warshipbuilder -> RE: Action This Day (12/1/2020 1:54:21 AM)
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A really bad day, on which everything seemed to go wrong, beginning early in the morning the Squadron had to leave their aircraft at Kenley yesterday evening, owing to fog at Croydon. We were at dawn readiness (08.05 hours), so they had to leave here at 07.30 hours – which they duly did. Owing to the fact there was some technical hitch with starter batteries over there, we were not reported as at readiness until 08.25 hours. This called forth a strong rebuke from Group which was most depressing. Ops. “B” had failed to report the reason why the Squadron were not at readiness at the right time, and later an apology was received from Group. There was a hard frost last night and while taxying to take off from Croydon 3 tail wheels were broken. During the morning patrol in company with 253 Squadron, The Squadron at 27,000 ft. near Canterbury saw two Me 109’s directly below them at 25,000 ft. with one other Me 109 some way behind and above - as they turned to attack, the latter shot down Sgt. Howes who made a belly landing (Cat II) on Gravesend aerodrome uninjured. Later F/O Parrrott was shot at by some aircraft – unknown and had to bale out near Uckfield. He strained his shoulder. We claimed no enemy casualties. In an afternoon patrol near Dover 4 Me 109’s were encountered below us at 27,000 ft. and two more behind at about 29,000 ft. just above us. F/Lt. Shot down one in the sea and F/O Hayter, having a Hurricane II, was able to climb to the upper Me 109’s and destroyed it at 32,000 ft. As the Squadron were returning home at 15,000 ft. near Maidstone it appears the other upper Me 109 must have followed and shot down F/Lt. Ingle and F/O Passay, both of whom baled out near Maidstone each with a slight cannon wound in his calf. So, during the day and having only met two very small enemy formations, three pilots are temporarily u/s, three machines (including one Hurricane II) were destroyed and another one not repairable at unit. Base Changes 39 Sqn(Blenheim I) moved to Helwan 223 Sqn(Wellesley I) moved to Wadi Gazouza
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