Page 80 - KBHA BULLETIN 6

The South African Air Force at Sea in False Bay

Guy Ellis

Introduction

It was only in 1969 that the South African Air Force relinquished its maritime element to
the South African Navy. What was to become known as 12 Motor Boat Wing was formed

in 1939 to operate armoured target boats and a rescue launch in False Bay. During the war
years the Wing grew to such an extent that it provided a rescue service along the whole of

the South African coastline. It also operated and maintained seaplane tenders, marine
tenders and bomb scows. These were used as ferries, for refuelling seaplanes, recovery of

practice bombs, and for laying and lifting moorings.

The Boats

The British Powerboat Company supplied the first armoured boat to the SAAF. This boat,

which became known as Malgas I, (Fig. 3.5), arrived in Cape Town in December 1939

aboard a commercial freighter.

The second armoured boat, Malgas II, was delivered to Cape Town aboard the Rochester

Castle on 11 March 1940. Accompanying this boat was the 64ft HSRL (High Speed
Rescue Launch) which was named Malmok, after the black-browed albatross of the Cape

seas. (Fig. 3.6). Powered by two Rolls Royce Merlin engines, this boat could reach a speed
of close to 40 knots.

The HSRL was unloaded, serviced, tested and generally prepared for sea. On 20 March

1940, the boat left Cape Town for the Gordon’s Bay base with Sir Pierre van Ryneveld,

Colonel Deneys Reitz, Colonel Venter, OC Cape Command, Captain Pretorius and other
officials on board. A full set of speed trails was run at sea and afterwards the boat

77