Squadron Leader S Whiting

Links of Long Standing

The SAAF Development Programme’s prewar demise influenced many young South Africans including WI Deas, PG Dexter, GJ Drake, J Falkson, AC Hamman, PH Hugo, O Hume, J Ing, AG Lewis, N Lewis, LA Lynn, Spencer Peacock -Edwards, SR Whiting and GM Wright while 26-year-old Michaelhouse educated Guy Paul Wentworth Austin arrived in England on the day war was declared, commissioned as an “acting Pilot on probation” in January 1940 and lost his life 10 months later in a No 9 Squadron Wellington shot down over Germany.

Links of Long Standing

Twenty-five– year- old Pretoria Boys High educated William Inglis Deas and Michaelhouse educated Spencer Whiting who was eighteen, commissioned a few weeks apart in October and November 1940 after Bill Deas’s uncle, Brigadier Kenneth van der Spuy who was Military Attache at the time had enabled their joining the RAF.

Links of Long Standing

Lionel Leon, educated at King Edwards volunteered from America when war was declared and had just turned twenty when he commissioned in November. Harte was a Royal Air Force Reserve Flying Officer while Austin, Dawson-Squibb, Deas, Leon and Whiting would have received standard notifications after their Recruiting Office “Air Crew Selection Board” interviews, “You will be taken on strength from the date you report for duty and will also be issued with uniforms etc. as soon as possible thereafter. You should therefore bring with you the minimum of personal requirements” which translated as arriving at their designated “Receiving Wing”, a 90 second regulation haircut, health check, identity documentation issue and a few weeks of “square bashing”.

More than a “Few” South Africans

Born in Johannesburg and educated at St Johns College, Rennie completed his schooling in Aberdeen, worked on the London and Johannesburg Stock Exchanges and commissioned as a Leading Aircraftsmen in October 1940 at the same time as Spencer Whiting. Twenty-five -year -old Pilot Officer Rennie and his crew were posted “Missing” after their No 144 Squadron Hampden, part of an 82 strong bomber force that attacked Aachen on July 9th, 1941, failed to return. Rennie evaded capture, returned to Britain a few months later and resumed operational flying. Bottomley, the only other survivor, became a “POW”. 6

More than a “Few” South Africans

RAF involvement appears to have been limited to six Lysander aircraft attached to an Army Co Operation Unit that included at a South African, Flying Officer SR Whiting, a pilot who fell under SAAF Colonel SA Melville’s command and an air component of six Maryland’s, eleven Beaufort Bombers, twelve Lodestars and six former South African Airways Ju 52’s used as transports.

More than a “Few” South Africans

Flight Lt Spencer Whiting subsequently joined North African based No 94 Squadron flying Libyan based Hurricanes. He later assumed command of No 213 Squadron, flew Hurricanes, Spitfires and Mustang’s with both squadrons including several seconded SAAF airmen. Whiting had been posted to an “OTU” in Pretoria when the “The London Gazette” announced his “Distinguished Service Order” award on November 14th, 1944. His war ended flying No 31 Squadron Dakota “Supply-Drops” in the Far East.

The Dreaded Telegram

Pretoria Boys High educated William “Bill” Inglis Deas apparently met Spencer Whiting who was at Michaelhouse in London and they commissioned a few weeks apart in late 1940 having apparently joined the RAFVR with assistance from South Africa’s Military Attache,Brigadier, later General Kenneth van der Spuy, who was Bill Deas’s uncle.