This stamp is a little bit reminiscent of a Japanese stamp done a while back, see https://the-philatelist.com/2019/02/13/japan-1942-saluting-the-japanese-pilot/ . Here we have an official portrait of DSO awarded pilot while he was still in the fight. There is a great story to tell. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
South African artist Neville Lewis had served in the British Army in World War I and between the wars developed a distinguished reputation as a portrait painter. In 1940 he was named the first official war artist of the Union Defense Forces. In 1942 there was an idea for a stamp series showing the contributions of the various services. Lewis summitted images suitable for minituration on a stamp of an individual fighter pilot, a nurse, a sailor, a tanker, and a member of the black native corps. The pilot, the sailor, and the nurse made the issue. Lewis was disappointed that the native corps member did not make the issue as he thought it was the best, but it should be remembered that the native corps did not deploy overseas. The image is below.
Todays stamp is issue A27, a one and a half Pence stamp issued by South Africa in 1942. It was a nine stamp issue in various denominations. According to the Scott catalog the stamp is worth 25 cents used.
Bob Kershaw was a pilot of a Hawker Hurricane fighter with No. 3 squadron of the South African Air Force. There was a deployment in early 1941 to Kenya to participate in the campaign to dislodge the Italians from Ethiopia. On March 15th, during an attack on a Italian air base at Dire Dawa, Kershaw’s Squadron Commander John Frost’s Hurricane was hit by anti aircraft fire. The hit was to his engine’s coolant tank and so he knew in short order that the Rolls Royce Merlin engine would overheat and seize up. Frost decided to land the Hurricane at a satellite field. He did so and set the Hurricane on fire so it would not fall into Italian hands.
Seeing what was happening, Kershaw also landed his still flyable Hurricane and by ditching parachutes and Frost siting in Kershaw’s lap and handling the stick, both were able to escape in the single small seated Hurricane. Kershaw became the first South African recipient of the British Distinguished Service Order. Kershaw soon converted to Spitfires and was promoted to Major. He was however later shot down and survived the war as a POW.
John Frost was later made a wing commander and his unit converted to the American made P40 fighter. Over Egypt and escorting also American made A26 Boston, America called them Havoc, bombers, John Frost went missing and neither him nor his plane was ever found. It is thought that he may have fell to the famous German ace Hans- Joachime Marsalles who got six of his 158 kills that day.
Kershaw post war managed a Ford car dealer in London. He eventually moved back to South Africa where he was made a wing commandant in the post war air force. He died in 1998 in Knysna.
Well my drink is empty. This will be a fun night because there is so much toasting to do. Come again soon when there will be another story to be learned from stamp collecting. First published in 2021