| Place. |
Date. |
Time. |
Summary of Events. |
Reference to Appendices. |
| Volkel | 1.7.20 | 21.00 | 'A' Flight fielded a full-strength half-squadron on an offensive patrol from Le Culot across the front lines, a high altitude patrol on the Venlo to Wassenberg line at above 20,000 ft. Flying a fluid-six formation for the first time Flt Lt Merfort led the flight into combat against 190s who were attacking a flight of B-25 bombers. Four enemy fighters destroyed and two of our squadron pilots were also killed when they collided into each other in pursuit of an e/a. Clearing skies with bright sunshine. | |
| B.70 | 3.7.20 | 4.00 | Flight B, led by F/Lt 'Riksen' Richards, was tasked with attacking the 21st SS Panzer Division spotted in the vicinity of Eindhoven. The flight, composed of F/O 'Mac' Steele and F/O 'Zach' Z. Lamothe as wingman, took off from B.70 in a Vee formation and quickly reached the frontlines. The armored vehicles were spotted moving along the road just south of the city but were able to quickly take cover under trees and hedgerows as we approached, making precision bombing difficult. Despite the clear weather and no opposition nearby, the flight lead decided to quickly egress from the area after dropping the bombs and all pilots returned home safely. | |
| B.77 | 5.7.20 | 3.00 | Flight B, under the name of BUMPER, conducted 02 defensive patrols this morning, under the command of F/Lt 'Riksen' Richards. Despite the struggle to fend off enemy patrols over Hertogenbosch Defences, the squadron was able to shoot down 04 enemy 109s and damage another. F/Lt 'Riksen' Richards's Spitfire was severely damaged on the wing during the first sortie but he, somehow, managed to nurse the plane back to base. @Big Mac was mildly wounded by a bullet to the shoulder and was forced to bail out over target during the second sortie. The operation was supported by No. 56 squadron. | |
| Lympne | 10.7.20 | | The OTU has started with its first influx of pilots for new on-type training. Good progress being made in general aircraft handling and introduction to SOP routines. | |
| 12.7.20 | | Basic combat manoeuvres covered in the OTU Training area with live firing practice at drone air targets. | |
| Aachen | 15.7.20 | 22.00 | Another full half-squadron sweep over the front lines to patrol Cologne - Bonn. Two pilots from No. 92 Squadron were attached for this mission and they were both unfortunatley lost in air combat as was a brand new pilot P/O Tuck. F/Lt Emblin was forced to bailout of his a/c as a result of being bounced and he is currently declared as missing. The enemy also suffered casualties, 2 109s and a Ju 52 transport a/c carrying personnel were destroyed by our squadron. | |
| Volkel | 16.7.20 | 16.00 | Flt Lt Emblin walked into the Mess at Volkel after having bailed out yesterday. He looked ragged and slightly hung over, he said that a farmer's wife had invited him into her farmhouse for some cheese and wine. | |
| 17.7.20 | 21.30 | Repositioned back to Gilze airfield as a temporary base while Volkel runways are undergoing repair from bomb damage. Squadron mounted an evening defensive patrol over the bombline at 1630 hrs. Weather was fine with 2/10ths cloud cover. The squadron was intercepted at above 20,000 ft by enemy a/c and there was a considerable amount of air combat activity. Sqn Ldr Merfort announced that he had destroyed a 190 on R/T and Flt Lt Emblin and P/O Cook both shared a destroyed 190 also. After reforming to return to pancake back at Gilze the Squadron OC was seen to suddenly dive towards the ground at an increasingly alarming angle and ended up beyond the vertical at the point of impact with the ground. The rest of the squadron flew back to base in a very dispondent manner. | |
| 18.7.20 | 22.55 | Today A Flight repositioned to B.58 in order to conduct a dive-bombing mission over the frontline against Battle Group Chill which had set up a strong defensive perimeter just south of the coast to the north-west of Antwerp. This is the Battle of the Scheldt Estuary and is proving very much harder than the Command anticipated. Good results obtained again with the Squadron A Flight performing this routine with great determination and coolness. A large section of the defensive perimeter area expertly erected by the enemy has been destroyed. The Squadron lost P/O Cook on this mission and it is believed he was shot down into the estuary just north of the coast off Antwerp. It is believed that he reported the sighting of an Me262. A very serious accident occurred on landing between Red Two and Yellow One, resulting in the loss of two operational a/c and an enquiry is expected to be held at Group immediately. | |
| 19.7.20 | 21.45 | Half squadron Fluid Six formation in three sections climbed out over the frontline to hit the newly reconned fuel dump east of Emmerich. At Glize we had only 2/10ths cloud but flying east the cloud cover increased markedly and the frontline and target area was largely cloud covered with only sporadic holes usable. Before running into the target area the Flight was attacked by 109s and bombs were ordered to be dropped. A Flight actively fought the E/A. A blue on blue incident of friendly fire occurred when Flt Lt Emblin fired by mistake on P/O Hopkins one of the pilots from White Section. Red Section were engaging this enemy a/c flight and one of them was seen by Flt Lt Emblin to destroy one of the 109s. This a/c was burning fiercely and falling to earth so it is a confirmed kill for Red Section.Both pilots from Red Section were lost to enemy activity and P/O Cook of Yellow Section was lost due to engine trouble. He is declared as missing currently but is believed to be still alive. During the hectic air combat over the area of Emmerich two 190s and one 109 were destroyed. Only two pilots were able to recover back to base after P/O Hopkins had declared out of fuel and attempted a wheels-up landing in a field. P/O Vale was also able to get his a/c over the frontline and put it down close to Nijmegen after suffering engine seizure. He had managed to destroy two 109s before his engine gave up on him as it had clearly suffered damage from the friendly fire incident. P/O Hopkins put down only a few miles from base and Flt Lt Emblin who also ran out of fuel over Tilburg performed a perfect textbook deadstick landing onto the main runway at Gilze. P/O Tuck was the only one who landed normally after this shattering sortie. The Squadron has lost valued pilots and friends but we shall go on. Per Ardua ad Astra. | |
| 20.7.20 | 15.00 | This afternoon three pilots made their way back to Volkel. F/O Vale returned with light wounds and is receiving medical treatment on base. P/Os Cook and Hopkins both came back unhurt and none the worse for wear. The Squadron mourns today the loss of Red Section yesterday afternoon and the OC No.125 Wing has sent his condolences. | |
| | 21.15 | Another bombing mission from Gilze was mounted this evening across the frontline to Kirchhellen airfield. Weather was heavily clouded over with moderate winds from the west, rain forecast. A Flight flew down to below cloud to deliver her full complement of munitions around the airfield areas where enemy a/c were seen to be parked. On flying away from the target area the Flight was attacked by a Me 262 which P/O Vale together with P/O Hopkins skillfully destroyed. The Squadron's first confirmed kill of an enemy jet. Fuel was tight on the way back to base again but the pilots showed great skill in flying more economically than yesterday and nobody had to ditch their a/c due to lack of fuel. P/O Vale had to put his a/c down once the engine showed signs of becoming stressed from his chasing the jet he destroyed. Sqn Ldr Merfort counted for two more 109s which seemed to be covering for the jet and it is assesed from PRU photographs that no E/A were destroyed on the airfield during the attack. More training is required. | |
| 21.7.20 | 21.45 | Half Squadron mission tasked by G2 at 2TAF in order to intercept a high priority enemy a/c flight consisting of twin engine a/c. Repositioned to Glize again with heavy snowfall and high winds from the north. Everywhere clagged in with a thick overcast of several thousand feet from 3000 AGL. Above 25,000 ft A Flight made contact with this E/A flight and destroyed it in its entirety. One pilot was lost, P/O Steele under unexplained circumstances, and is declared as missing. Another pilot, F/O Lamothe put down again at Nijmegen Airfield. Atrocious flying conditions in which all pilots performed with total professionalism. Six Ju-88s claimed destroyed. The Christmas Eve party in the Officers' Mess was well attended and enjoyed by all with Sqn Ldr Merfort appearing as Santa. | |
| 22.7.20 | 17.30 | PRU Spitfire pilot attached to No. 41 Sqn has been captured after overflying enemy airfield to the southeast of Cologne. This airfield is full of a/c that took part in the Bodenplatte operation of this morning. Orders from Group to destroy all the E/A on this airfield. PRU pilot was downed by AAA that lies to the north. Tonight's mission will destroy both the AA and the E/A. | |
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