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Adolph Gysbert Malan (March 24, 1910 – September 17, 1963), better known as Sailor Malan, was a famed World War II RAF fighter pilot who led No. 74 Squadron RAF during the height of the Battle of Britain. Under his leadership the 74 became one of the RAF's best units. March 24 is the 83rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (84th in leap years). ...
1910 (MCMX) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ...
September 17 is the 260th day of the year (261st in leap years). ...
1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ...
Wellington is a town in the Cape Winelands just to the north of Paarl, in South Africa. ...
Image File history File links Ensign_of_the_Royal_Air_Force. ...
RAF redirects here. ...
A Group Captains sleeve/shoulder insignia A Group Captains command flag Group Captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. ...
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The RAFs Second Tactical Air Force was one of the major commands of the Royal Air Force during World War II. It was formed in June 1943 in connection with preparations then in train to invade Europe a year later. ...
Combatants United Kingdom Including combatants from United States of America Australia Canada Czechoslovakia Ireland Palestine Poland Germany Including combatants from Italy Commanders Hugh Dowding Hermann Göring Albert Kesselring Strength initially 700 aircraft; grew to nearly 1,000 by the end of the Battle. ...
DSO medal The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other Commonwealth countries, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat. ...
This article is about the award given in the United Kingdom; a separate article describes the award given in the United States. ...
March 24 is the 83rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (84th in leap years). ...
1910 (MCMX) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ...
September 17 is the 260th day of the year (261st in leap years). ...
1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ...
Combatants Allied Powers: United Kingdom France Soviet Union United States Republic of China and others Axis Powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Charles de Gaulle Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33...
RAF redirects here. ...
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Combatants United Kingdom Including combatants from United States of America Australia Canada Czechoslovakia Ireland Palestine Poland Germany Including combatants from Italy Commanders Hugh Dowding Hermann Göring Albert Kesselring Strength initially 700 aircraft; grew to nearly 1,000 by the end of the Battle. ...
Early life
Malan was born in Wellington, Cape Province, South Africa . He joined the South African Training Ship "General Botha" in 1924 and 1925 as a cadet at the age of 15, (cadet number 168), after which he joined the Union-Castle Line of the International Mercantile Marine Co. which later earned him the nickname of "Sailor" amongst his pilot colleagues. Wellington is a town in the Cape Winelands just to the north of Paarl, in South Africa. ...
Under the Union of South Africa and after that under the Republic of South Africa, the old Cape Colony became the Cape of Good Hope Province (though it was commonly known as the Cape Province). ...
The Union-Castle Line was a prominent shipping line that operated a fleet of passenger liners and freighters between Europe and Africa from 1900 to 1977. ...
The International Mercantile Marine Co. ...
Royal Air Force In 1935 the RAF started the rapid expansion of its pilot corps, and Malan was one of the people who joined up. He learned to fly on Tiger Moth at an elementary flying school near Bristol, flying for the first time on January 6, 1936. He completed training by the end of the year, and was sent to join 74 Squadron on December 20, 1936. He was promoted to Pilot Officer in January 1937, and was appointed to acting Flight Commander of "A" Flight, flying Spitfires, in August. He received another promotion to Flight Lieutenant just before the opening of the war. The de Havilland Tiger Moth was a 1930s biplane designed by de Havilland and used by the Royal Air Force and others as a trainer. ...
Bristol (IPA: ) is a city, unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, 115 miles (185 km) west of London and between the cities of Bath, Gloucester and the borough of Swindon. ...
A Pilot Officers sleeve/shoulder insignia Pilot Officer (Plt Off in the RAF; PLTOFF in the RAAF and RNZAF, P/O in the former RCAF) is the lowest substantive commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries, ranking only above Acting...
A Flight Lieutenants sleeve/shoulder insignia Flight Lieutenant (abbreviated as Flt Lt and pronounced as flight lef-tenant, see Lieutenant) is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. ...
The Second World War
The Battle of Barking Creek 74 Squadron saw its first action only 15 hours after war was declared, sent to intercept a bomber raid that turned out to be returning RAF planes. On September 6, 1939 "A" Flight was scrambled to intercept a suspected enemy radar track and ran into the Hurricanes of No. 56 Squadron RAF. Believing 56 to be the enemy Malan ordered an attack and in the subsequent tragic battle pilots Paddy Byrne and John Freeborn shot two RAF aircraft down, killing one officer, Montague Hulton-Harrop. This friendly fire incident of aircraft shooting at each other became known as the Battle of Barking Creek. At the subsequent courts martial, the court accepted that the entire incident was an unfortunate error. September 6 is the 249th day of the year (250th in leap years). ...
1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...
Number 56 (R) Squadron is one of the oldest and most successful squadrons in the Royal Air Force, with battle honours from many of the significant air campaigns of both world wars. ...
For other uses, see Friendly Fire (disambiguation). ...
A court-martial (plural courts-martial) is a military court that determines punishments for members of the military subject to military law. ...
Dunkirk Events soon overtook the squadron. After fierce fighting over Dunkrik during the evacuation of Dunkirk on June 28, 1940, Sailor was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross having achieved 5 'kill' claims. During this battle he first exhibited his fearless and implacable fighting spirit. In one incident he was able to coolly change the light bulb in his gunsight while in combat and then quickly return to the fray. During the night of 19/20 June Malan flew a night sortie in bright moonlight and shot down two Heinkel He-111 bombers, a then unique feat for which a bar to his DFC was awarded. French troops rescued by a British merchant ship at Dunkirk Operation Dynamo (or Dunkirk Evacuation or just Dunkirk) was the name given to the World War II mass evacuation of Allied soldiers from May 26 to June 4, 1940, during the Battle of Dunkirk. ...
This article is about the award given in the United Kingdom; a separate article describes the award given in the United States. ...
The Heinkel He 111 was the primary Luftwaffe medium bomber during the early stages of World War II, and is perhaps the most famous symbol of the German side of the Battle of Britain. ...
Malan and his senior pilots also decided to abandon the "vic" formation used by the RAF, and turned to a looser formation based on the "finger four" that the Luftwaffe had developed just before the war started. Legend has it that on July 28 he met Werner Mölders in combat, damaging his plane and wounding him, but failing to bring him down. Recent research has suggested however that Mölders was wounded in a fight with No. 41 Squadron RAF. This does not cite its references or sources. ...
July 28 is the 209th day (210th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 156 days remaining. ...
Werner Mölders (March 18, 1913 - November 22, 1941) was a German Luftwaffe World War II fighter ace. ...
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Squadron Leader – 74 Squadron On August 8th Malan was given command of 74 Squadron and promoted to Acting Squadron Leader. This was at the height of the Battle of Britain. Three days later, on the 11th, action started at 7am when 74 was sent to intercept a raid near Dover, but this was followed by another three raids, lasting all day. At the end of the day 74 had claimed to have shot down 38 aircraft, and was known from then on as "Sailor's August the Eleventh". Malan himself simply commented, "thus ended a very successful morning of combat." A Squadron Leaders sleeve/shoulder insignia Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in some air forces. ...
Combatants United Kingdom Including combatants from United States of America Australia Canada Czechoslovakia Ireland Palestine Poland Germany Including combatants from Italy Commanders Hugh Dowding Hermann Göring Albert Kesselring Strength initially 700 aircraft; grew to nearly 1,000 by the end of the Battle. ...
Arms of Dover Borough Council This article is about the English port. ...
On the ground Malan was remembered as an inveterate gambler and often owed his subordinates money. Malan was older than most of his charges and although sociable and relaxed off duty spent most of his time with his wife and family living near Biggin Hill. He would soon develop a routine of flying the first sortie of the day and then handing the squadron to a subordinate while he stayed on the ground to do paperwork. Despite frosty relations after the Battle of Barking Creek he would often give command of the squadron to John Freeborn (himself an ace of note), showing Malan's ability to keep the personal and professional separate. Malan commanded 74 Squadron with strict discipline and did not suffer fools gladly, and could be high-handed with sergeant pilots (many non-commissioned pilots were joining the RAF at this time). He could also be reluctant to hand out decorations, and he had a strict yardstick by which he would make recommendations for medals: six kills confirmed for a DFC, twelve for a bar to the DFC; eighteen for a DSO. The Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen, perhaps the most famous ace of all. ...
Wing Commander – Biggin Hill On December 24th Malan received the Distinguished Service Order, and on July 22, 1941, Bars to the Order. On 10th March 1941 he was appointed as one of the first Wing Leaders for the offensive operations that spring and summer, leading the Biggin Hill Wing until mid August, when he was rested from operations. He finished his active fighter career in 1941 with 27 kills destroyed, 7 shared destroyed and 2 unconfirmed, 3 probables and 16 damaged, at the time the RAF's leading ace, and the one of the highest scoring pilots to have served wholly with Fighter Command during WW2. DSO medal The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other Commonwealth countries, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat. ...
A Wing Commanders sleeve/shoulder insignia A Wing Commanders command flag Wing Commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. ...
Group Captain After tours to the USA and the Central Gunnery School, Malan was promoted to Group Captain in 1941 and became Station Commander at Biggin Hill. Malan remained keen to fly on operations, often ignoring standing orders for Station Commanders not to risk getting shot down. In October 1943 he became OC 19 Fighter Wing, 2nd TAF, then commander of the 145 (Free French) Fighter Wing in time for D-day, leading a section of the wing over the beaches during the late afternoon. A Group Captains sleeve/shoulder insignia A Group Captains command flag Group Captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. ...
Biggin Hill is a place in the London Borough of Bromley in London, England. ...
The RAFs Second Tactical Air Force was one of the major commands of the Royal Air Force during World War II. It was formed in June 1943 in connection with preparations then in train to invade Europe a year later. ...
Rules of Air Fighting Although not an instinctive, gifted pilot Malan was an exceptional shot and a very aggressive air fighter, and above all a superb tactician who instilled the methods and techniques he had honed in 1940 into successive generations of young fighter pilots who followed him.
Malan developed a set of simple rules for fighter pilots, to be disseminated throughout RAF Fighter Command, which eventually could be found tacked to the wall of most airbases: Fighter Command was one of three functional commands that dominated the public perception of the RAF for much of the mid-20th century. ...
TEN OF MY RULES FOR AIR FIGHTING
- Wait until you see the whites of his eyes. Fire short bursts of one to two seconds only when your sights are definitely "ON"
- Whilst shooting think of nothing else, brace the whole of your body: have both hands on the stick: concentrate on your ring sight.
- Always keep a sharp lookout. "Keep your finger out".
- Height gives you the initiative.
- Always turn and face the attack.
- Make your decisions promptly. It is better to act quickly even though your tactics are not the best.
- Never fly straight and level for more than 30 seconds in the combat area.
- When diving to attack always leave a proportion of your formation above to act as a top guard.
- INITIATIVE, AGGRESSION, AIR DISCIPLINE, and TEAM WORK are words that MEAN something in Air Fighting.
- Go in quickly - Punch hard - Get out!
Later life In 1946 Malan left the RAF and returned to South Africa. In the 1950s he formed a protest group of ex-servicemen called the Torch Commando to fight the National Party's plans to remove Cape's "coloured" voters from the roll. The Torch Commando fought a battle for more than five years, and at its height had 250,000 members. The government was alarmed by the number of judges, public servants and military officers joining the organisation that a new law was passed to ban anyone in public service or the military from joining. The Torch Commando was a South African organisation of World War Two veterans, founded in 1951. ...
Malan died in 1963 from Parkinson's Disease, at the time a rare and essentially mysterious malady. A considerable sum of money was raised in his name to further study the disease, a fund that continues to this day.
He left his wife, Lynda, son Jonathan, and daughter Valerie.
In the 1969 war film Battle of Britain the Robert Shaw character 'Squadron Leader Skipper' was explicitly based on Malan, as recounted by Guy Hamilton in the Special Edition DVD release of that film (2004), in the documentary 'A Film for the Few' included within that DVD release. For the 1943 Frank Capra documentary, see The Battle of Britain. ...
Robert Shaw as Quint in Jaws. ...
Guy Hamilton (born September 16, 1922, Paris, France) was a noted film director. ...
Awards DSO medal The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other Commonwealth countries, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat. ...
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdoms Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against the enemy...
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of both Belgium and France which was first created in 1915. ...
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