Master Aviation mechanics papers
British Palestine pilots memorabilia.
World War Two was fought by many brave men and women. In our minds, when we recall those fateful events during a period of 6 years and even longer, depending where the conflict took place, we automatically think of those who fought in the jungles, fields, cities, door to door combat and on the beaches. But we sometimes tend to forget, not intentionally, those “behind the scenes” that took part in every single conflict and event, those who might not have been there on the front but without them, the wars and battles may not have been won.
Be it in the Pacific, Asia, Europe or the Middle East, thousands of individuals contributed to the success of the fighting men in the battle fields: Clerks, paymasters, instructors, drivers, suppliers and mechanics. Yes, everyone took part, contributed to the allied victory of World War Two.
The article here will tell the story of one such individual. The images here are of documents belonging to an aviation master mechanic that joined the war effort and boarded ships that took him to the Middle East, Africa and India. This mechanic worked around the clock to maintain the engines on board war-time ships as a crew member.
British Mandate passport number 100325 was issued to Shraga Golant at Jerusalem on April 8th 1938. His original profession is indicated as ‘Motor Driver’ but we can see that this was amended to ‘Master Aviation Mechanic’ in 1942 following his technical training undertook earlier in the UK.
Hi obtained the entry visa to the United Kingdom on May 11th 1938 and entered on June 18th. During his stay he received his British aviation license papers and from there he went to the US, via Canada, arriving on March 11th 1939 at Elise Island, New York. The following year he reached Cape Town South Africa and even attended the Marine Parade that took place at Durban.
Shraga returned to British Palestine via Tanganyika & the Suez on January 11th 1941 (his renewed aviators license is issued in Jerusalem and signed by the director of civil aviation Major Douglas W Gumbly (1934-1947)). Further war time duties took him to Syria and Lebanon in French military convoys, Asmara and the Sudan. He served on board several ships (after enlisting to the Merchant Fleet) such as the S/S Amal merchant ship (equipped with 20mm anti-aircraft cannon; delivering ammunition & NAAFI supplies) as a crew member, the “Ocean Pride” (1942-1966) and the “Empire Crown” (serving on ETM & FTM Convoys – Thames to France and back (MT) 1944; sailing between Southend and the Seine Bay). Later war service took him back to the ports in the UK and even arriving at Calcutta in 1945.
List of Allied convoy codes during World War II
We must never forget the countless efforts that everyone contributed to the victories of their armies. At the end, light prevailed over darkness in the ultimate victories of 1945.
I have added images of this war-time passport and aviation related documents.
Thank you for reading “Our Passports”.
