Captain CH Adcock

The Dreaded Telegram

Twenty-four-year-old Flight Lt RAE Thomas DFC and his No 413 Squadron Catalina crew, deployed as a sea patrol reinforcement, landed in Ceylon on March 28th after 10 days of flying from RAF Sunburgh in Scotland. His crew included 27- year- old Hilton College educated Sgt JDM Moxham from Kokstad and a Rhodesian, Flying Officer RK Bourne. Having flown half way across the world, Thomas was surprised to meet seconded SAAF pilots Charles Adcock a Bishops contemporary, and Fred Knight who were flying No 11 Squadron RAF Blenheim’s deployed from Egypt.

The Dreaded Telegram

Five of the nine No 11 Squadron Blenheim crews that attacked the Japanese Fleet later that morning lost their lives, including seconded SAAF pilots Captain CH Adcock and Queens College educated Lt FG Knight 17.Thirty-year-old Knight’s parents Reg and Helena who lived in Queenstown in the Eastern Cape lost a second son Harold, a Flight Lt killed in May 1944 when his No 137 Typhoon was hit by flak.