I Have the following information about 810081 Sergeant Edward Manton 610 Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force: Edward Manton was born in 1915, the son of Edward Frederick and Sarah Manton, of Bebington. He was a postman, and in 1936 he joined No.610 County of Chester Squadron Royal Air Force (Auxiliary Air Force) at Hooton Park. He became an air gunner in Hawker Hart and Hind aircraft. As the squadron re-equipped with Spitfires some of the air gunners including Edward left the squadron and were trained as Sergeant pilot’s. He re-joined No.610 squadron in July 1940 at RAF Biggin Hill at the beginning of the Battle of Britain. Having had no experience of Spitfires, he was sent to No.7 Operational Training Unit (OTU) Hawarden for three weeks for a conversion course. On Thursday the 29th of August 1940, Edward took off at 3:30 in the afternoon with 15 other aircraft lead by their CO. He was flying a Spitfire Mk.1. They engaged a formation of 60 German fighters and bombers at a height of between 18,000 and 20,000 feet. The formation was broken up and headed back to France. Two German bombers were probable destroyed and three damaged. One German fighter was destroyed and two probably damaged. Edward was shot down by a Bf.110 and killed over Mayfield West Sussex at 4:00pm, he was aged 25. His Spitfire crashed at Great Wigsell Estate, Hurst Green. Edward is buried Hawkhurst cemetery Kent. Can anyone tell me any more about him?
