So it Began.....Their Finest Hour

Australians in the Battle of Britain. 17 October 1940. Bill Millingtnon




Australians in the Battle of Britain. 17 October 1940

It is likely Bill Millington had been given a spot of leave in mid October 1940 as he had not flown since 15 October. There do not seem to be any existing letters or diary for this period to verify this assumption but, if Bill was on leave, it is likely he either visited his family who lived near London or took advantage of the hospitality offered by the hospitality scheme run by Lady Frances Ryder and Miss Macdonald of the Isles.

Bill was an extremely sociable young man. He was amiable, gregarious and had lots of friends. As a child he wrote to pen friends all around the world and his early diary entries are littered with references to his new service pals. He also made many acquaintances through the hospitality scheme.

Here is an example of some of the exciting times offered to him by Lady Frances and Miss Macdonald, written in July 1939, just before he arrived atNo. 8 E & R FTS, Reading:

‘Lady Frances Ryder has been looking after Glen [Grindlay] and I pretty well. Glen is a Canadian over for the RAF and we’re great pals. We’ve been out to teas, dinners and garden parties together in the past few weeks. Last Saturday we visited the Royal Stables at Buckingham Palace (Special RAF Permit) and saw all the Kings’ horses, all his coaches and most of his men...

Last Tuesday I played golf at Richmond Park. This was only 1/6 per round and the best course I have ever had the pleasure of playing on. We saw some deer in the park, which is heavily wooded in places.

On Thursday we were taken on a tour of the Royal Docks and sailed per launch from Tower Pier. We passed the Tower of London, Traitors Gait and sailed under London Bridge. The docks with large liners from many parts of the world were very interesting.

We were introduced and had had tea with Lord Athlone yesterday at Lady Frances Ryder’s. Lord Athlone is brother to Queen Mary, and was formerly Governor General of South Africa, and is very interested in the Dominions, and particularly with RAF men from overseas.’


Bill Millington at Ruckley Grange, Shopshire in January 1940. He enjoyed the hospitality of Captain Codrington Gwynne Reid Walker a number of times, including at Christmas 1940.


http://australiansinthebattleofbritain.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/australians-in-battle-of-britain-17.html

 

Day 102 – 19th October 1940
October 19, 2010 in 1 Squadron, October 1940


Weather: cloudy with some mist

FIGHTER COMMAND SERVICEABLE AIRCRAFT AS AT 0900 HOURS:

• Blenheim – 47
• Spitfire – 233
• Hurricane – 412
• Defiant – 22
• Gladiator – 7
• Total – 721

A few individual sorties were reported in the morning, mainly heading for London. In the afternoon a group of about 60 Me109s flew over Kent. They were intercepted by RAF fighters and fierce dog-fights took place in which the RAF lost 5 aircraft shooting down 2 of the enemy.
That night heavy raids took place on London and Coventry. Mile End Hospital was partly destroyed.
1 Squadron Operational Record Book – 19 October
Flying consisted of weather test by A/C. Formation, air drill, cine camera. During a scramble by Flt Lt M.H. Brown, PO Chetham and PO A.V. Clowes DFM, a Hun was sighted on top of a cloud, but he got away through the clouds before attacked.
Reported Casualties (RAF Campaign Diary 19th October 1940):
* Enemy: 2 confirmed, 0 probable, 1 damaged
* Own: Two aircraft. One pilot missing.
http://battleofbritainblog.com/2010/10/19/day-102-%E2%80%93-19th-october-1940/

 

21 October 1940
Sporadic day-time raids on London, Liverpool and the West Country
Night-time bombing of London, Wolverhampton, Coventry, Birmingham and Liverpool
http://www.airtattoo.com/Battle-of-Britain/The-Battle/Battle-of-Britain-Timeline






Day 104 – 21st October 1940
October 21, 2010 in 245 Squadron, 73 Squadron, October 1940


Weather: cloudy with fog and rain

FIGHTER COMMAND SERVICEABLE AIRCRAFT AS AT 0900 HOURS:

• Blenheim – 32
• Spitfire – 227
• Hurricane – 410
• Defiant – 13
• Gladiator – 7
• Total – 689

There were sporadic raids by single or small groups of Me109s over much of the southern counties and the Midlands, with some reaching as far north as Lancashire and Liverpool. Interception was difficult on account of the weather. The RAF flew 275 sorties but lost no aircraft, yet shooting down 6 enemy planes. One of these was a Ju88 which had tried to disguise itself as a Blenheim. The ruse did not work and the enemy aircraft was shot down on its way back to the coast.
At night Coventry suffered heavy raids, considerable damage being done to the Armstrong-Siddeley works. There were also raids over London, Birmingham and Liverpool.
245 Squadron Operational Record Book – 21 October
One operational flight called for at 14:20 by 1 section. Dog fighting. Formation and attack exercises carried on throughout the day. 1 section took off at 12.05 for Sydenham to meet and escort the aircraft conveying HRH the Duke of Kent, who visited Aldegrove station in the course of his Ulster tour of inspection. After lunch and an inspection of the station, a section of Hurricanes escorted HRH back to Sydenham. Hurricane P3657 piloted by Sgt E G Greenwood did not return from battle climb. News later received from the police at Toombridge that the a/c was observed to dive into Lough Neagh at high speed, exploding on impact.
73 Squadron Operational Record Book – 21 October
There was too much mist and the weather altogether too bad for the Squadron to operate as a unit, but twice during the day a pair of Hurricanes were despatched to intercept single raiders. S/L Murray and F/L Smith patrolled over the SE coast in the morning and F/L Smith and Sergt. Price were ordered in the afternoon to patrol base at 9000 feet. No e/a was seen but a Wellington which did not appear to have the proper markings was challenged but it soon proved itself as friendly. ‘Stefan’ has arrived this afternoon and been accorded the Honorary Rank of Group Captain. ‘Stefan’ is a Borzie presented to the Squadron as a mascot by friends in Cambridge.
Reported Casualties (RAF Campaign Diary 21st October 1940):
* Enemy: 2 confirmed, 0 probable, 3 damaged
* Own: Nil.
http://battleofbritainblog.com/2010/10/21/day-104-%E2%80%93-21st-october-1940/

 

Australians in the Battle of Britain. 21 October 1940. Des Sheen



Australians in the Battle of Britain. 21 October 1940.

There was no operational flying for Des Sheen and 72 Squadron on 21 October 1940. I wonder, then, if Des’s mind drifted back to 21 October 1939 which had been a red letter day, not only for Des but for Australia. Just nineteen days after his 22nd birthday, Des shot down a Heinkel He115 floatplane. It was his first victory and he was the first Australian to engage the Luftwaffe in combat.

Des later described that battle as ‘really good fun—as exciting a five minutes as anything you could wish for’. As there is nothing of interest happening on 21 October 1940, I’ll tell you all about that action packed day.

In the early afternoon, an enemy force was detected approaching a convoy off Spurn Head. 72 Squadron was alerted. A Flight was scrambled at 2.15 p.m. and B Flight’s Blue section was put on readiness. Green section, led by Des in Spitfire K9959, was scrambled at 2.30 p.m. He and Flying Officer Thomas ‘Jimmy’ Elsdon were ordered to proceed to Spurn Head and soon sighted a loose formation of 12–14 aircraft, which they identified as Heinkel He 115 three-seater floatplanes.



Des and Elsdon intercepted the formation about 15 miles south east of Spurn Head. As the Spitfires neared, the three enemy subsections ‘split up and employed individual evasive tactics of steep turns, diving, climbing and throttling back’.

Des ‘fired all I had at one of them’, attacking from ‘dead astern’, at about a hundred yards distance. Then:

‘as I closed on my He 115, its rear gunner attempted to put me off my aim by blazing away with his weapon, but I soon silenced him. The next burst may have killed the pilot for the Heinkel started to fly very erratically, and with this I turned away to look for another target.’

Des and Elsdon continued to attack until they had to break off through lack of ammunition.

In all, seven Heinkels were shot down that day, including Des’s and one by Elsdon. It was the last time any sizeable force of He 115s entered British waters.

Initially, Des didn’t ‘actually claim the floatplane as destroyed, but was later credited with a confirmed victory’.

Sometime later, he spoke on the In England Now radio program. He told the listeners about that day’s successful convoy defence, noting ‘that seven German aircraft and crews [were] lost and nothing to show for it at all. They didn’t hit a single ship’.

http://australiansinthebattleofbritain.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/australians-in-battle-of-britain-21.html

 

Flying Officer PETER CAPE BEAUCHAMP ST. JOHN

40320, 74 Sqdn., Royal Air Force
who died age 23
on 22 October 1940
Son of Robert Henry Beauchamp St. John and Edith Mary St. John, of Notting Hill, London.
Remembered with honour
AMERSHAM CONSECRATED CEMETERY

F/O Peter Cape Beauchamp St John joined No 74 Squadron on the 7th of May 1940 from No 501 Squadron. He was K.I.A. on the 22nd of October 1940. His Spitfire II (P7431) was shot down by a Bf 109 over South Nutfield, Surrey at 15:30hrs.

Sa-pilots

 

Day 111 – 28th October 1940
October 28, 2010 in 242 Squadron, October 1940


Weather: cloudy with large patches of fog

FIGHTER COMMAND SERVICEABLE AIRCRAFT AS AT 0900 HOURS:

• Blenheim – 44
• Spitfire – 219
• Hurricane – 385
• Defiant – 18
• Gladiator – 8
• Total – 674

There were a number of incursions by groups of enemy aircraft with between 50 and 100 aircraft in each group. Their targets were the same as before. The main object being attacks on London and the South East. The RAF were up in strength this day intercepting these attacks. They flew 639 sorties, losing 2 aircraft in the process but destroying 11 German aircraft.
At night, Birmingham was once again attacked and the cathedral was hit. Incendiary bombs were showered on Biggin Hill without much damage being done while in London a public shelter in Southwark was hit causing many casualties.
242 Squadron Operational Record Book – 28 October
Visit to Squadron by AOC who congratulated pilots on efficiency of Squadron which he said was equal, if not superior, to any Squadron in RAF. Operational patrols carried out over London.
Reported Casualties (RAF Campaign Diary 28th October 1940):
* Enemy: 5 confirmed, 7 probable, 8 damaged
* Own: Nil.

http://battleofbritainblog.com/2010/10/28/day-111-%E2%80%93-28th-october-1940/

 

Battle of Britain campaign diaries





Monday 28 October 1940

• Weather: Misty in northern France. Fog over the Thames Estuary and Straits clearing later.
• Day: Convoy off Dover and shipping in the Thames Estuary attacked. London attacked during the afternoon.
• Night: Widespread attacks across the country.

Enemy action by day
Enemy Attacks

Two minor sweeps and one major attack were made in the South East area, the latter in conjunction with a demonstration in the Portsmouth area. In none of these did enemy aircraft penetrate to Central London.
Reconnaissances were fairly active in the Estuary and the Bristol Channel during the period.
During the day's operations, four enemy aircraft were destroyed (plus 7 probable and 8 damaged). Our losses were nil.

• d.uk/history/campaign_diaries.cfm?diarymonth=10&diaryyear=1940&diaryday=28

 

Day 112 – 29th October 1940
29th October 1940, Shoesmith Diary



FIGHTER COMMAND SERVICEABLE AIRCRAFT AS AT 0900 HOURS:

• Blenheim – 40
• Spitfire – 211
• Hurricane – 403
• Defiant – 13
• Gladiator – 8
• Total – 675

This day represented the last major daylight assault by the Luftwaffe in the Battle but the honours went to the RAF. Notably 602 City of Glasgow Squadron managed to shoot down 8 Me109s in almost as many minutes. Unsurprisingly the enemy aircraft turned around and flew for home but this only further exposed them to another attack in which they lost 4 aircraft.
Meanwhile, enemy aircraft attacked Portsmouth and Southampton. However, the Italians put in a further appearance by attacking Ramsgate. The final tally that day was 19 enemy aircraft destroyed for a loss of 7 RAF aircraft.
Coventry, Portsmouth, Dover and London were the main targets for this night’s raids.
Cyril Shoesmith, 14 years old, Bexhill on Sea – Diary – Tuesday 29 October
At 4.05pm another raid began. Many planes were heard and about 5 o’clock we saw a plane dive and drop 2 bombs. Not long after this we saw about thirty planes at a great height. And then three low two-engine planes flying singly. They were fired at by the Lewis guns and were believed to be Dornier bombers or Messerschmitt 2 engine fighters. Fighters were seen in pursuit. The raid ended at 5.30, but the night raid came some time later.
Reported Casualties (RAF Campaign Diary 29th October 1940):
* Enemy: 27 confirmed, 8 probable, 10 damaged
* Own: 7 aircraft with two pilots killed. Of these, 2 aircraft were destroyed and one pilot killed by bombs when taking off from North Weald aerodrome.

http://battleofbritainblog.com/2010/10/29/day-112-%E2%80%93-29th-october-1940/

 

World War II:
Jewish Pilots and Aircrews in the Battle of Britain



http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/ww2/sugar4.html