Contents 6 Introduction – The debt we owe 8 The letter that changed the course of history 10 The Battle of Britain 22 Spitfire or Hurricane – which was the best fighter in the Battle of Britain? 28 Spitfire versus Bf 109 From a technical viewpoint 30 RAF Bentley Priory HQ Fighter Command 34 Kent’s place of pilgrimage 38 London’s monument 40 Battle Honour Battle of Briatin 1940 42 Making an epic
46 Corpo Aereo Italiano 48 “Like a pea falling on a tin plate” 52 Battle of Britain spirit flies on in the RAF 56 The Battle on canvas 58 They also served 66 RAF Duxford Battle of Britain fighter station 72 Fighter VC 74 Telling the story of the Battle 78 Taming the ‘Sea Lion’ 84 Biggin Hill’s RAF Chapel of Rememberance 88 Across the Channel 92 Messerschmitt Bf 109E cockpit
94 98 100 102 108 110 112 114 116
‘Defender of London’ 1940 Hurricane scramble Combat Hurricane Paying the price of freedom ‘Emil’ Battle of Britain Day Spitfire ‘Ditching’ Bader’s Battle ‘Stapme’ Stapleton One of ‘The Few’ 120 Rare opportunities 122 Tribut to ‘The Few’
Editor:
Jarrod Cotter jcotter@mortons.co.uk Dan Savage Louise Blackah, Luigino Caliaro, Martyn Chorlton, John Dibbs, Iain Duncan, Juanita Franzi, Geoffrey Lee, François Prins, Clive Rowley, Chris Sandham-Bailey, Andy Saunders, Philip E West
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© 2010 Mortons Media Group Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the publisher. ISBN No 978-1-906167-37-0
Left: Messerschmitt Bf 109E White 14 caught in an atmospheric skyscape. John M Dibbs/Plane Picture Company Cover: The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s Spitfire IIa P7350 and Hurricane IIc LF363 marking the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain in fine style. Jim Dooley
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Battle of Britain 5
The debt
we owe I t was with some humility that I chose the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain as the subject for this issue of Aviation Classics. As I witnessed several occasions marking the event, it struck me how much widespread national respect there still is for those who fought that crucial aerial battle. But alas, as highlighted within these pages in the interview with ‘Stapme’ Stapleton, ‘The Few’ are getting ever fewer. I was saddened to think of how ‘Stapme’ would have been so keenly involved with this year’s commemorations, so I tried hard to ensure that the precious time I was privileged to spend with the veterans, now mostly in their 90s, had a strong input to this publication. The first time I met a veteran of the Battle is still strong in my memory. I was an Air Cadet at the time, and on summer camp at RAF Manston in Kent – itself a famous Battle of Britain airfield. The Manston Spitfire Memorial Building had only recently been opened, and we were most excited to be shown around the fighter by Robert Stanford Tuck. It made my will to join the Royal Air Force ever stronger. At the time of the Battle’s 50th anniversary in 1990, I was serving overseas at Brüggen with the RAF Germany Tornado force. I felt slightly envious of those lucky enough to be on parade for the occasion outside Buckingham Palace on 15 September, but our job had just taken a serious turn. Following the invasion of Kuwait by Iraqi forces, the first jets from Brüggen had left for the Gulf on 27 August. After many years dominated by Cold War operations in Europe, suddenly Tornados were departing to a desert environment unfamiliar to the personnel of the time. So on the brink of that important anniversary the RAF was taking on a new challenge, though as stated by Geoffrey Wellum on page 129 the ethos and Esprit de Corps of the Service hasn’t changed – and when the Gulf War later began it again fought with distinction. I sincerely hope that this edition of Aviation Classics, first published to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Jarrod Cotter Britain, highlights the debt we Editor owe to ‘The Few’.
Above: After the Battle it was decided that every qualifying Allied airman who flew during it should be entitled to the ‘immediate’ award of the 1939-1945 Star with a Battle of Britain Clasp. To qualify for the clasp an airman had to have made at least one authorised operational flight with one of the 71 designated Fighter Command units between 10 July and 31 October 1940.
Left: Combat report from 15 September 1940 by Robert Stanford Tuck, who was the first Battle of Britain veteran the editor met.
In the UK we are fortunate to have the world’s only airworthy examples of a Hurricane and Spitfire which flew operationally during the Battle of Britain. P7350 and R4118 are seen together during the 70th anniversary year of the Battle in the skies over the Lincolnshire Wolds on 19 August 2010. Jarrod Cotter
The letter that changed the course of history
O
n 16 May 1940 Air Chief Marshal Lord Dowding, Air Officer Commandingin-Chief of Fighter Command, wrote this famous letter to the Under Secretary of State at the Air Ministry requesting that a sufficient Home Defence fighter force be maintained in Britain and that until the minimum strength was reached not a single further fighter should be sent to France. Lord Dowding realised how controversial it was – he was effectively saying that the Allies were in great trouble with the fight in France and that if more squadrons were sent there they would just add to the wastage, and that the whole war could then be lost. He also realised that the letter would have to be passed to the highest level.
Prime Minister Winston Churchill had flown across the Channel and sent a telegraph stating that more fighter squadrons be sent to France. Three days later he cancelled that order and all but three of the Hurricane squadrons based overseas flew back to operate from home airfields. Lord Dowding remarked that their return had “converted a desperate situation into a serious situation”. The letter and Lord Dowding’s subsequent insistence during Cabinet meetings that Britain built up a sufficient fighter force paved the way for the RAF to be in a position to achieve victory in the Battle of Britain. These pages show in full the exact and original letter, which is in the care of the RAF College Cranwell. It is reproduced here with kind permission. Battle of Britain 9
TheBattleof
Britain François Prins describes how for the first time in histor y a major battle was fought and decided in the sky.
Spitfire Is of 610 (County of Chester) Squadron on patrol from RAF Hornchurch in the summer of 1940. All via author
T
he Battle of Britain came as no surprise to those in command. Following the declaration of war on 3 September 1939, it was just a matter of time before Nazi-Germany made a bid for further territorial gains. Despite assurances given to Britain in the years leading up to war, Adolf Hitler had a plan for a great Germany that ruled Europe. That he wanted Britain to be his partner rather than his enemy is a matter of record, but the terms suggested could never be palatable to Britain or any other western European nation. While the government of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain debated the reality of another World War, Germany was rearming. However, some politicians and industrialists were firmly convinced that a major war was a matter of a few years away. Those who were of this opinion got on with gearing up for combat. Hawker, for example, demonstrated the new Hurricane in 1935 but could not get the Air Ministry and Treasury to agree a purchase of, what was 10 aviationclassics.co.uk
at the time, the most modern Allied fighter. While officialdom prevaricated, Tom Sopwith and the Hawker-Siddeley board made their mind up to privately finance the tooling up of the factory at Kingston-onThames to build the Hurricane. Had they not made this bold move the aircraft would certainly have been delayed into production and onward squadron service. Likewise, Vickers and Rolls-Royce continued to invest heavily in some of their products that would be of service to the armed forces without a guarantee of purchase by the government. Germany, on the other hand, had a major rebuilding programme that had started when Hitler was voted Chancellor in 1933. His promise to provide labour and wages for a Germany that had been humiliated in 1919 was a clarion call to the population. It is easy with hindsight to say that one would not have supported the Nazi party, but at a time when the Mark was listed at four millions to the US dollar, it is hardly surprising that Hitler was heralded. Part of the scheme to utilise the vast labour force was in the manufacture of
goods for export and for armaments. Germany grew strong in a few years and by 1938 was dominating Europe as the major power, only France and Britain with its Empire – one that Hitler greatly admired – stood in the way.
‘PHONEY WAR’ AND FRANCE
Although war was declared on 3 September 1939, very little happened in the way of conflict. A false air-raid alarm on 3 September sent people in London scurrying for the shelters. It was to France that the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and the Royal Air Force (RAF) were deployed. Bomber Command was restricted to leaflet drops rather than bombing raids on Germanoccupied cities. This was because it was deemed that any legitimate targets, such as armament and aircraft factories, were owned by civilians and therefore not a military objective. Matters quickly altered as the war went on. That this period of the war became known as the ‘Phoney War’ by Britain and America and ‘Sitzkreig’ by the Germans does not mean that there was no action. The first
Above: On stand-by, pilots slept, read or played games. Here a game of draughts is in progress with an audience of fellow airmen. Note that some have their ‘Mae Wests’ already on and flying helmets to hand ready to scramble at a moment’s notice. Below: Photographed in France in 1940, a Messerschmitt Bf 109E-1 of 8/JG2 Richtofen, with Luftwaffe ground crew enjoying the hot summer. Rifles are at the ready in the foreground.
casualty list of World War Two released on 1 January 1940, lists 758 personnel killed, with 210 aircraft losses. The RAF, the BEF and the Royal Navy were all in action during this period. However, on 10 May this changed when German forces moved at great speed against neutral Belgium, the Netherlands and France. The RAF squadrons in France were scrambled to intercept and, even though they were considerably outnumbered, scored several successes. Putting more RAF aircraft into the field was not an option that Fighter Command C-in-C, Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding, considered. He knew that the battle for France had become hopeless and that all available aircraft
would be needed for the fight still to come. His famous letter to the Under Secretary of State, dated 16 May, clearly states that sending more RAF aircraft to France would leave Britain open to invasion as there would be insufficient forces to defend an invader. Dowding had stated that he needed 46 to 52 squadrons of fighters to adequately defend Britain against the enemy. His letter concludes: ‘...if the Home Defence Force is drained away in desperate attempts to remedy the situation in France, defeat in France will involve the final, complete and irremediable defeat of this country.’ By sending his letter he put his job on the line, especially as the new Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, was keen to support France. However, the Cabinet and Churchill eventually agreed with Dowding and no
Battle of Britain 11
further squadrons were deployed to France. Although on 17 May, the only six Hurricane squadrons left in Fighter Command that had not been pressed into action in France began a rotation system where three units would fly to France in the morning and be replaced by the remaining three in the afternoon. It was a compromise that put crews in jeopardy. By this time, Britain had already left Norway and began to evacuate from France. RAF units abandoned many aircraft that had become unserviceable as they returned to bases in southern England to continue the fight. The last to evacuate from France was 73 Squadron on 18 June from Nantes. During the Battle of France the RAF lost some 25% of its interceptor force. One of Churchill’s first speeches as Prime Minister talked about the Battle of France and the oncoming Battle of Britain. This conflict followed a clear line; Hitler threatened invasion of the British Isles and to do this he had to neutralise the RAF. This task was taken on by Reichmarshall Herman Goering, the Luftwaffe Commander-in-Chief. His pilots had been blooded in the Spanish Civil War and, unlike the majority of French and British pilots, had combat experience. Consequently, he believed that they were better and the much larger forces at his command would quickly overcome the smaller RAF. Hitler gave Goering four weeks and made plans for an invasion of Great Britain by mid-August. By the end of May 1940 RAF Fighter Command had at its disposal around 600 modern single-engined fighters – Hurricanes, Spitfires and Defiants – and about 230 other aircraft in reserve. While it looked good on paper, it was a disorganised RAF that had returned from France to face the larger
Luftwaffe. Patrols were flown over the beaches of Dunkirk to support the evacuation of the BEF and by 4 June Fighter Command had lost over 100 aircraft and 80 pilots. The following morning only 331 Hurricanes and Spitfires remained serviceable – it was a matter of grave concern for Dowding.
PRELUDE TO THE BATTLE
After the Battle of France, in which it had suffered heavy losses, the Luftwaffe also needed time to recover and re-equip and to consolidate its position on all the new airfields it had captured in France and the Low Countries. The Luftwaffe suffered from supply problems, as German fighter production was 40% below target by summer 1940. Britain was able to take advantage of the respite to give the pilots of Fighter Command a short break and to consolidate aircraft production. Between June and early August the factories more than made up for the heavy losses in France and by 19 June, 520 aircraft were ready for operations. During June 1940, while the Battle of France was still going on, the Luftwaffe used a small part of its forces, about 5 to 10%, on active operations against the United Kingdom. Its objectives were to reconnoitre
Essential for the success of the Battle of Britain was the radar network, which gave early warning of approaching enemy aircraft.
12 aviationclassics.co.uk
The operations board at RAF Uxbridge. This picture was taken just before the war. airfields, practice methods of navigation, give crews experience of flying over the British Isles (including night training), probe defences, harass the civilian population and disrupt industry. To make up numbers in Britain pilots from the Fleet Air Arm had been transferred to Fighter Command, but this was not enough to bring them up to full strength and Belgian, Polish and Czechoslovakian pilots that had fled their respective countries following the German invasion joined the RAF ranks. There was no time to train pilots fully and after basic training they were posted to active
Rupert Smythe of 32 Squadron photographed in his Hurricane I P3522 in August 1940.
The Observer Corps also played a vital role during the Battle of Britain; the man on the left is using an instrument for measuring the altitude and heading for unidentified aircraft, while his colleague keeps his binoculars on the formation.
units where squadron commanders had to teach novice airmen the art of combat and survival tactics. The German attacks were a means of maintaining pressure on Britain until the full weight of the Luftwaffe could be brought into action. At first they caused inconvenience and some loss of production, not from any actual damage inflicted but from the perpetual and protracted air raid alarms which they provoked. However, once the nature of these nuisance attacks was recognised the number of alarms initiated was greatly reduced and the raids became much less effective. From the start of the war the Luftwaffe had attacked British shipping in the English Channel and the North Sea. By selecting shipping in these areas, the Luftwaffe hoped to stretch Fighter Command’s resources by forcing the British to commit valuable fighter aircraft to close escort of this important lifeline. Initially, some light bombing raids were made on selected south coast ports, but later in July heavier raids were mounted against south coast ports such as Falmouth, Plymouth, Portland, Weymouth and Dover. Meanwhile, the encounters over the Channel and North Sea increased in ferocity as British coastal convoys came under increasingly heavy attack.
“THERE WAS NO TIME TO TRAIN PILOTS FULLY AND AFTER BASIC TRAINING THEY WERE POSTED TO ACTIVE UNITS WHERE SQUADRON COMMANDERS HAD TO TEACH NOVICE AIRMEN THE ART OF COMBAT AND SURVIVAL TACTICS.”
Spitfire I photographed at night in 1940.
Junkers Ju 87 divebombers attacking a convoy just off Dover in the early stages of the Battle of Britain. Battle of Britain 13
“HITLER GAVE GOERING FOUR WEEKS AND MADE PLANS FOR AN INVASION OF GREAT BRITAIN BY MID-AUGUST.” ‘FIRST DAY’
On 10 July, the weather pattern was scattered showers in South East England and the Channel and continuous rain elsewhere. At approximately 11:00 hours a convoy steamed past Dover. As it neared Manston, Kent, it was attacked by a Dornier Do 17, escorted by 10 Messerschmitt Bf 109s, but timely intervention by two RAF fighter squadrons saw the enemy aircraft driven off. They suffered losses of one Bf 109 confirmed and four probables. Six Hurricanes from RAF Biggin Hill in Kent took up escort duty; at 13:25 hours a large force of about 120 enemy aircraft collected behind Calais and approached a convoy between Dover and Dungeness. Fighter interception by five squadrons resulted in six Messerschmitt Bf 110s, one Bf 109, one Do 17 and one Do 215 being confirmed as having been shot down, plus two Bf 110s, five Bf 109s and four Do 215s as probables. Further enemy harassing raids took place along the West, South and East coasts that day. This was especially heavy in the West, but as the weather deteriorated towards the evening, enemy activity decreased. One Junkers Ju 88 was shot down by anti-aircraft fire. Some shipping was attacked in the East and West Raynham airfield in Norfolk was bombed. During the course of these attacks one Do 17 and one Heinkel He 111 were shot down as well as one Do 17 and one He 111 being listed as probable. No.242 Squadron from RAF Tangmere in Sussex took part and was credited with one certain and one unconfirmed. The Luftwaffe also mounted a few sporadic raids over the Scottish coast, but none of these were intercepted and little damage resulted. Between 21:30 and 05:30 hours, Fighter Command plotted 12 raids between the Firth of Tay and Beachy Head, but the weather was poor and none of the RAF fighters were scrambled to intercept. Bombs were dropped on Guisborough, Canewdon, Hertford, Isle of Grain, Tobermory (Isle of Mull, West Coast of Scotland), Colchester, Welwyn and Ely. That day, the RAF claimed eight German fighters confirmed and 11 unconfirmed, plus four bombers confirmed and six unconfirmed.
A trio of 92 Squadron Spitfire Is line up for take-off from Biggin Hill during the Battle of Britain.
14 aviationclassics.co.uk
Ground crew working on the Merlin of a Hurricane from 501 Squadron – scenes such as this were common at all airfields in 1940 as engineers worked tirelessly to crucially keep as many fighters serviceable as they possibly could. Two Hurricanes were shot down and two crashed on landing. Some 200 patrols were flown on 10 July, involving 641 aircraft. One of the downed Bf 109s was inspected and a report of the time notes: ‘…that this aircraft is armed with two cannon, one in each wing, and two machine guns firing through the airscrew. Previous reports that this aircraft carried three cannon are incorrect.’ Defence Reports logged on the day after listed the following: Martlesham Aerodrome. At 05:15 hours, 5 HE (High Explosive) bombs fell on the RAF station. No damage reported. Honington Aerodrome. At 05:17 hours, 2 HE bombs (either 100 or 250lbs) one of which fell within 100 yards of a Wellington at dispersal point, i.e. 600 yards of hangar and the other within 400 yards of same hangar. (Dornier aircraft concerned was reported shot down by No.66 Squadron). West Raynham Aerodrome. At 05:44 hours, seventeen bombs (type unspecified) estimated between 50 and 100lbs. each, were dropped, causing minor damage to plant and setting a hangar on fire. Three Ansons and one Gladiator were burnt out in the hangar. Three Battles and one Tutor were superficially damaged. The effect on operational ability was nil. Marham Aerodrome. At 05:57 hours, about 14 bombs (type unspecified) fell in
cornfield 300 yards north-east of the aerodrome. Wires on the road nearby were cut. No damage to the station. However, the Luftwaffe was unaware of the roles played by the Observer Corps, radar and the control system which deployed the defending squadrons. These initial raids greatly assisted in fine tuning the system and led to technical improvements to be made to the radar stations and in giving the fighter controllers actual battle experience that they did not otherwise have. It would appear that the Luftwaffe was probing the defences as they initially attacked coastal targets and shipping before gradually moving inland to fighter bases, radar stations and eventually London. The heavy Luftwaffe raids on a wide front that day led to the largest and most sustained action yet by RAF Fighter Command. Consequently, 10 July is the day which the British later designated as the start of the Battle of Britain.
SCRAMBLE!
Adolf Hitler had plans to invade the British Isles; Operation Sealion did exist but it was nothing as comprehensive as Operation Overlord of 1944 when the Allies landed in France. With hindsight it is open to debate as to how successful the German invasion would have been but, nevertheless, the threat was real.
At 07:30 on 11 July, 10 Junkers Ju 87 Stukas and 20 Bf 109s were detected by radar and six Hurricanes and six Spitfires were scrambled from Warmwell, Dorset, on an interception course. The German aircraft were after a convoy heading for Lyme Bay; the Spitfires were ordered to protect the convoy while the Hurricanes headed for the German formation. As the Stukas headed for the ships three Spitfires went into the attack and shot down two aircraft. One Hurricane was shot down and the attack was thwarted. No ships were lost. This early morning sortie led to several more during the day as the Luftwaffe mounted further attacks on shipping in the Channel. Various air battles developed and aircraft were lost on both sides, with the Germans bearing the brunt. On that day the RAF flew 432 sorties. These early attacks gave the sector controllers the experience they required for the coming battles and it also enabled the Observer Corps and the radar operators to hone their skills. This first phase of the Battle saw increased action by the Luftwaffe against various targets, especially RAF bases which had to be put out of service. Bearing the main brunt of the Battle were the fighters of 11 Group under the command of Air Vice Marshal Keith Park. The main bases from Tangmere in West Sussex to Biggin Hill, Kenley, North Weald, Hornchurch and Manston among others were in 11 Group’s area. On 11 August, the Luftwaffe launched its first large-scale attack on a specific target in Britain. Earlier in the day fighters annoyed the Dover defences to draw attention away from the 70 or more Heinkel He 111s and Junkers Ju 88s with an escort of over 100 Messerschmitt Bf 109s that were on their way to Portland navy base. Eight squadrons of Hurricanes and Spitfires were
A Messerschmitt Bf 109E is examined after being shotdown and crash-landing in Kent. Note the bullet holes in the rear fuselage.
Dornier Do 17Es in formation en route to attack RAF airfields in Southern England.
Pilots at the ready to be scrambled to intercept enemy raiders. Note the old caravan that has been adapted as a make-shift crew room.
Hurricane Is of 601 (County of London) Squadron being refuelled and rearmed at RAF Tangmere in July 1940.
scrambled to intercept the enemy and in the ensuing dogfight the Luftwaffe lost 40 aircraft while the RAF lost 26 fighters. The fact that the RAF was waiting for approaching formations, or was on the scene quickly, had not escaped the German pilots. They complained and Luftwaffe High Command finally put it down to the radar that the British were using. Before any further attacks on inland targets could be mounted the radar stations would have to be destroyed. On 12 August at 07:30 hours the Luftwaffe made its first determined attack on the radar stations at Dover, Pevensey, Rye, Dunkirk (in Kent) and Ventnor on the Isle of Wight. Ju 87 dive-bombers attacked two convoys in the Thames Estuary at the same time. Six radar stations were attacked, but only Ventnor was put out of action, buildings at the other stations had been slightly damaged but the radar equipment was not affected. It had been the busiest day since the Battle began with Fighter Command flying 732 sorties. By 12 August the Luftwaffe had lost 261 aircraft and Fighter Command 127. August developed into the busiest period of the Battle with RAF squadrons flying four or five sorties a day. Pilots were in action every day and for long periods of time. Working just as hard
were the ground crews and engineers who kept the battleweary aircraft serviceable. On landing the fighters were refuelled and re-armed while the pilot snatched a quick cup of tea and a sandwich. Robert Stanford Tuck recalled that often he would not even leave the cockpit unless “I had to have a pee and that was beside the aircraft. We just got on with it. All of us were the same and by the middle of the month we were exhausted.” Sometimes they transferred north for a ‘rest’, but would be called to action when the enemy attacked industrial targets and airfields in the north. So it was not always a rest.
Flying Officer WP ‘Billy’ Clyde of 601 (County of London) Squadron takes a well-earned rest during the hectic daily combat flying of the Battle. Clyde was a famous pre-war skier and joined the RAF at the outbreak of war.
HITTING FIGHTER COMMAND
Meanwhile the Luftwaffe, having failed to destroy the RAF in the air, turned its attention to Fighter Command airfields in the south. On 13 August the Luftwaffe mounted a total of 1485 sorties against Britain; not only on the airfields at Detling and Eastchurch but also hitting Portland naval base and the port of Southampton. The Germans lost 39 aircraft and the RAF 14 on that day.
An almost intact Heinkel He 111 of KG1 lies in a field in Surrey on 30 August 1940. It was shot down by Pilot Officer JPB Greenwood from 253 Squadron based at RAF Kenley. 16 aviationclassics.co.uk
During the following days more strikes were made against Britain, including one on a target in northern England which was intercepted and repelled. There now followed the most intensive phase of the Battle, with hard-fought action between the RAF and the Luftwaffe. Gradually the Germans were getting bolder and mounting sorties further inland with the main targets being RAF airfields: Manston, Hawkinge, Lympne, Croydon, Hornchurch, North Weald, Kenley and Biggin Hill were all attacked. On 18 August the Luftwaffe mounted a major raid; just after noon the radar stations reported enemy aircraft forming up over the Pas de Calais area and bound for southern England. The controllers at RAF Uxbridge plotted the enemy aircraft and fighters were scrambled to intercept, but the German forces had sent a low-flying group which was initially missed by radar. This group struck RAF Kenley, with some machines climbing over the target before releasing their bombs and nine aircraft streaking in at 100ft to drop bombs and strafe the airfield. Over 100 bombs fell on Kenley destroying four Hurricanes, one Blenheim, two Magisters, a Proctor and damaging several other aircraft. The hangars were wrecked and several other buildings were destroyed; nine people were killed and ten seriously injured. Only one of the nine Dorniers returned intact to France.
Standing at in the middle of this group of pilots from North Weald is Station Commander Wing Commander Victor Beamish, who flew several missions in 1940. On his right is Squadron Leader EM ‘Teddy’ Donaldson, OC 151 Squadron at North Weald.
Aircraft also bombed Wimbledon and Malden on the night of 18/19 August and three nights later the first bombs fell on central London. What has now become known as the ‘Blitz’ was beginning and London would soon be on the receiving end of almost nightly bombing by the Luftwaffe. On the night of 28/29 August bombs fell on Hendon, St Pancras, Finchley, Mill Hill, Ilford, Wembley, Wood Green, Southgate, Crayford, the Old Kent Road and Chigwell; London was on ‘red’ alert for over seven hours. As August wore on the raids on airfields increased, as did the nightly Blitz. Heavy raids continued with the RAF having to fly up to five patrols a day during daylight hours. On 24 August RAF Manston was bombed so heavily that it ceased to function as an airfield apart from acting as a forward refuelling base. RAF Hornchurch and RAF North Weald were also heavily bombed despite fighters breaking up the enemy formations. AVM Keith Park of 11 Group sent an urgent request to AM Leigh-Mallory of 12 Group for assistance, but it was not forthcoming. The next day over 300 Luftwaffe aircraft arrived to attack Portland, Weymouth and Warmwell airfield. Hurricanes from 17 Squadron repulsed the raid on Warmwell, which suffered only minor damage. By now the pilots of 11 Group were exhausted and several had to be ‘rested’ if they were to survive. The late AVM Sandy Johnstone, then a Squadron Leader, told the writer: “We were totally shattered and I noticed that we were all becoming edgy and short tempered and I was just the same. I remember writing in my diary and asking just how long could we take it.” This pattern of heavy raids by large formations of bombers with a strong fighter escort continued throughout August, with heavy losses on both sides. On 30 August Fighter Command flew over 1000 sorties for the first time when the Luftwaffe sent large numbers of aircraft to attack various targets in south-
South African-born Pilot Officer AG Lewis of 85 Squadron after returning to Croydon from a sortie in September 1940.
On 18 August 1940, nine Dornier Do 17Es made a low-level raid on RAF Kenley; this example from KG76 was brought down by a combination of ground and aerial fire. It crashed in a field at Leaves Green near RAF Biggin Hill. eastern England. Sqn Ldr TP Gleave of 253 Squadron achieved the remarkable feat of shooting down four Bf 109s within a few minutes of each other. The next day while intercepting another formation he shot down two aircraft, but as he lined-up on another bomber the fuel tank of his Hurricane was hit by a cannon shell. The aircraft burst into
flames and the starboard wing broke off; Gleave was severely burned but managed to bale out and landed at Mace Farm near Biggin Hill from where he had taken off. September began with no respite and RAF Fighter Command was in serious trouble. Eleven of the 46 squadron commanders had been lost and 39 of 97 flight commanders
Junkers Ju 87 Stukas en route to a target in 1940 – these fearsome dive-bombers with their wailing sirens were successful in France but were no match for the RAF fighters and were withdrawn from operations during the Battle of Britain.
Battle of Britain 17
had been killed or wounded. Dowding expressed his concerns to his Group Commanders, who were well aware of the fact. As many as 750 German bombers attacked British airfields on every day of the first week of September. RAF Biggin Hill was bombed on 1 and 2 September, with damage to the Sector Operations Room which had to be quickly repaired to enable the station to function efficiently. Even though the RAF shot down more than 100 of the enemy, they were still getting through to inflict damage. Dowding and Park were seriously concerned about the future, but then the Germans changed tactics with the Reichmarshall in personal command.
Messerschmitt Bf 109E in France – ground crew push back the aircraft during routine maintenance.
TARGET: LONDON
On 7 September the weather was fair in the south and there was no enemy activity detected. At around 4:00 in the afternoon radar picked up a large formation of approximately 1000 aircraft approaching the mainland. Fighter Command assumed they were after the airfields once again and 11 1337 seriously injured. During the night some squadrons were scrambled at 16:17 and by 330 tons of high explosives were dropped 16:30 all 21 squadrons in and around London along with 440 incendiary bombs that kept were airborne. The sight that the fires going. The country they witnessed astounded was on full alert for the “FIGHTER COMMAND them: a formation of about 300 expected invasion, but it did BECAME VERY bombers escorted by 900-plus not come and the enemy did fighters covering some 800 EFFICIENT WITH 12 not return the next day to square miles of sky. Bombs capitalise on the chaos they AIRCRAFT GETTING had caused. RAF Fighter were dropped on the London docks, central London and AIRBORNE IN LESS Command reported the loss even west Kensington. of 31 fighters and the THAN FIVE MINUTES Germans had lost 39 aircraft. Valiantly coping with the raging fires were the London This raid on London set FROM FIRST Fire Brigade helped by many the pattern that was to follow SCRAMBLE CALL TO for the next few weeks. volunteers of the Auxiliary Fire Service. Fighter Germany had to destroy the WHEELS-UP.” Command valiantly RAF and bring total intercepted the formations which ranged from devastation to the people of Britain to ensure between 10,000 and 25,000ft. All three Fighter the success of an invasion. It was not only Groups were airborne and the sky was filled London that now attracted the bombers on a with vapour trails as the battle unfolded. The nightly basis; devastating raids were mounted returning Luftwaffe pilots reported that they against Birmingham, Portsmouth, had encountered little or no opposition and Manchester, Liverpool and significantly the Reichmarshall was able to report that Coventry, which had its heart ripped out ‘London was in Flames’. From 20:10 until 04:30 the following day another 300-plus Luftwaffe bombers continued to attack the docks and the East End of London using the burning buildings as a marker. On this raid 448 civilians were killed and
leaving a smoking hole where once a city centre, with its magnificent cathedral, had stood for centuries. By attacking the industrial heartland it was hoped that war production would grind to a halt, but workers helped clear their wrecked factories and got back to the vital war work. At some factories the workforce carried on using buildings that had walls and roofs missing. A great deal has been written about the ‘Spirit of the Blitz’ and it was heralded in the newspapers and radio broadcasts of the day, but it was a dangerous time and Churchill was worried about the public’s morale, which was at its lowest ebb. Visits by the Royal Family – who refused to leave Buckingham Palace even though they were urged to so do – did much to keep the country together. Churchill, too, was out and about listening to those who had been bombed out of house and home. Like the King and Queen he cared deeply and was not
Dornier Do 17s photographed shortly after leaving France and en route to England.
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Left: Wartime Churchill poster to boost morale.
Below: Air Marshal Keith Park (right) with Air Chief Marshal Sholto Douglas who took over from ACM Dowding as C-in-C RAF Fighter Command.
Flight Lieutenant RRS Tuck seated in the cockpit of his Hurricane served with 92 and 257 Squadrons during the Battle of Britain and was one of the best known RAF pilots.
afraid to show his empathy with those who had been affected. Meanwhile, the Battle wore on and the Luftwaffe was finding that defeating the RAF was not that easy. On 11 September Hitler issued a directive postponing Operation Sealion until 14 September, but the defence of Britain was still strong and the invasion was postponed from the 14th to the 17th.
DECISIVE DAY
Luftwaffe fighters were still coming in strength and on Sunday 15 September there were heavy raids on London which was the main target. Around 11:00 in the morning a large formation was picked up by radar approaching Britain and 11 Group scrambled 11 squadrons; 12 Group sent five squadrons to patrol between Debden and Hornchurch and 10 Group sent a squadron to add to the strong defence. A point made at the time was the folly of the large German flotilla forming up in mid-channel with all the British radar eyes watching every move. This fact had not occurred to the German High Command, and they would pay dearly for it. Once they had formed into battle units the Luftwaffe raided selected targets in Kent and south London, but Fighter Command was waiting and more squadrons were airborne to intercept, including the Duxford ‘Big Wing’ (five squadrons strong) from 12 Group to defend London, which was now subject to attack. The RAF had broken the bomber formations up and they had to bomb wherever they could; bombs fell randomly from north Kent to west and central London. Buckingham Palace was also bombed and the Queen’s private apartments were damaged. Some 24 fighter squadrons were airborne and all but two engaged the enemy. The first attack had been turned back and the fighters returned to base to be re-fuelled and re-armed. The pilots tried to get a short break, but by One O’clock another large formation was plotted by radar. They came in three waves during the next three hours; up
went Fighter Command to intercept and the massed Spitfires and Hurricanes were again waiting for the Luftwaffe. This time 23 squadrons from 11 Group, five from 12 Group and three from 10 Group broke up two of the large formations before they could reach London. The remaining formation reached London where 10 squadrons from 11 Group and the ‘Big Wing’ from 12 Group went into the attack. As the bombers turned for home they were chased by two squadrons from 10 and 11 Group. Once again by breaking up the formations concentrated bombing had been averted, but scattered bombing did cause considerable damage. However, the day was not over. Heinkels attacked Portland but caused little damage and a raid by Bf 110s with bombs was mounted on the Supermarine works near Southampton without success. Winston Churchill had been at the 11 Group operations room at Uxbridge and watched as the raids unfolded, he was impressed by the ability of
the controllers to calmly direct the aircraft to advantage. He left a vivid and comprehensive account of that day in his history: The Second World War. ‘That day was also very bad for the Luftwaffe who lost sixty aircraft and several dead or injured crew as they returned in badly damaged machines. Fighter Command recorded a loss of twenty-six aircraft, but with many more damaged or unserviceable. Often forgotten are the groundcrews who kept aircraft flying, if it was not for their untiring efforts things may have been quite different.’ Appropriately, 15 September is now marked annually as Battle of Britain Day. However, that was not the end of the Battle. Germany mounted more raids right through September and to the end of October, but they were never as heavy and as intense as 15 September. London and other major cities were still bombed, and airfields, ports and factories were attacked. Germany was far from defeated in the air, they still came in and kept Fighter Command busy,
St Katherine’s Docks in London were bombed heavily during the Blitz. Battle of Britain 19
pilots were now very tired and it is worth considering how much longer they could have carried on. Aircraft supplies were never a problem, neither was the number of pilots available – what was lacking was experience from the newly qualified young men, some
A poster issued in 1940 following the Battle of Britain based on words from Winston Churchill’s famous speech of 20 August.
were mere boys, who were being posted to operational duties. By the end of October, the weather had deteriorated and was hardly ideal for day or night bombing. In conversation with the late General Adolph Galland the writer asked why the Luftwaffe had not pressed on with their heavy raids. Galland simply said: “We changed our mind and went on to other things!” Like the RAF, those young Germans were just as tired and within a few months they would
be fighting another war in the East, which was just as disastrous. I would like to add a final word from the late Sir Douglas Bader who told me not long before he died when we were discussing the Battle. “It was not us, we have been made heroes, but we were not. The real heroes were the Merchant Navy, who brought vital supplies across thousands of miles in hostile conditions. The Royal Navy who escorted them and kept the sea lanes as clear as they could. The fire and ambulance service who worked incredibly hard and so many others did. They were the real heroes, but we were the only ones who could take the fight to the enemy and we could not have done that without all those behind the scenes. I have never forgotten those who kept us supplied and able to fight back.”