So it Began.....Their Finest Hour

Noticed this for today's Aussie in the BoB memorial.

Are they an "official" BoB memorial or placed by the family?

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/all-anniversaries/22664-memoriam-those-air-force-pilots-crews-who-died-day-ww2-7.html#post423319



Cheers

Geoff

 

1 Sqd, Northolt
Hurricane R4075.
Failed to return from combat with enemy fighters off Harwich 3.00pm. P/O D.O.M. Browne missing. Aircraft lost.

Aircraft lost/damaged (repairable):

39 Hurricanes
19 Spitfires
3 Blenheims

55 in Combat - 6 in Accidents/Bombing/Friendly Fire/Unknown

Seenotflugkdo. 4
He 59. Shot down into the North Sea, 50 miles north-west of Borkum (PQ6997) by Lockheed Hudson during search and rescue mission. Lt zur See Borner killed, one NCO wounded. Aircraft lost.

Aircraft lost/damaged (repairable):

1 He 59
1 Ar 196
1 He 115
11 Do 17
22 Ju 88
30 Me 110
11 Me 109
13 He 111
1 Ju 52
7 Ju 87

Note: Biggest losses/Damaged so far in battle. Luftwaffe called this day 'Black Thursday'.

 

Pilot Officer DENNIS OWEN MATTHEW BROWNE

41234, 1 Sqdn., Royal Air Force
who died age 22
on 16 August 1940
Son of Thomas Matthew and Elsie Louise Browne, of Portslade-by-Sea, Sussex.
Remembered with honour
RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

 

More caualties of the fighting on August 15th.

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/war-cemeteries-war-memorial-research/27362-hawkinge-cemetery-kent-battle-britain-casualties.html#post303078

 

Pilot Officer JOSEPH EMILE PAUL LARICHELIERE (Canadian)

42849, 213 Sqdn., Royal Air Force
who died
on 16 August 1940

Remembered with honour
RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

 

601 Sqd, Tangmere
Hurricane P3358.
Damaged by return fire from Ju 87 over Bognor and forced landed in flames back at base 1.00pm. P/O W.M.L Fiske badly burned admitted to hospital but died of shock and injuries the next day. Aircraft a write off.

Aircraft lost/damaged (repairable):

25 Hurricanes
20 Spitfires
1 Blenheim

40 in Combat - 6 in Bombing-Strafing

6/ZG2
Me 110C. Crashed into the grounds of Aldro school, Eastbourne 5.30pm following fighter attack. Oblt Hollekamp and Fw Schurk both killed. Aircraft a write off.

Aircraft lost/damaged (repairable):

7 Ju 88
1 Do 24
21 Me 109
4 Do 17
10 He 111
6 Ju 88
17 Ju 87
8 Me 110

 

16th August 1940

Two Blenheims from No.59 Sqn are destroyed in air raids at Manston and Thorney Island.

No.220 Sqn has a Hudson crash at Thonaby while converting a new pilot onto the type. Both pilots escape without injury.

Unlike Bomber and Fighter squadrons, due to a lack of Coastal OTU output, crews are still being converted on Squadron as in pre war times.

PRU has a Spitfire fail to return from a mission to the Ruhr. P/O A B Corbett is listed as PoW.

Summary of Coastal Command Cat E loss for the day.
1 on Op, 3 on non-Op

Ross

 

The last few days had been hectic and tiring for all those that had taken part. Throughout the daylight hours of the 15th pilots and ground crews had been up since first light and worked non stop until well into the hours of darkness. By the 16th, they would all have appreciated a rest but although not as intense a day as the day previous, it did turn out to be a busy one. Come the 17th August, everyone hoped for a break, for time to regather themselves, to relax and to many, to sleep and rest. For some unknown reason, their prayers were answered. Even though the 17th dawned an exceptional summers day, little wind and cloudless skies, but there was not a German aircraft in sight, the skies around the south coast were empty. Radar operators at many of the stations began to suspect that their masts or receivers were faulty, not a blip could be seen on any of them.
August 16th - August 17th 1940

 

17th August 1940

No.235 Sqn has two Blenheims crash on landing at Thorney Island returning from an evening escort mission of Battles to Boulogne.

No reported crew fatalities on either aircraft.

Summary of Coastal Command Cat E losses for this day:
2 on Ops

Ross

 

As a 17 year old I watched with awe the con trails that told of the desperate fight for survival over England.

Wikipedia often gets derided for it's lack of credence. but for a first class history of events you could do a lot worse than go to:
Battle of Britain - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lest we forget !

Ron

 

No fatal Fighter Command losses

Aircraft lost/damaged (repairable):

2 Hurricanes
1 Blenheim

0 in Combat - 3 in MF/Accident

4/NJG 1
Ju 88. Failed to return from mission over England. Shot down in the sea off Spurn Head 3.00am. Briefed to intrude over the Wash. Shot down by P/O Rhodes and Sgt Gregory in Blenheim night fighter 29 Sqd. Oberfw Zenkel, Fw Schramm and Gefr Roth all missing. Aircraft lost.

Aircraft lost/damaged (repairable):

1 Ar 196
1 He 111
2 Me 109
2 Ju 88

 

Sergeant LEONARD NORTHWOOD GUY

758223, 601 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
who died age 25
on 18 August 1940
Son of Leonard and Ethel Guy, of Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.
Remembered with honour
RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

Sgt L.N.Guy joined No 601 Squadron in early July 1940. He scored 2 kills on the 11th of August, plus 2 more on the 13th of August, another one on the 15th, and another two on the 16th. Guy was shot down and killed while flying a Hurricane (R4191) by a Bf 109 off the Sussex coast on the 18th of August 1940 at 14:15hrs, aged 25.

 

Flying Officer FRANCISZEK GRUSZKA

P.76785, 65 Sqdn., Royal Air Force
who died age 30
on 18 August 1940
Of Poland.
Remembered with honour
NORTHWOOD CEMETERY


F/O F.Gruszka a Polish pilot of No 65 Squadron was on patrol on the 18th of August 1940. He was shot down and killed in his Spitfire I (R6713), at Stodmarsh near Canterbury, at 13:30hrs. His Spitfire with his body still inside was recovered 35 years later in July 1975. He was buried at Northwood Cemetery with full military honours.

 

18th August 1940

No.235 Sqn has a Blenheim damaged by return fire from an ememy aircraft while on afternoon Defensive Patrol from Thorney Island.

Returned with crew safe but later Struck Off Charge as too damaged to repair.

Summary of Coastal Command Cat E loss for day.

1 on Ops

Ross

 

501 Sqd, Gravesend
Hurricane P3208.
Crashed at Calcott Hill, Sturry following attack by Oblt G Schoepfel of JG26 1.05pm. P/O J.W Bland killed. Aircraft SD-T a write off.
Note: Picture included shows SD-T & N taking off. Both were shot down by Schoepfel on this day.

Aircraft lost/damaged (repairable):

42 Hurricanes
20 Spitfires


48 in Combat - 13 in Accident/Strafing

9/KG76
Do 17Z-2. Forced landed at Calais due to damage suffered during low level attack on Kenley and engagement with 111 Sqd at 1.25pm. Fw Stephani and another NCO both wounded. One NCO killed. Aircraft 50% damaged.

Fw Stephani was hotly engaged in a 180mph salom over the Surrey countryside by three Hurricanes. The navigator announced, 'The flight engineer is dead and the radio operator severely wounded!' They stayed low for that was their only chance of survival. Stephani only just made it back across the Channel on two battered engines. To lighten the aircraft everything moveable was jettisoned, including the body of the flight engineer. The pilot managed to land the aircraft on the sand of the French coast with the wheels up. The navigator, Uffz Groemmer, who alone in the crew had escaped unscathed, later walked around the Dornier counting the bullet holes; when he reached two hundred he gave up.
Note: Price says that the radio operator died of his wounds.
Taken from: The Hardest Day - Alfred Price.

 

Flying Officer RICHARD HUGH ANTONY LEE
D S O, D F C

33208, 85 Sqdn., Royal Air Force
who died
on 18 August 1940

Remembered with honour
RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

F/O Richard Hugh Anthony 'Dickie' Lee of No 85 Squadron opened the score for the Squadron in World War II. He was Lord Trenchard's Godson was killed while he was on patrol on the 18th of August 1940. He was lost in his Hurricane I (2923) after chasing three Bf 109's off the east coast, at 17:50hrs. F/L R.H.A.Lee D.S.O.- D.F.C. was aged 23.

 

Sergeant JAMES HENRY ROUND

740667, 248 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
who died age 27
on 19 August 1940
Son of John Henry and Beatrice E. Round, of Netherton, Dudley, Worcestershire.
Remembered with honour
RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

Sgt J.H.Round of No 248 Squadron was killed on the 19th of August 1940 he was the pilot of a Blenheim IVf (L9457). He and his crew (W.H.Want and M.P.Digby-Worsley) were on a recce of the Norwegian coast and they failed to return.

 

Sergeant MAXWELL PAUL DIGBY-WORSLEY

649007, 248 Sqdn., Royal Air Force
who died age 18
on 19 August 1940
Son of Sidney Frederick and Helen Grace Digby-Worsley; cousin and adopted son of Inez G. Digby-Worsley, of Hornsey, Middlesex.
Remembered with honour
RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

Sgt M.P.Digby-Worsley of No 248 Squadron was killed on the 19th of August 1940 he was the pilot of a Blenheim IVf (L9457). He and his crew W.H.Want and the pilot Sgt J.H.Round were on a recce of the Norwegian coast and they failed to return.

 

19th August 1940

No.248 Sqn Blenheim on Norwegian coast recce engaged by flak from Kvingsoy Island at 15:00 hrs then shot down by four Me109s.
Sgt J H Round
Sgt W H Want
Sgt M P Digby-Worsley

Ross

 

Sergeant WILLIAM HUDSON WANT

745927, 248 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
who died age 28
on 19 August 1940

Remembered with honour
RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL
Sgt W.H.Want of No 248 Squadron was killed on the 19th of August 1940 he was the pilot of a Blenheim IVf (L9457). He and his crew M.P.Digby-Worsley and the pilot Sgt J.H.Round were on a recce of the Norwegian coast and they failed to return.
Wa-pilots