21 August 1942
LG 99, Egypt • No. 12 Squadron SAAF • Day 84 of Allen Howell’s Combat Tour
The Squadron Record
Source: AIR 27/166/172, Operations Record Book, No. 12 Squadron SAAF, 21 August 1942.
Where Was Allen?
On this day Allen Howell was stationed at Landing Ground 99 (LG 99), located west of Alexandria in Egypt.
LG 99 formed part of a network of temporary desert airfields supporting Allied operations during the North African campaign. Although often described simply as a “landing ground,” these locations were effectively small military communities consisting of tents, maintenance areas, workshops, kitchens, supply dumps, vehicles, and aircraft dispersal areas.
What Was Happening in the War?
By August 1942 the Axis advance into Egypt had been halted at El Alamein. German and Italian forces remained only a few hundred kilometres from Alexandria, and both sides were preparing for the next phase of the campaign.
Although the front line had stabilized, the war was still very much present behind Allied lines. Airfields, supply depots, and military camps remained vulnerable to enemy air attack.
The squadron diary records an unusually large number of German aircraft approaching the area that night, triggering an air raid alarm throughout the camp.
Life Beyond the Bombing Missions
When we think about wartime aircrew, it is easy to imagine that every day was spent flying combat missions. The reality was very different.
On 21 August 1942, the most pressing issue facing Allen’s camp was not German bombers or Italian fighters. It was flies.
The squadron had recently returned from a leave period and conditions around the camp had deteriorated. Under the supervision of a medical officer, personnel were assigned to clean tents, remove refuse, and eliminate breeding grounds.
To modern readers this may seem mundane, but military doctors understood that poor sanitation could quickly lead to outbreaks of disease capable of disabling more personnel than enemy action.
Through Allen’s Eyes
Imagine being twenty years old, living in a tent camp in Egypt, thousands of kilometres from home.
During the day, Allen may have been helping clean the camp, preparing equipment, or carrying out routine duties between operations.
That night the air raid alarm sounded. Men left their tents and sought cover as anti-aircraft guns opened fire into the darkness overhead.
No bombs fell directly on the camp. But fragments from exploding anti-aircraft shells rained back to earth around them.
Tomorrow, Allen would fly what became his final recorded operational sortie with No. 12 Squadron SAAF.
Historical Significance
This entry is significant because it captures a side of military life that rarely appears in service records.
The official documents tell us that Allen completed forty operational sorties. The squadron diary reminds us that between those missions he also experienced the ordinary realities of wartime service:
- Life in a desert tent camp.
- Sanitation and disease prevention.
- Air raid alarms.
- Anti-aircraft fire.
- The constant awareness that the enemy remained nearby.
It also records the final full day before Allen’s fortieth and last recorded combat mission on 22 August 1942.
Sources
- AIR 27/166/172 – No. 12 Squadron SAAF Operations Record Book.
- John Allen Howell RCAF Service File (R/73766).
- John Allen Howell Personal Flight Log Book.
- North African Airfield Records and Landing Ground Coordinates.