"Royal Air Force- Operations in the Middle East and North Africa, 1939-1943." Major G J "Lemmie" le Mesurier, Officer Commanding No. 1 Squadron SAAF, standing by his Hawker Hurricane Mark IIB, BG971 'AX-V', at LG 92, Egypt. On 3 July 1942 le Mesurier, flying BG971, led eleven Hurricanes to intercept a dive-bombing raid in the El Alamein area. While the aircraft of No. 274 Squadron RAF provided top cover the South African Hurricanes attacked a large formation of Junkers Ju 87Bs and succeeded in shooting down thirteen in what was to become known as the Alamein "Stuka Party". The following day, le Mesurier was himself shot down and wounded. He did not return to the Squadron until the following September.