy carrying everything we could get on those aircraft, and at this point we may have made a bit of history since we were possibly the only people to fly pigs in Liberators. We had two pigs which had been on the squadron strength for a long time and they were well fed from the swill from three messes. It was a sight to behold to see pigsheads looking out of the large beam windows as the Liberator took off from Foggia. On 15th January 1946, 148 Squadron disbanded at Gianaclis. We had our farewell party and we ate our two pigs"
I will have to look around in his albums when I am at my aunties house again!
Alex
I'm curious as to any allied or axis squadrons adopting mascots during WWI and WWII, and of any stories behind them...extra points for pictures!
My uncle often told me of a pair of pigs 148 Squadron RAF adopted whilst serving in North Africa, I did a bit of digging round on the internet and it seems his story was quoted on a now extinct forum, in his own words....
On 6th November 1945, 148 Squadron left Foggia and Flew to Gianaclis in Egypt. Geoff Hill remembers the trip well and quotes "We left Italy carrying everything we could get on those aircraft, and at this point we may have made a bit of history since we were possibly the only people to fly pigs in Liberators. We had two pigs which had been on the squadron strength for a long time and they were well fed from the swill from three messes. It was a sight to behold to see pigsheads looking out of the large beam windows as the Liberator took off from Foggia. On 15th January 1946, 148 Squadron disbanded at Gianaclis. We had our farewell party and we ate our two pigs"
I will have to look around in his albums when I am at my aunties house again!
Alex