244669 John Brendon "Ginge" OHare South African Air Force 31 Squadron from:Armagh John O'Hare joined the SAAF I think because he was born in the Irish Free State and therefore not eligible for UK forces at the time although I am not sure about this.
He was 21 at the start of the war but I think joined later.
He had many memories of his time training in Palestine and time spent in Lebanon as well as Egypt. He was a navigator on Liberator bombers flying missions over Greece as well as the Middle East and North Africa. He would occasionally talk to us about this, but not often. He was shot down over Tobruk causing an injury which left him partially sighted. He was briefly captured and held in a holding camp but with others escaped into the desert, surviving on rations gleaned from the packs of fallen men.
He was able to rejoin his squadron and later spent time in Italy with the USAF, his memories of that time were mostly of how well fed the Americans were compared to the sparse rations he was used to.
Post war he came to England and joined the British Army and was a member of REME for 30 years, he retired to Bournemouth and passed away in February 2011 aged 93. I have photos from his time in the Middle East and North Africa.
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