▁another ▁Mac chi . ▁Gor r ini ▁shot ▁ 8 8 0 ▁bul lets ▁but ▁his ▁aircraft ▁had ▁been ▁hit : ▁there ▁were ▁ 1 2 ▁holes ▁in ▁his ▁fus el age . ▁N ine ▁days ▁later , ▁the ▁whole ▁ 1 8 ° ▁Gru ppo ▁was ▁esc ort ing ▁C . 2 0 0 ▁f ighter - b om bers ▁in ▁action ▁on ▁British ▁air fields ▁in ▁U adi ▁( or ▁W adi ) ▁Tam et ▁area . ▁Gor r ini ▁shot ▁down ▁a ▁ 9 2 ▁R AF ▁Squadron ▁Sp it fire ▁and ▁he ▁dam aged ▁another ▁from ▁the ▁squad ron ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁ace ▁F lying ▁Officer ▁Ne ville ▁Duke , ▁shooting ▁ 6 8 8 ▁ 1 2 , 7   mm ▁bul lets . ▁ ▁His ▁Gru ppo ▁was ▁often ▁task ed ▁to ▁stra fe ▁the ▁adv ancing ▁Al lied ▁columns ▁or ▁to ▁esc ort ▁German ▁bom bers . ▁On ▁ 2 6 ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁in ▁the ▁morning , ▁he ▁took ▁off ▁from ▁El ▁H amma , ▁to ▁esc ort , ▁with ▁other ▁pil ots ▁of ▁his ▁Squad rig lia , ▁St uk as ▁attack ing ▁Al lied ▁arm oured ▁forces ▁in ▁▁ ▁K s ar ▁Gh il ane ▁( an ▁o asis ▁of ▁southern ▁Tun is ia ▁located ▁on ▁the ▁eastern ▁limit ▁of ▁the ▁Grand ▁Er g ▁Oriental ), ▁then ▁he ▁st raf ed ▁the ▁enemy ▁troops . ▁In ▁the ▁afternoon , ▁on ▁K eb ili , ▁with ▁ten ente ▁Mel is