Arriving at Souk-el-Arba, Farish encountered the RAF ‘commandos’, a group of rugged mechanics who had kept the muddy, puddle-littered airstrip and planes running before the squadron’s mechanics arrived. ‘These men, in tattered bits of uniform, dirty, long-haired, unshaven, tools sticking out of their pockets, were either cooking food over fires among the planes or dashing out to service aircraft as they landed. ‘These were the RAF “Commando” servicing echelon. Two flights of them, about 200 men, keeping flying four squadrons of Spitfires, one of Beaufighters and some Hurricanes.
