Pilot Officer CCO Joubert
Charles Cecil Oliver Joubert
- Rank
- Pilot Officer
- Squadron
- No 56 Squadron
- School
- Parktown Boys' High School
- Born
- 1915
- Fate
- Survived the war. Died 1973
- In the book
- Pages 51, 56
From the book
Against Unfavourable Odds
Unveiled by the Queen Mother in 1993, the Capel Le Ferne “Battle of Britain Memorial” in Kent featuring a large statue of a seated airmen surrounded by squadron badges, preceded the London Embankment monument unveiled by HRH Prince Charles in 2005. Both are dedicated to the “Few” who’s 2 937 names are on the Foxley-Norris Memorial Wall and the monument panels 3. In the latter case, the twenty-five names listed under South Africa, exclude JT Crossey, PG Dexter, CCO Joubert, JW Sleigh and PVH Wells but are identified elsewhere on the panels. Most are British, the number of Poles and Czech’s marginally less than the Commonwealth countries in aggregate with New Zealand topping that list ahead of Canada, South Africa, and Australia.
Against Unfavourable Odds
Thirty of those airmen can be described as South African. Pilot Officer Charles Joubert had prewar SAAF service but has not previously been identified as a South African “Battle of Britain” pilot. Most flew Hurricanes and Spitfires, there were three Blenheim and Defiant pilots and a Fleet Air Arm Gladiator pilot. Fourteen of those thirty airmen lost their lives during the “Battle of Britain”, five others did not survive the war.
Against Unfavourable Odds
Charles Cecil Oliver Joubert and Leslie William Graham served as South African Air Force pilots in the 1930’s. Born in 1915 and educated at Parktown Boys High, Joubert commissioned as a “Pilot Officer on probation” in June 1940. Graham, born in 1914 and educated at St Johns College, commissioned in July. They joined No 56 Squadron in July and by August 13th the squadron had lost ten Hurricanes and four pilots. Joubert’s injuries that day kept him off operational flying until early September. Graham shot down three days later, incurred injuries ending his “Battle of Britain”. 14 His subsequent RAF roles have not been identified but he resigned his commission in 1946.
Against Unfavourable Odds
Charles Joubert joined No 73 Squadron after the “Battle of Britain”, served in the Middle East, flew No’s 94 and 274 Squadron Hurricanes in the Western Desert before his operational flying ended in 1943. Administrative roles including a posting to Australia followed. Joubert resigned his commission in 1946 and died in Johannesburg in 1973.