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1 Squadron SAAF pilot
From the National Archives AIR/27/13 1 Squadron SAAF ORB
Jan 23rd 1945
Cecil Boyd and Les Clarke bombed a group of 3 15 cwts. Cecil called out that he had undershot by 30 yds. and Les then went down and scored a VNM. They both strafed them then, Cecil setting one ablaze, both completely riddling and destroying a second, and damaging the third. they also strafed and damaged a fourth a little way from this group.
Cecil Boyd was heard to call up Kritz, the leader, and say that his cockpit was full of smoke and he would have to bale out. There was no reply from Kritz. Les Clarke who was flying behind Cecil, called him to say he would cover him. He and Bill Frisby watched Cecil pull up to about 5,000', and roll onto his side. Then, instead of baling out, he went straight down with his A/C which crashed and broke up at (W) L 942642. This was at 07.55 hrs. As the A/C was climbing, and again as it was diving to crash, a thin plume of black smoke was seen issuing from it. After it had crashed, Les saw what looked like a bit of dark coloured fabric float past him at 1500ft.
Kritz did not return with the others. He had last been seen at (W) L 908612 at 07.50 hrs. No A.A. had been seen in the area but there may, of course, have been ball A.A. And there had been high tension cables there, always a menace when pilots are strafing. On this show our pilots destroyed 8 M.T. and a trailer and a trailer, and damaged 4 M.T. and 1 H.D.V. But we lost two very fine pilots and two Spitfires, and that seems to be bad arithmetic. There was a small fire where Cecil Boyd's aircraft crashed.
We are hoping that Kritz may have crashed landed, and may get back to us. His knowledge of Italian will help him evade capture and to obtain assistance. It is not known why Cecil Boyd did not bale out. If anyone had the technique of baling buttoned up it was he, for he had baled out successfully three times. He had completed 145 hrs Operational flying, while Kritzinger had done 193.50 hrs.
During Cecil Boyd's tour he had destroyed, or shared in the destruction of, 26 road vehicles (excluding H.D.V.'s) 4 H.D.V.'s one 175mm gun, and 10 barges. Kritz put up a quite exceptional score during his tour. Excluding H.D.V.'s he personally destroyed 16 road vehicles and 1 tank, and shared in the destruction of 51 road vehicles, 2 barges, 5 railway trucks and 2 locomotives. In addition to these, both of them damaged a considerable number of road or rail vehicles. Both pilots were popular members of the Squadron. Cecil has for a good while being flying No 3 in the formation, while Kritz has for a considerable time been flying No 1. He was an exceptionally fine leader.
