The Desert Airforce
In the early 1940's the only place England could strike back at the Axis was in Africa. After pressing the Italians out of East Africa the British Commonwealth took on the Italians in North Africa in the Libyan desert. Pilots came to the RAF from all over the world as the battles swung back and forth across the small strip of land running along the coasts and the island of Malta withered under a concentrated bombardment. The arrival of the German Africa Corps and their Luftwaffe support squadron ushered in a new and even deadlier phase of the war for the Brits, Aussies, Canadians, South Africans, New Zealanders and occasional American.
The new Me-109F along with the maneuverable Fiat & Macchi fighters that came on the scene, were superior in speed and altitude capabilities to the worn out Hurricanes and Tomahawks, considered obsolete for the skies of England. What the RAF & RAAF did not lack were men with the courage to take on the very best the Axis had to offer. Below are the stories of two such men who traveled far from their homes, lived under apalling conditions and served in the line, exposed to a level of risk in the sheer number of missions flown that makes their survival seem statistically impossible.
P.O. Charles Edmondson 451 Squadron Hurricanes 1941-1942 
P.O Jack Torrance 43 Squadron Algeria - Tunisia - Italy the Balkans 1943 - 1945 
W.O Wilfred David Brown 112 Squadron North Africa - Italy 1942 -1943 WWII Memories is only hosting this profile. It has been entirely written by his nephew with the help of some web researchers. W.O. Brown remains to this day M.I.A.
Lili Marlene Click here to listen to the tune and return to come back to this page.
During the war one song was popular and came to epitomize the Desert war for men on all sides.
Underneath the lantern by the barrack gate, Darling I remember the way you used to wait, 'Twas there that you whispered tenderly, That you loved me, You'd always be, My Lili of the lamplight, My own Lili Marlene
Time would come for roll call, Time for us to part, Darling I'd caress you and press you to my heart, And there 'neath that far off lantern light, I'd hold you tight, We'd kiss "good-night," My Lili of the lamplight, My own Lili Marlene.
Orders came for sailing somewhere over there, All confined to barracks was more than I could bear; I knew you were waiting in the street, I heard your feet, But could not meet, My Lili of the lamplight, My own Lili Marlene.
Resting in a billet just behind the line, Even tho'we're parted your lips are close to mine; You wait where that lantern softly gleams, Your sweet face seems to haunt my dreams, My Lili of the lamplight, My own Lili Marlene.
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