Image: Royal Air Force- Operations in the Middle East and North Africa, 1940-1943. CM3112

Description: Royal Air Force- Operations in the Middle East and North Africa, 1940-1943. Squadron-Leader R H M Gibbes, Officer Commanding No. 3 Squadron RAAF, at LG 91, Egypt, shortly after being awarded the DFC for his leadership of the unit in the Western Desert. After initial service with Nos. 23 and 450 Squadrons RAAF, Gibbes transferred to No.3 Squadron RAAF intime to see action during the Syrian Campaign in June 1941. He was rapidly promoted during his subsequent service in the Western Desert and took command of the Squadron in February 1942. Despite being shot down twice he continued to lead 3 Squadron through the Battle of Alamein and the Tunisian campaign before his tour finished in April 1943 with a victory score of 12 enemy aircraft shot down. Gibbes then returned to Australia to lead No. 80 Wing RAAF in the South-West Pacific from October 1944 to April 1945, and to serve thereafter with the Air Board in Melbourne until the end of the War.
Title: Royal Air Force- Operations in the Middle East and North Africa, 1940-1943. CM3112
Credit: http://media.iwm.org.uk/iwm/mediaLib//55/media-55093/large.jpg This is photograph CM 3112 from the collections of the Imperial War Museums.
Author: Royal Air Force official photographer
Permission: This image was created and released by the Imperial War Museum on the IWM Non Commercial Licence. Photographs taken, or artworks created, by a member of the forces during their active service duties are covered by Crown Copyright provisions. Faithful reproductions may be reused under that licence, which is considered expired 50 years after their creation.
Usage Terms: Public domain
License: Public domain
Attribution Required?: No