Researched and written by Paul McGuiness
Mundus Pro Nobis – The World Before Us.
RAF pilot Squadron Leader Roy Dutton DFC walked onto RAF Station Kirton-in-Lindsey, North Lincolnshire in early April 1941 as the first Commanding Officer and the first member of the newly created RAAF No.452 (F) Squadron, which was the first Australian squadron to form in Britain during the Second World War in accordance with Article XV of the Empire Air Training Scheme. On 8th April the first draft of personnel arrived on Station and over the next three weeks more personnel and sixteen war weary Mk.1a Spitfires were delivered to undertake an accelerated three week training regime.
By mid-May 11 Group Fighter Command deemed the Squadron proficient enough for limited operations and, after replacing the old Mk.Ia machines with newer Mk.IIa Spitfires, was assigned to provide the tedious but essential defensive patrols for convoys in the English Channel. The Squadron’s first operational mission occurred on 22 May 1941 when Australian pilots SGT I.A.L Milne [P8038] and SGT A.C Roberts [P8085] flew an uneventful 45min defensive convoy patrol. For the next six weeks, the squadron was confined to convoy escort duty interspersed with many spurious scrambles, whilst frustrating and monotonous to the pilots the duty gave the pilots valuable experience in a relatively benign wartime environment. Moreover, it allowed Fighter Command to withdraw an experienced squadron from convoy duty and employ it in a more suitable area of operations.
By late June 1941 the focus of Fighter Command operations was the skies above occupied France and Belgium, where large numbers of fighters escorted a small number of bombers. The aims of the policy were twofold: to destroy large numbers of Luftwaffe fighters; and, to assist Russian forces by forcing the Luftwaffe to withdraw forces from the Eastern Front and deploy them to the Western Front to meet the RAF threat. To achieve the stated aims the RAF required as many fighters as possible and as part of the realignment of RAF fighters 452Sqn was withdrawn from convoy patrols and pitched into the air battles of northern France and Belgium. On July 11 fourteen Spitfires departed Kirton-in-Lindsay at 1050hrs to take part in their first Circus Operation (Circus No.44). After refuelling at West Malling, they were airborne at 1358hrs and formed up with 24 other Spitfires from 65Sqn and 266Sqn to form No11 Group Wing.
The Wing crossed the French coast near Dunkirk at 1445hrs and a short time later eight Bf109 fighters who were seen by FLTLT Paddy Finucane [P8038] who immediately called in the threat and broke away from the 109s. Finucane skillfully slipped in behind the German leader and fired a three-second 90-round burst into it after which the German pilot baled out and the 109 dived vertically into the ground. SGT A.C Roberts in P7562 failed to return and was listed as MIA, which was changed in July after word was received that Roberts was a POW.
After their first taste of mass combat the squadron returned to intensive training and patrolling until they moved on 21 July 1941 to RAF Station Kenley, Surrey located much closer to the action where they were thrust into the thick of the aerial battles. One thing that became quickly evident was the inadequacies of the Mk.II Spitfire when compared to the latest variants of the German Bf.109 fighters, simply put the Mk.II was well and truly at a combat disadvantage. Fortunately for the RAF, the Spitfire designers had foreseen such an eventuation and the new Mark.V Spitfire was ready for operational use in the last week of June and from that date until the end of December the prodigious output of British factories resulted in 44 RAF Spitfire squadrons being equipped with Mk.V Spitfires. 452Sqn received the first of their Mk.Vb Spitfires on 04Aug41 and were fully equipped by month’s end. Until they were reequipped with Mk.V Spitfires the squadron was tasked the lesser role of the ever necessary convoy patrols and close escort for bombers on Circus missions where tangling with newer German fighters in the Mk.II Spitfires was much less likely.
RAF Station Kenley Operations July – October 1941.
However, the squadron pilots did not agree with the views of the hierarchy and were determined to show that in the right hands the Mk.II Spitfire was still an adversary to be treated with respect, and from mid-July until late August they demonstrated their prowess on several occasions.
The first occasion was on 24Jul when FLGOFF A.H Humphrey [P7973] was returning from a Wing Sweep neat St Omer when he attacked and shot down a lone Bf.109E over the Channel. The day before the squadron began rearming 12 Mk.II Spitfires of 452Sqn and twelve from 602Sqn departed Kenley to take part in a Wing Rhubarb Sweep over St Omer, France. The Wing crossed the French coast near Gravelines at 1905hrs and a short time later five Bf109E/F fighters in line astern attacked 452Sqn from above and from the starboard quarter. FLTLT Finucane [P8038] led Red Section into the fray and opened fire as the 109s crossed their path. Finucane missed his first target but quickly reoriented onto a second target from 200 yards dead astern and fired a long burst causing his target to burst into flames before crashing. Finucane then attacked a third 109 and saw chunks fly off the tail and rear fuselage before it disappeared into cloud layer at 2000ft. PLTOFF W.D Eccleton [P2864] was Red 2 and as the 109s made their initial attack he took a long deflection shot firing 162 rounds, a large number of which impacted the nose area of a diving Bf109 causing the 109 to burst into flames and fall away totally out of control, this action was corroborated by two other pilots.
On 9th August the Commanding Officer SQNLDR R.W Bungey [P8678] departed Kenley at 1025hrs leading 12 Mk.II Spitfires and joined a further 14 Spitfire Squadrons to provide the fighter escort element of Circus No.68 which was to escort five Blenheims of 226Sqn for an attack on a power plant at Gosnay in the Pas de Calais region of north-western France. To and from the target area the formation was repeatedly attacked by small groups of Bf.109E and Bf.109F fighters darting in and out of the cloud layers between Mardyck and Béthune resulting in multiple dogfights. The British claimed eleven Bf109 destroyed, seven probables and five damaged.
No major combats occurred during the next few Circus Operations but that changed dramatically on Aug 16th when the squadron was tasked to participate in Circus No.75 which called for 15 Spitfire squadrons to escort six 226Sqn Blenheims for an attack on the St Omer/Longuenesse aerodrome in the Pas de Calais region. At 1745hrs FLTLT Paddy Finucane led a mixed bag of seven Mk.Vb and five Mk.IIa Spitfires then joined the remainder of the force and set forth for France. After completing the bombing portion of the Circus the formation was homeward bound when 15+ Bf109s was seen diving down to attack the low squadrons.
Finucane detailed Blue section to remain high as top cover then led the other three sections to engage the 109s. A wild dogfight ensued and 452 Sqn pilots performed magnificently claiming seven Bf109E/F fighters shot down, all of which were corroborated by other pilots. As an indication of the skill and aggressiveness displayed by the squadron the following extract from Finucane’s combat report says it all: ‘... I gave a three-second burst to a Me109F from about 75 yards on a quarter attack. E/A went down with white smoke and flames coming from it. The bulb in my sight went u/s and while I was changing it, I was hopped on by two Bf109E. Red 2 warned me and I attacked rear one with without any sight. I did a full beam attack and from 10 yards range blew his tail unit clean off.'
The successful pilots in this engagement were FLTLT B.E Finucane [AB852] 1 x Bf109E and 1 x Bf109F destroyed; SGT K.B Chisholm [W3571] 2 x Bf109E destroyed; PLTOFF K.W Truscott [AB792] 1 x Bf109F destroyed; SGT A.R Stuart 1 x Bf109E destroyed; and, SGT B.E Tainton [P8518] 1 x Bf109E destroyed. Apart from some light damage, the squadron recorded no losses, injuries or serious damage.
Three days later the story changed for the worse when the squadron took part in Circus No.81 which called for 15 Spitfire squadrons to escort six 226Sqn Blenheims for another attack on the Gosnay power station. SQNLDR Bungey departed Kenley at 1005hrs leading a mixed bag of nine Mk.Vb and three Mk.IIa Spitfires then joined the remainder of the force before heading for France. When crossing the French coast west of Gravelines a lone Bf109 managed a quick hit and run resulting in PLTOFF W.D Willis returning to base when his aircraft AB794 was hit by two 20mm shells.
After reaching the target area the squadron was attacked by small groups of 109s that persevered with this tactic all the way back to the French coast. Several engagements were recorded and losses were inflicted on both sides and at the end of the day 452 pilots claimed two BF109s destroyed and one probable for the loss of two of their own and two sustaining heavy damage. The victorious pilots were FLTLT B.E Finucane [P8170] 1 x Bf109F destroyed and one probable; and, PLTOFF K.W Truscott [AB792] 1 x Bf109F destroyed. The debit ledger read PLTOFF W.D Eccleton [P8717] and SGT R.G Gazzard [AB785] both failed to return and were listed as MIA. PLTOFF W.D Willis (AB794) and FLTLT A.G Douglas [P8264] both returned with Cat.B damage.
Following the large-scale actions on the 16th and 19th a pause in German intercepts occurred as the Luftwaffe reorganized their fighter force and moved units to the Russian front where Luftwaffe losses were much higher than anticipated. Despite losing some units the Luftwaffe still maintained a potent fighter force of approximately two hundred Bf109s on the Western Front. The squadron scored further success on the 26th and 27th when six Bf109s were shot down without loss but no further clashes were reported up to the end of August 1941. The month was very successful for the squadron, 22 enemy aircraft were shot down and three probables claimed which was a record monthly score for any UK-based RAF Squadron.
September started on a high note when FLTLT Paddy Finucane departed Kenley leading twelve Mk.Vb Spitfires and joined with twelve Spitfires from 485 Sqn RNZAF to escort three Blenheims on a Roadstead Operation against shipping in Ostend harbour, Belgium. After bombing a large ship the formation was heading for home when two enemy fighters appeared and dived to attack one of the Blenheims. PLTOFF Willis [W3605] and SGT Stuart [P8703] intercepted the enemy aircraft and shot down both Bf109s. After the encouraging start there followed a two-week lull in combat as the Luftwaffe declined to rise and engage the large RAF formations.
However, the situation changed on the 18th when more than 100 enemy fighters challenged Circus 99 consisting of 72 Spitfires and 11 Blenheims tasked to attack the Grand Queville power station at Rouen. The Circus was halfway to the target when a force of 50+ enemy fighters attacked and a running dogfight started that continued to the target and lasted until the Circus was halfway back across the Channel. The German fighters were constantly reinforced by fresh 109s from their French bases and it was estimated that at least 100 Bf109s were used during the battle. 452Sqn was in the thick of the fighting and claimed four 109s destroyed, one probable and two damaged, the victorious pilots were FLTLT Douglas [AB842], FLGOFF Truscott [AB841], PLTOFF Smith [AB852], SGT Chisholm [W3520] and SGT Wawn [W3529].
Unfortunately, the squadron lost four aircraft PLTOFF W.D Willis [W351] KIA, SGT C.F Manning [W3600] KIA, SGT A.K Try [W3508] PoW and SGT Stuart [P8073] PoW.
Two days later (20Sep) large numbers of Luftwaffe fighters again rose and challenged Circus 100.B, which consisted of 11 Blenheims escorted by the Kenley Wing (36 Spitfires from 452, 485 and 602 Sqns) led by SQNLDR R.W Bungey, for an attack on Abbeville airfield. Five miles NW of Abbeville the formation was attacked by an estimated 50+ Bf109s and a relatively brief but intense dogfight ensued. As the top cover squadron 452 was heavily engaged and initially bore the brunt of the German attacks. FLTLT Paddy Finucane [AB852] showed the way and in the next few minutes of intensive activity he shot down three Bf109F fighters. Additionally, PLTOFF Truscott [W3605] shot down a Bf109E and a Bf109F while SGT Chisholm [W3520] and SGT Dunstan [W3529] both shot down a Bf109E. SGT Elphick [W3209] claimed two Bf.109E damaged. In return SGT I.A.L Milne [AB841] was shot down and taken prisoner. Several aircraft sustained minor Cat.A damage.
The next day SQNLDR R.W Bungey again led the Kenley Wing as close escorts for 12 Blenheims of Circus 101 for an attack on the Gosnay power station. The Wing reached the rendezvous area but the bombers and the two other Spitfire Wings failed to arrive at the appointed time. Bungey ordered his Wing to orbit and after two orbits set course for Desvres in the Pas-de-Calais. At approximately 1520hrs three groups of Bf.109s simultaneously attacked the Wing’s three Spitfire squadrons. In a brief but intense battle 452Sqn pilots claimed five 109s destroyed and two damaged without loss. The claimants were: FLTLT Finucane [AB852] 2 x Bf.109 destroyed; FLGOFF Truscott [AB792], SGT Chisholm [W3520] and SGT Wawn [AB824] 1 x Bf.109 destroyed; and, SGT Chisholm and PLTOFF Lewis each claimed a Bf.109 as damaged.
For the remainder of September, the squadron only flew a handful of missions but managed to lose four aircraft due to accidents which earned them a few barbed comments from higher command. Despite the mild rebukes the Squadron’s claim of 18 enemy aircraft destroyed was the highest of all UK-based RAF Fighter squadrons in September. The pilots were back into the thick of things in early October and eight aircraft joined 12 from 485Sqn and the Tangmere Wing for an Offensive Fighter Sweep along the French coast between Boulogne-sur-Mere and Le Torquet. At approximately 1625hrs the Spitfires engaged a group of Bf.109E/F fighters five kilometres off the French coast.
In the resultant dogfight FLTLT Finucane [AB972] claimed one Bf.109F destroyed and one damaged while SGT Cowan [W3520] claimed a Bf.109 as destroyed. Poor weather precluded any major operations for the next 10 days and it wasn’t until the 12th that the squadron departed Kenley as part of the Target Support Wing for Circus No.107. Twenty-four Blenheims from 21,110 and 226 Sqns were escorted by 225 Spitfires from nineteen squadrons to attack the Boulogne docks. The bombers attacked without any interference from the Luftwaffe and headed for home with the bulk of the Spitfires in attendance.
The Target Support group consisting of the Kenley and Northolt Wings remained in the target area for a short time before they too swung round for home but as they reached mid-Channel thirty Bf.109Fs appeared on high and attacked from the starboard beam. Simultaneously, another twenty-five 109Fs attacked from out of the sun on the port side and drove a wedge between the two Spitfire Wings. With both opponents running low on fuel the engagement was short but in that time SGT K.B Chisholm [W3520] was shot down and captured, in return FLTLT Finucane claimed a 109F destroyed and FLTLT Truscott claimed one probable and one damaged.
The next day a two-Circus operation was mounted, 108A to the Arques ship lift, and 108B to the Mazingarbe chemical works located in the Pas-de-Calais. 139Sqn provided six Blenheims for each raid and those assigned to Circus 108A rendezvoused with their five Spitfire Wing escorts, comprised of 200+ aircraft. 452Sqn was part of the Kenley Wing that provided close escort to the Blenheims. This Wing was attacked constantly by large groups of enemy fighters into and back out of the target. SGT J.R Elphick [AD310] was hit in the engine and forced to bale out over the Channel but was rescued by an RAF air/sea rescue launch.
Sadly, SGT J.F Jackson [AN852] failed to return and was listed as MIA.
On the credit side of the ledger FLTLT Finucane [AB972] claimed two Bf.109s destroyed and one damaged; FLTLT Truscott [AB842] claimed two Bf.109s destroyed; SGT Schrader one Bf.109 destroyed, PLTPFF Smith [W3821] and SGT Emery [AB966] each claimed one damaged. A brief lull in the squadron’s activities occurred over the next week as they were moved out of Kenley to the newly refurbished airfield at RAF Redhill which, in effect, became a satellite airfield for the Kenley Wing. On the morning of the 21st October the squadron flew an uneventful Rodeo Operation over St Omer then landed at Redhill on their return. Three more uneventful operations were made in the last quarter of October; two Rodeos, a Squadron Balbo; and, provide Rear Cover for Circus 110.
RAF Station Redhill Operations October 1941 – January1942.
The first week of November saw the squadron involved in a series of boring convoy patrols and uneventful escort missions. However, on Nov 8th the Squadron was part of the Kenley Wing tasked to provide high cover to twelve Blenheims from 21 and 82 Sqns during Circus 108 which was an attack against railway repair shops at Lille, France. The Wing arrived at the rendezvous one minute before the set time, and could see no trace of the bombers, the escort or the escort cover so they orbited for three minutes then set course for Lille. The Wing eventually located the Blenheims and escorts near Bethune on their homeward journey and took their allotted position above the aircraft. From the moment they assumed the high cover role the Wing was repeatedly attacked by Bf.109s and Fw.190s all the way back to the French coast and then out to mid-Channel. FLTLT Truscott [AB842] claimed 1 x Bf109 destroyed and 1 x Fw.190 as a probable; SGT Dunstan [P8645] claimed a 109 as damaged. On the return to England, the formation was faced with a 75mph headwind which had a serious effect on a Spitfire’s range and this was manifested when Truscott and Dunstan were both forced to bale out over the Channel when their Spitfires ran out of fuel, fortunately both pilots were rescued by an RAF air/sea rescue launch. Additionally, SGT Tainton [AB781] crash-landed at Gravesend when his aircraft ran out of fuel on finals.
In the days following Circus 110 the RAF Higher Command reevaluated the efficacy of the Circus/Ramrod/Rodeo operations and came to the conclusion that the high loss rate of RAF Fighters and pilots was not the most effective method to campaign against the Luftwaffe. Even though Luftwaffe losses were also high, it was apparent that they were far from beaten and, as some Senior Officers were openly stating, the Luftwaffe was on top of the RAF offensive. Accordingly, the AOC Fighter Command Air Marshall W.S Douglas directed that from mid-November Circus Operations were to be curtailed as the RAF adopted a more defensive posture and prepared to send forces overseas to the Middle East, North Africa, India and the Far East.
The effect of this procedural change affected 452Sqn immediately and for the remainder of 1941 they were employed primarily on convoy escort duties and other less demanding tasks. The only meaningful encounter with the enemy occurred on December 8th when twelve Spitfires were tasked to provide cover for air-sea rescue boats on a mission off Dungeness. At approximately, 1225hrs five Fw.190s made a brief attack causing the squadron to lose formation. PLTOFF Lewis [AB992] sprayed one Fw.190 for eight seconds but made no claim, SGT Emery [AB966] was last seen in hot pursuit of a 190 but failed to return and was listed as MIA.
The first two weeks 1942 began with cold, rainy weather and nothing but a few convoy patrols, Channel sweeps, two Rhubarbs and one Rodeo with the enemy conspicuous by its absence on all occasions. The squadron was moved back to RAF Kenley on the 14th and was kept grounded until the end of the month when a few convoy patrols and Channel sweeps were conducted. Squadron members [mainly aircrew] were all now concerned about the news from the Far East and the rapid Japanese advance toward Australia. Many were questioning why they were being retained in England and, in their minds, providing no useful service.
They wanted to return and help defend their homeland but their pleas were falling on deaf ears, or so it appeared. As it happens, discussions were already underway between the British and Australian parliaments to return Australian resources in the near future. Meanwhile, 452Sqn saw a change in circumstances in February beginning with the notorious Chanel Dash (German Operation Cerberus) when the Kriegsmarine successfully repositioned two battleships and one heavy cruiser [Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen] from Brest, France to German ports. The German forces departed Brest on the evening of 11Feb and were not detected until they had reached the Strait of Dover when the British response [Operation Fuller] was launched at 1300hrs. The following day an air strike by Coastal Command Beauforts escorted by the Kenley Wing was planned but weather conditions were very poor and the Beauforts failed to meet their escort and pushed on unescorted with dire consequences. The Kenley Wing also headed for and located the German fleet off Mardyck, France and climbed to 9000ft to act as high cover for the inbound strike aircraft. No friendly or enemy aircraft were seen in the dim conditions but just as the Wing Leader called for a return to base a German destroyer appeared out of the gloom and 452Sqn was detached to attack. All twelve Spitfires rolled in and despite initial heavy AA fire the destroyer was strafed with cannon and machine gun fire and was left with deserted decks, silent AA guns and dense smoke pouring from the bridge area. The German ships evaded the British attempts to stop the capital ships and all three safely reached the German port of Kiel in the early hours of Feb13. The squadron gained some small consolation on the 13th when a Channel Sweep in the wake of the German flotilla came across a Henschel 60 floatplane off the Belgian coast and utterly destroyed the machine. This victory was the Squadron’s 58th and the first for 1942.
On 15Feb four aircraft were detailed to patrol between Beachy Head and Dungeness and 12km west of Cap Gris Nez they spotted German E-boats, two aircraft climbed above the cloud layer to provide high cover while the other two dived to attack the ships. The two lower aircraft FSGT Makin [BL774] and SGT Harper [P8711] spotted two Bf.019s and changed course to intercept. The two 109s split in different directions so Makin and Harper also split. Makin used his superior speed to get on the 109s tail and fired a long burst which saw pieces fly off the aircraft and thin white smoke issue from the engine but as his speed fell away the 109 climbed into cloud and disappeared. Immediately after this encounter Makin was jumped by a mixed bag of ten 109Es and Fs who proceeded to attack him as he fled the scene, his desperate avoidance actions were effective and the enemy withdrew in sight of the English coast. Meanwhile, Harper was last seen chasing his 109 as it disappeared into the clouds and he failed to return.
No further action was seen until early March when the Kenley Wing was tasked as close escort for six Bostons to attack dockyards at Le Torquet, France. The bombers successfully bombed the target and were homeward bound before the Luftwaffe put in an appearance. In a running dogfight SGT Hamilton [AD849] was shot down by Fw.190s and crashed into the sea, and in return SQNLDR Truscott and FLTLT Wawn both claimed 1 x 109F destroyed and one damaged. The last flights from Kenley occurred on the 13th / 14th March when the squadron flew escort for Circus 114 and Circus 115. The squadron claimed victories on both occasions without loss; SQNLDR Truscott [AA994] and PLTOFF Sly [AB260] each claimed an Fw.190 as destroyed while Sgt Morrison [AB851] claimed a Bf.1109F destroyed. Soon after his victory Morrison was attacked and had most of his tail unit shot away but managed to get back and land at Gravesend.
At this time the squadron was advised it was moving back to Australia and as part of that process the squadron was relocated on the 22nd March from Kenley to RAF Station Andreas on the Isle of Man where they remained until embarking for Australia in June 1942.
Year |
Month |
Location |
Sorties |
Operational Losses |
Non-Operational Losses |
1941 |
May |
RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire |
11 |
0 |
2 |
June |
RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire |
132 |
0 |
1 |
|
July |
RAF Kenley, Surrey |
206 |
2 |
0 |
|
August |
RAF Kenley, Surrey |
289 |
5 |
0 |
|
September |
RAF Kenley, Surrey |
164 |
5 |
2 |
|
October |
RAF Kenley, Surrey |
120 |
3 |
0 |
|
November |
RAF Redhill, Surrey |
113 |
4 |
0 |
|
December |
RAF Redhill, Surrey |
70 |
1 |
0 |
|
1942 |
January |
RAF Redhill, Surrey |
84 |
1 |
1 |
February |
RAF Kenley, Surrey |
72 |
1 |
0 |
|
March |
RAF Andreas, Isle of Man |
89 |
1 |
0 |
|
April |
RAF Andreas, Isle of Man |
70 |
0 |
2 |
|
May |
RAF Andreas, Isle of Man |
66 |
2 |
2 |
|
Totals |
1,486 |
25 |
10 |
Table 1 Summary of 452 Sqn Sorties Flown and Aircraft Losses 1941-42
452 Squadron is known to have operated at least 151 aircraft during the period. Of those used 35 (23%) were lost through operational and non-operational causes. The remainder of this document details the history of the 35 aircraft lost and the men who flew them.
P7562 P7590 P7682 P8085 P8130 P8361 P8645 P8703 P8711 P8716 P8717 R6892 W3508 W3512
W3520 W3600 X4825 AA849 AB171 AB195 AB243 AB244 AB785 AB841 AB842 AB852 AB874 AB966
AB992 AD242 AD310 AD430 AD537 BL351 BL384
Table 2 Serials of 452 Sqn Spitfire Aircraft Losses 1941-42
P7562
00Oct40 Supermarine Spitfire F Serial P7562 was the 43rd of 50 Mk.IIa fighters built in the Serial range P7520 thru P7569 by Vickers-Armstrong (Supermarine) Ltd at their Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory, Birmingham. The aircraft was part of Vickers-Armstrong’s First Order to Contract 981687/39/C.23 (c) dated 12 April 1939 for the construction of 1,000 Mk II aircraft. The aircraft was constructed as one of 921 Mk II aircraft built between June 1940 and July 1941.
Powered by a 1,150-horsepower (857 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin XII supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a three-bladed Rotol constant-speed propeller. Armament was four Colt Browning 7.7mm (0,303inch) machine guns in each wing with 300 rounds per gun.
00Oct40 First flight at Castle Bromwich by a Supermarine test pilot.
28Oct40 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.38 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Llandow, near Cardiff in Wales where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
16Jan41 Aircraft taken on charge with No.64 (F) Sqn at RAF Boscombe Down in Wiltshire.
06Mar41 Sustained Cat.B damage, sent for repair to Air Service Training in Hamble, Exeter
18May41 Aircraft taken on charge with No.54 (F) Sqn at RAF Hornchurch in Essex.
15Jun41 Aircraft taken on charge with RAAF No.452 (F) Sqn at RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire.
11Jul41 1st Operational Mission with 452Sqn. SGT A.C Roberts departed Kirton at 1350hrs with six other aircraft for a 100+ Spitfire offensive fighter sweep over the Dunkirk-St Omer-Calais region to provide cover for light bombers attacking the Lille railway station. The Luftwaffe responded in numbers to the raid and in one engagement over the St.Omer region Robert’s Spitfire was hit hard and could not be recovered. Roberts baled out and landed in fields very close to St. Omer aerodrome but luckily was rescued immediately by French farmers. After leaving the local area Roberts was guided toward Calais with the intent of getting back to the UK by boat. The party could not get close to the well-guarded port however, so his French rescuers arranged for him to travel by bicycle and train south to Lyons. Roberts reached Lyons without much ado but after six days waiting for plans to be finalized he was betrayed and handed over to the Vichy authorities and incarcerated in Saint-Hippolyte-du-Fort near Nîmes. On 31Jul41 he was allowed to send a Red Cross Telegram stating he was ‘safe in France’.
After several months of captivity he managed to escape with the help of the famous Belgian Army Officer Albert-Maria Edmond Guerisse of the Belgian and French Resistance (who operated under the name of Patrick Albert O’Leary). Roberts was led over the Pyrenees to Gibraltar, then shipped back aboard HMS Sheffield to No.1 RAF Depot Uxbridge, London where all RAF personnel were posted after a period of captivity. Roberts was the first RAAF Airmen to successfully escape and return to the UK in WW2.
He returned to 452Sqn on 12Nov41 but in line with RAF policy was not permitted to fly again over Europe. Accordingly, he was posted to AHQ India where he completed a full tour of operations with 258 and 146 Hurricane Sqns at Ceylon and Dum Dum. On 30Nov43 he volunteered for and was accepted into H.M Special Forces as the Air Liaison Officer for No.3 Column, 77th Indian Brigade of the Long Range Penetration Group (LRPG), Burma Special Forces. After completing his tour Roberts returned to Australia in May 1945 and was discharged from the RAAF on 27th June 1945 with the rank of Flight Lieutenant.
Alexander Cyffin Roberts died aged 90 years on 8th August 2007 in Lismore. New South Wales. He was laid to rest beside his beloved wife Kelsie May in Section G Row 86 of the Lismore Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
P7590
00Oct40 Supermarine Spitfire F Serial P7590 was the 1st of 40 Mk.IIa fighters built in the Serial range P7590 thru P7629 by Vickers-Armstrong (Supermarine) Ltd at their Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory, Birmingham. The aircraft was part of Vickers-Armstrong’s First Order to Contract 981687/39/C.23 (c) dated 12 April 1939 for the construction of 1,000 Mk II aircraft. The aircraft was constructed as one of 921 Mk II aircraft built between June 1940 and July 1941.
Powered by a 1,150-horsepower (857 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin XII supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a three-bladed Rotol constant-speed propeller. Armament was four Colt Browning 7.7mm (0,303inch) machine guns in each wing with 300 rounds per gun.
00Oct40 First flight at Castle Bromwich by a Supermarine test pilot.
01Nov40 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.12 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Kirkbride in Cumbria where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
16Nov40 Aircraft taken on charge with No.41 (F) Sqn at RAF Hornchurch in Essex.
10Jan41 Sustained Cat.B/FB damage.
19Jan41 Aircraft sent for repair to No.1 Civilian Repair Unit at Cowley in Oxford.
04Mar41 Aircraft taken on charge with No.303 (Polish) Sqn at RAF Station Northolt in Hillingdon, West London.
04Jun41 Aircraft taken on charge with RAAF No.452 (F) Sqn at RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire.
12Jun41 1st Operational Mission with 452Sqn. SGT A.R Stuart departed Kirton with SGR R.J Cowan [P9789] and completed an uneventful Dusk Convoy Patrol between 2216 and 2305hrs.
30Jun41 Aircraft flew eight operational missions and two non-operational missions in June 1941
21Jul41 Moved from RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey to the new operating base at RAF Station Kenley, Surrey.
31Jul41 Aircraft flew 13 operational missions and several non-operational missions in July 1941
09Aug41 24th Operational Mission. Sgt C.G.B Chapman departed Kirton at 1035hrs with 11 other 452 Sqn Spitfires as part of the Kenley Wing to participate in Circus 68. Five wings of Spitfires numbering more than 200 fighters escorted five Blenheim bombers to attack a power station at Gosnay four miles of south-west of Béthune, France. Heavy clouds caused abandonment of the Gosnay operation and the focus moved to a secondary target at Gravelines. At 1120hrs SGT Chapman was shot down by Me.109s over the village of Salperwick, two miles north of St Omer in the Pas de Calais, France.
RAAF pilot 404198 Sgt Christopher Geoffrey Blomfield Chapman (28) of Mount Buderim Queensland was KIA and is buried in Plot 9. Row C. Grave 21 at the St Omer in the Souvenir Longuenesse Cemetery. He is commemorated on Panel 105 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory.
14Aug41 Aircraft struck off charge. While serving with 452Sqn the aircraft flew 25 operational missions and made an unknown number of non-operational flights.
P7682
00Nov40 Supermarine Spitfire F Serial P7682 was the 23rd of 40 Mk.IIa fighters built in the Serial range P7660 thru P7669 by Vickers-Armstrong (Supermarine) Ltd at their Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory, Birmingham. The aircraft was part of Vickers-Armstrong’s First Order to Contract 981687/39/C.23 (c) dated 12 April 1939 for the construction of 1,000 Mk II aircraft. The aircraft was constructed as one of 921 Mk II aircraft built between June 1940 and July 1941.
Powered by a 1,150-horsepower (857 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin XII supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a three-bladed Rotol constant-speed propeller. Armament was four Colt Browning 7.7mm (0,303inch) machine guns in each wing with 300 rounds per gun.
00Nov40 First flight at Castle Bromwich by a Supermarine test pilot.
22Nov40 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.12 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Kirkbride in Cumbria where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
13Mar41 Aircraft taken on charge with RAF No.222 (F) Sqn at RAF Station Coltishall, Norfolk.
27May41 Aircraft taken on charge with RAAF No.452 (F) Sqn at RAF Station Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire. Issued to A Flight as the personal mount of PLTOFF J.H O’Byrne
13Jun41 1st Operational Mission. PLTOFF J.H O’Byrne scrambled from Kirton at 1105hrs with PLTOFF W.D Willis [P8073] to intercept a bogey approaching Hull. After 35min the aircraft were recalled.
21Jun41 Aircraft moved to new operating base at RAF Station Kenley, Greater London
30Jun41 Aircraft flew four operational missions and made at least five non-operational flights in June 1941.
31Jul41 Aircraft flew 14 operational missions and made at least 15 non-operational flights in July 1941
09Aug41 20th Operational Mission. PLTOFF J.H O’Byrne departed Kenley at 1035hrs with 11 other 452 Sqn Spitfires as part of the Kenley Wing to participate in Circus 68. Five wings of Spitfires numbering more than 200 fighters escorted five Blenheim bombers to attack a power station at Gosnay four miles of south-west of Béthune, France. Heavy clouds caused abandonment of the Gosnay operation and the focus moved to a secondary target at Gravelines. At approximately 1130hrs the aircraft was shot down near Coubronne in Calais, France. O’Byrne and declared as MIA, on 29Aug41 the Red Cross informed the RAF that O’Byrne was a POW.
RAAF pilot 408022 PLTOFF Justin Hillary O’Byrne (28) of Launceston, Tasmania was wounded but managed to bale out of his stricken aircraft. He was captured immediately upon landing and taken to a hospital in St Omer where he remained for a short time before moving to the Luftwaffe Dulag in Frankfurt where he was allocated POW No.3735 and sent to Stalag Luft 3. Over the ensuing four years he was incarcerated in eight different POW camps. While an inmate at Sagan III Camp he was the ‘administration officer; for the Great Escape which ended in tragedy when 50 Allied escapee officers were recaptured and executed by the Gestapo. He was eventually liberated by Russian Forces on 29Apr45 and was repatriated back to No.11 Personnel Disposal and Reception Centre UK on 13May45. Following a short stay in hospital to recuperate he was repatriated back to Australia in Aug45 and arrived in Sydney 09Sep45. He was discharged from the RAAF on 01Feb46 with the rank of Flight Lieutenant.
16Aug41 Aircraft struck off charge. While serving with 452Sqn the aircraft flew 18 operational missions and an unknown number of non-operational missions.
P8085
00Feb41 Supermarine Spitfire F Serial P8085 was the 16th of 30 Mk.IIa fighters built in the Serial range P8070 thru P8099 by Vickers-Armstrong (Supermarine) Ltd at their Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory, Birmingham. The aircraft was part of Vickers-Armstrong’s First Order to Contract 981687/39/C.23 (c) dated 12 April 1939 for the construction of 1,000 Mk II aircraft. The aircraft was constructed as one of 921 Mk II aircraft built between June 1940 and July 1941.
Powered by a 1,150-horsepower (857 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin XII supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a Rotol three-bladed constant-speed variable pitch propeller. Armament was four Colt Browning 7.7mm (0,303inch) machine guns in each wing with 300 rounds per gun.
This particular Spitfire was presentation aircraft and bore the name ‘Garfield Weston VII’, one 16 fighter aircraft paid for by the wealthy Canadian businessman Willard Garfield Weston.
00Feb41 First flight at Castle Bromwich by a Supermarine test pilot.
26Feb41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.38 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Llandow, near Cardiff, Wales where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
13Mar41 Aircraft taken on charge with No.303 (Polish) Sqn at RAF Station Northolt in Hillingdon, West London.
19May41 Aircraft taken on charge with RAAF No.452 (F) Sqn at RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire.
22May41 1st Operational Mission. SGT A.C Roberts departed Kirton at 1010hrs with SGT I.A.L Milne [P8038] and completed an uneventful 45min Channel convoy escort patrol.
31May41 Aircraft flew one operational mission and made several non-operational flights in May 1941.
02Jun41 2nd Operational Mission. SGT R.G Gazzard departed Kirton at 1510hrs with SGT I.A.L Milne [P8041] and completed an uneventful 30min intercept scramble.
10Jun41 3rd Operational Mission. SGT A.G Costello departed Kirton at 1508hrs with SGT B.E Tainton [P8040] and completed an uneventful 42min intercept scramble during which they saw but could not catch a Ju88.
15Jun41 4th Operational Mission. SGT R.G Gazzard departed Kirton at 1520hrs with SGT I.A.L Milne [P7858] and completed an uneventful 50min intercept scramble.
17Jun41 5th Operational Mission. PLTOFF D.E Lewis departed Kirton at 2225hrs with SGT I.A.L Milne [P8040] and SGT F.R McCann [P7524] and completed an uneventful 65min coastal dusk patrol.
26Jun41 6th Operational Mission. SGT R.G Gazzard departed Kirton at 2010hrs with SGT A.G Costello [P8040] and completed an uneventful 90min Channel convoy escort patrol.
28Jun41 7th Operational Mission. SGT F.R McCann departed Kirton at 0630hrs with SGT A.G Costello [P8040] and completed an uneventful 100min Channel convoy dawn escort patrol.
31May41 Aircraft flew six operational mission and made several non-operational flights in June 1941.
04Jul41 8th Operational Mission. SGT A.G Costello departed Kirton at 2205hrs with SGT K.B Chisholm [P7786] and completed an uneventful 75min coastal dusk patrol.
05Jul41 At 0108hrs SGT A.G Costello was preparing to land at RAF Donna Nook in Lincolnshire after completing a night training flight when he was shot down by a Ju88 Intruder near Fen Lane Farm in North Somercotes, Lincolnshire. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot killed.
10Jul41 Aircraft struck of charge, while serving with 452Sqn the aircraft flew eight operational missions and made at least 10 non-operational flights.
RAAF pilot 404086 Sergeant Andrew Gordon Costello (23) of Charters Towers, Queensland was KIA and is buried in Block A, Grave 190 of the Kirton-in-Lindsey Cemetery, North Lincolnshire. He is commemorated on Panel 105 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. He is also remembered on the Roll of Honour in the Charters Towers RSL Club, Queensland.
SGT Costello (3rd from Right) at Kirton-in-Lindsey May 1941
SGT Costello is remembered on the Charters Towers RSL Club Roll of Honour
P8130
00Apr41 Supermarine Spitfire F Serial P8130 was the 1st of 20 Mk.IIa fighters built in the Serial range P8130 thru P8149 by Vickers-Armstrong (Supermarine) Ltd at their Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory, Birmingham. The aircraft was part of Vickers-Armstrong’s First Order to Contract 981687/39/C.23 (c) dated 12 April 1939 for the construction of 1,000 Mk II aircraft. The aircraft was constructed as one of 921 Mk II aircraft built between June 1940 and July 1941.
Powered by a 1,150-horsepower (857 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin XII supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a Rotol three-bladed constant-speed variable pitch propeller. Armament was four Colt Browning 7.7mm (0,303inch) machine guns in each wing with 300 rounds per gun.
Aircraft was a presentation machine named Luton I.
00Apr41 First flight at Castle Bromwich by a Supermarine test pilot.
06Apr41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.8 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Little Rissington, Gloucestershire, where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
22Apr41 Aircraft taken on charge with No.303 (Polish) Sqn at RAF Station Northolt in Hillingdon, West London.
04Jun41 Aircraft taken on charge with RAAF No.452 (F) Sqn at RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire.
10Jun41 1st Operational Mission. PLTOFF R. Thorold-Smith departed Kirton at 1645hrs with SGT R.G Gazzard [P7624] and completed an uneventful 35min convoy patrol.
11Jun41 402144 PLTOFF Raymond Edward Thorold-Smith deployed to RAF Sutton Bridge with five other Spitfires for a series of air-firing exercises. When departing Sutton Bridge for a firing exercise the aircraft lost power and crashed, later classified as Cat.E/FA and struck of charge. The pilot sustained minor injuries and shock.
16Jun41 Aircraft struck of charge. While serving with 452Sqn the aircraft flew one operational mission and made at least three non-operational flights.
P8361
00Apr41 Supermarine Spitfire F Serial P8361 was the 2nd of 40 Mk.IIa fighters built in the Serial range P8360 thru P8399 by Vickers-Armstrong (Supermarine) Ltd at their Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory, Birmingham. The aircraft was part of Vickers-Armstrong’s First Order to Contract 981687/39/C.23 (c) dated 12 April 1939 for the construction of 1,000 Mk II aircraft. The aircraft was constructed as one of 921 Mk II aircraft built between June 1940 and July 1941.
Powered by a 1,150-horsepower (857 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin XII supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a Rotol three-bladed constant-speed variable pitch propeller. Armament was four Colt Browning 7.7mm (0,303inch) machine guns in each wing with 300 rounds per gun.
Aircraft was a presentation machine named Krakatoa, paid for by the State of Krakatoa, Netherland East Indies.
00Apr41 First flight at Castle Bromwich by a Supermarine test pilot.
10Apr41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.6 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Brize Norton, Oxfordshire where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
18Apr41 Aircraft taken on charge with No.303 (Polish) Sqn at RAF Station Northolt in Hillingdon, West London. Taken on charge with B Flight and coded RF-R
04Jun41 Aircraft taken on charge with RAAF No.452 (F) Sqn at RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire.
12Jun41 1st Operational Mission. SGT G.B Haydon departed Kirton at 1400hrs with SGT R.J Cowan [P9789] and completed an uneventful 40min convoy patrol.
30Jun41 Aircraft flew eight operational missions and made at least four non-operational flights in Jun41
31Jul41 Aircraft flew 15 operational missions and made at least nine non-operational flights in Jul41
09Aug 27th Operational Mission. SGT G.B Haydon departed Kirton at 1035hrs as one twelve 452Sqn Spitfires that formed part of the 15 Spitfire squadrons assigned to protect five 266Sqn Blenheims on Circus 68, an attack on the fuel refinery at Gosnay near Béthune, France. At approximately 1120hrs 452Sqn engaged a force of Bf109s and during this melee SGT Haydon was shot down near Bethune by Oberleutnant Schmid of Stab/JG.26 and crashed at Foret de Tournehem. Haydon baled out successfully but was found dead in a tree near the village of Quercamps in the Pas de Calais. He was buried by local villagers.
RAAF pilot 404100 Sergeant Gerald Barrington Haydon (20) of Clayfield in Brisbane, Queensland was KIA and is buried in Plot 9 Row C Grave 20 of the Longuenesse (St Omer) Souvenir Cemetery, Longuenesse, Nord Pas de Calais, France. He is commemorated on Panel 105 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. He is also remembered on the Clayfield-Toombul RSL War Memorial, Brisbane.
10Sep41 Aircraft struck off charge. While serving with 452Sqn the aircraft flew 27 operational missions and made at least 15 non-operational flights.
P8645
00Apr41 Supermarine Spitfire F Serial P8645 was the 6th of 40 Mk.IIb fighters built in the Serial range P8640 thru P8679 by Vickers-Armstrong (Supermarine) Ltd at their Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory, Birmingham. The aircraft was part of Vickers-Armstrong’s First Order to Contract 981687/39/C.23 (c) dated 12 April 1939 for the construction of 1,000 Mk II aircraft. The aircraft was constructed as one of 921 Mk II aircraft built between June 1940 and July 1941.
Powered by a 1,150-horsepower (857 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin XII supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a Rotol three-bladed constant-speed variable pitch propeller. Armament was one Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon (60rpg) and two Colt Browning 7.7mm (.303inch) machine guns in each wing (300rpg).
Aircraft was a presentation machine named Gaumont-British, paid for by the Gaumont-British Film Co.
00Apr41 First flight at Castle Bromwich by a Supermarine test pilot.
29Apr41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.12 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Kirkbride, Cumbria where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
20May41 Aircraft taken on charge with No.222 (F) Sqn at RAF Station Coltishall, Norfolk. Wore ZD code.
25Jun41 PLTOFF Sanders overshot a landing at RAF Southend causing Cat.B damage to the aircraft.
27Jun41 Aircraft transported to Air Service Training at Hamble where it was converted from a Mk.IIb to a Mk.Vb standard and fitted with a Merlin M45 engine.
14Oct41 Aircraft taken on charge with RAAF No.452 (F) Sqn at RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire. Issued to B Flight as UD-Y and assigned to SGT B.P Dunstan.
27Oct41 1st Operational Mission. FLTLT K.W Truscott departed Kirton at 1020hrs with PLTOFF Lewis [AB992] and completed an uneventful 1hr 10min Rhubarb sortie over France.
30Oct41 Aircraft flew four operational missions and made at least two non-operational flights in Oct41.
08Nov41 8th Operational Mission. SGT B.P Dunstan departed Kirton at 1100hrs as one twelve 452Sqn Spitfires that formed part of the 13 Spitfire squadrons assigned to protect twelve Blenheims (six each from 21 and 82Sqn) on Circus 100, an attack on the railway repair shops in Lille, France. At approximately 1155hrs the squadron engaged a gaggle of Bf109s and were forced to break off the action when fuel became critical. Approaching the English coast near North Foreland, Kent Dunstan was forced to bale out when he fuel ran out. He was picked up by a RAF rescue launch soon after and returned to the Squadron that evening.
RAFVR pilot 1256932 Sergeant Bruce Paul Dunstan (21) was an Australian serving in the RAFVR who was born in Chelsea, Victoria 11Sep. After his tour with 452Sqn he was posted to 41Sqn RAF at RAF Westhampnett. On 12th February he returned early with engine trouble in Spitfire Vb (W3565) from bomber escort action against the German warships Gneisenau, Prinz Eugen and Scharnhorst off the Belgian coast. He was forced to ditch, and was not heard of again. He was reported 'missing' - presumed dead over the Channel, but his exact fate is unknown.
Bruce Dunstan [2nd from the left] between Paddy Finucane and Bluey Truscott
RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire c.1941 (Photograph via Robin Tilbrook, nephew of Bruce Dunstan)
P8703
00Jul41 Supermarine Spitfire F Serial P8703 was the 14th of 40 Mk.Vb fighters built in the Serial range P8690 thru P8729 by Vickers-Armstrong (Supermarine) Ltd at their Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory, Birmingham. The aircraft was part of Vickers-Armstrong’s First Order to Contract 981687/39/C.23 (c) dated 12 April 1939 for the construction of 1,000 Mk II aircraft. The aircraft was constructed as one of 79 Mk.V a/b aircraft built between June 1940 and July 1941.
Powered by a 1,150-horsepower (857 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin M45 supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a de Havilland three-bladed constant-speed variable pitch propeller. Armament was one Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon (60rpg) and two Colt Browning 7.7mm (.303inch) machine guns in each wing (300rpg).
00Jul41 First flight at Castle Bromwich by a Supermarine test pilot.
18Jul41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.37 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Burtonwood, Cheshire where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
11Aug41 Aircraft taken on charge with RAAF No.452 (F) Sqn at RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire.
27Aug41 1st Operational Mission. SGT A.R Stuart departed Kirton at 0630hrs as one twelve 452Sqn Spitfires that formed part of the 18 Spitfire squadrons assigned to protect six 18Sqn Blenheims on Circus 85, an attack on St Omer airfield Longuenesse, France. The raid drew limited response from the Luftwaffe and Stuart returned to base at 0750hrs.
31Aug41 Aircraft flew four operational sorties and made at least three non-operational flights in Aug41.
18Sep41 12th Operational Mission. SGT A.R Stuart departed Kirton at 1410hrs as one twelve 452Sqn Spitfires that formed part of the 18 Spitfire squadrons assigned to protect six 18Sqn Blenheims on Circus 99, an attack on targets in Rouen, France. At approximately 1445hrs the squadron engaged a large force of Bf109s and a swirling dogfight ensued. On this occasion 452 suffered badly with four Spitfires shot down and four others suffering damage. SGT Stuart (Black 2) was one of the missing and he was last seen providing cover to PLTOFF Willis (Black 1) as their section was attacked by several BF109s, both aircraft failed to return. On 15Oct41 the Red Cross informed the RAF that Stuart was alive and was a POW.
RAAF pilot 402141 Sergeant Archibald Roger Felix Stuart (23) of Randwick in Sydney, New South Wales baled out of his aircraft and was immediately captured. He was transported to the Luftwaffe Dulag in Frankfurt where he underwent interrogation before being issued POW No.9693 and sent to Stalag Luft 1. He was moved on several occasions and finished up in Stalag 383 Hohenfels, Bavaria where, on April 24th 1945, he was released when the American Army 65th Division liberated the camp.
He was repatriated to No.11 Personnel Despatch & Receiving Section in Brighton, Sussex then to Australia, arriving in Sydney on 9th September 1945. Stuart discharged from the RAAF on 12th November 1945 with the rank of Flight Lieutenant. He re-enlisted in 1950 and served a further 14 years before he resigned from the Permanent Air Force on 3rd June 1964 with the rank of Squadron Leader.
Archibald Roger Felix Stuart passed away on 22 May 1992 aged 73 years and is buried Zone F Independent Lawn Section C Grave 953 of the Rookwood General Cemetery, Sydney.
P8711
00Jul41 Supermarine Spitfire F Serial P8711 was the 22nd of 40 Mk.Vb fighters built in the Serial range P8690 thru P8729 by Vickers-Armstrong (Supermarine) Ltd at their Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory, Birmingham. The aircraft was part of Vickers-Armstrong’s First Order to Contract 981687/39/C.23 (c) dated 12 April 1939 for the construction of 1,000 Mk II aircraft. The aircraft was constructed as one of 79 Mk.V a/b aircraft built between June 1940 and July 1941.
Powered by a 1,150-horsepower (857 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin M45 supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a de Havilland three-bladed constant-speed variable pitch propeller. Armament was one Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon (60rpg) and two Colt Browning 7.7mm (.303inch) machine guns in each wing (300rpg).
00Jul41 First flight at Castle Bromwich by a Supermarine test pilot.
20Jul41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.37 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Burtonwood, Cheshire where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
10Aug41 Aircraft taken on charge with RAAF No.452 (F) Sqn at RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire.
18Aug41 1st Operational Mission. SGT C.N Wawn departed Kirton at 1400hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires that joined with 24 Spitfires from 485 and 602Sqns to cover the withdrawal of Circus 78. No enemy contact was made and all aircraft RTB safely.
31Aug41 Aircraft flew nine operational missions and made several non-operational flights in Aug41.
30Sep41 Aircraft flew nine operational missions and made several non-operational flights in Sep41.
21Oct41 Aircraft moved from Kirton-in-Lindsey to a new operating base at RAF Station Kenley, Surrey
31Oct41 Aircraft flew six operational missions and made several non-operational flights in Oct41.
30Nov41 Aircraft flew four operational missions and made several non-operational flights in Nov41.
31Oct41 Aircraft flew three operational missions and made several non-operational flights in Dec41.
31Oct41 Aircraft flew two operational missions and made several non-operational flights in Jan42.
15Feb42 36th Operational Mission. SGT F. G Harper scrambled from Kirton at 0855hrs as one of four Spitfires led by PLTOFF E.L Sly. The flight was vectored onto enemy aircraft and attacked as soon as they identified the aircraft as Bf.109s. SGT P Makin [BL774] damaged one of the enemy but no other clams were made. SGT Harper was last seen chasing a 109 toward the French coast but failed to return and was listed as MIA.
22Feb42 Aircraft flew four operational missions and made several non-operational flights in Feb42. While serving with 452Sqn the aircraft flew 33 operational missions and an unknown number of non-operational flights.
RAAF pilot 404664 Sergeant Francis Gilbert Harper (28) of Brisbane, Queensland was KIA and has no known grave. He is commemorated on Panel 112 of the Runnymede Memorial in Surrey, UK; and, Panel 105 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. He is also remembered on the Brisbane Roll of Honour, Brisbane.
P8716
00Jul41 Supermarine Spitfire F Serial P8716 was the 27th of 40 Mk.Vb fighters built in the Serial range P8690 thru P8729 by Vickers-Armstrong (Supermarine) Ltd at their Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory, Birmingham. The aircraft was part of Vickers-Armstrong’s First Order to Contract 981687/39/C.23 (c) dated 12 April 1939 for the construction of 1,000 Mk II aircraft. The aircraft was constructed as one of 79 Mk.V a/b aircraft built between June 1940 and July 1941.
Powered by a 1,150-horsepower (857 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin M45 supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a de Havilland three-bladed constant-speed variable pitch propeller. Armament was one Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon (60rpg) and two Colt Browning 7.7mm (.303inch) machine guns in each wing (300rpg).
00Jul41 First flight at Castle Bromwich by a Supermarine test pilot.
20Jul41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.37 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Burtonwood, Cheshire where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
04Aug41 Aircraft taken on charge with RAAF No.452 (F) Sqn at RAF Station Kenley, London.
10Aug41 1st Operational Mission. SGT C.N Wawn departed Kenley at 1400hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires that joined with 24 Spitfires from 485 and 602Sqns to cover the withdrawal of Circus 78. No enemy contact was made and all aircraft RTB safely.
31Aug41 Aircraft flew 16 operational missions and made several non-operational flights in Aug41.
07Sep41 SGT K.V Williams and SGT J.N Hanigan [AB874] departed Kenley at 1005hrs to carry out dummy air-to-air attacks. At approximately 1030hrs the two aircraft collided and crashed into the grounds of the Cane Hill Psychiatric Hospital on Hollymeoak Rd, Coulsdon Surrey. Both pilots were killed in the crash and were buried with full military honours on 11 September 1941 in St. Luke’s, Whyteleafe.
10Sep41 Aircraft flew three operational missions and made several non-operational flights in Sep41.
21Sep41 Aircraft struck off charge.
RAAF pilot Sergeant Kenneth Victor Williams (25) of Fairfield in Melbourne, Victoria was KIA and is buried in Row H, Grave 33 in Airmen’s Corner of St Luke’s Churchyard Cemetery, Whyteleafe UK. He is commemorated on Panel 105 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory; and, on the Roll of Honour in Fairfield Park, Melbourne.
WD Eccleton: Gravestone in France - St John’s Cenotaph, Australia
R6892
00Jul40 Component production for Mk.1 Spitfires in this Serial Range was spread between the Supermarine Woolston Works in Southampton and several subcontractors located elsewhere in Southern England. The components were then shipped to the new Assembly Hangars at Eastleigh Aerodrome where the aircraft was assembled and test flown. Supermarine Spitfire F Mk.Ia Serial R6892 was the 14th of 50 fighters built in the Serial range R6879 thru R6928 by Supermarine Aviation (Vickers) Ltd with Construction No.850. The aircraft was part of Supermarine’s First Order to Contract B19713/36/39 dated 09 August 1940 for the construction of 500 Mk.I aircraft built between April 1940 and April 1941 at a cost of £4,250.
Powered by a 1,060-horsepower (780 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin III supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a three-bladed De Havilland two-pitch propeller. Armament was four Colt Browning 7.7mm (0.303inch) machine guns in each wing with 300 rounds per gun.
04Jul40 First flight at Eastleigh by a Supermarine test pilot.
05Jul40 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.6 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Brize Norton, Oxfordshire where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
25Jul40 Aircraft taken on charge with No.54 (F) Sqn as KL-T
22Feb41 Aircraft taken on charge with No.41 (F) Sqn
07May41 Aircraft taken on charge with No.452 (F) Sqn RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire. Issued to B Flight as UD-Q
08May41 SGT K.K Cox (27) of St Kilda attempted to go around after a faulty landing but the engine failed when just airborne. Realising he was heading for buildings near the runway Cox swung the aircraft violently and avoided the buildings and crash landed on the grass verge. SGT Cox escaped with minor bumps and bruises but the aircraft was transported off-site for repair by a civilian contractor and did not return to Sqn.
SGT Cox returned was posted from 452Sqn to SHQ at RAF Kenley where he became part of No.1 Air Defence Flight Kenley. He was posted to the Aircraft Development Unit at Croydon on 11Apr43where he was commissioned as a Pilot Officer. On 23Jan44 he was flying Spitfire AR448 and performed unauthorised low-level aerobatics over the airfield. At 1115hrs the aircraft crashed and Cox was killed. A Court of Inquiry into the accident stated: “the pilot stalled the aircraft when doing a slow roll at about 1,000 feet and flicked on his back. He tried to half roll and pull out from this position, but did not quite clear the ground at the edge of the aerodrome. The Pilot had been engaged on flying duties for a long time, and obviously his aerobatics were bad. The accidence was a clear case of disobedience of orders in the Pilot attempted aerobatics in the aerodrome circuit area over a built up area at 1,000 feet without authority.”
RAAF pilot 400141 Flying Officer Keith Kipling Cox (29) of St Kilda in Melbourne, Victoria was KIA and is buried in Plot 4, Row M Grave 16 of the Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey UK. He is commemorated on Panel 120 in the Commemorative Area of the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on the Roll of Honour Board in St Kilda, Melbourne.
21Oct41 Aircraft taken on charge with 57OTU
13Feb42 PLTOFF Douglas Ernest Charles Coleman 112004 of Weybridge, Surrey was flying a routine training flight when the engine caught fire. While attempting to recover control the aircraft crashed near Queensferry, Cheshire. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot killed.
RAFVR pilot 112004 Pilot Officer Douglas Ernest Charles Coleman (23) of Weybridge, Surrey was KIA and is buried in Section 4F, Grave 96 of the Hawarden Cemetery, Flintshire.
21Feb42 Aircraft struck off charge.
W3508
00Jun41 Component production for Mk.Vb Spitfires in this Serial Range was spread between several subcontractors located in Southern England. The components were then shipped to the newly built Assembly Hangars at Chattis Hill airfield in Hampshire where the aircraft was assembled and test flown. These aircraft came to be known as The Secret Spitfires.
Supermarine Spitfire F Serial W3508 was the 8th of 30 Mk.Vb fighters built in the Serial range W3501 thru W3530 by Supermarine Aviation (Vickers) Ltd with Construction No.1793. The aircraft was part of Supermarine’s Second Order to Contract B19713/36/39 dated 22 February 1940 for the construction of 450 Mk.I aircraft built between April and October 1941 at a cost of £5,696.
Powered by a 1,150-horsepower (857 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin M45 supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a de Havilland Type 5/29A three-bladed constant-speed variable pitch propeller. Armament was one Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon with 60rpg and two Colt Browning 7.7mm (.303inch) machine guns with 300rpg in each wing.
21Jun41 First flight at Chattis Hill by a Supermarine test pilot.
24Jun41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.37 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Burtonwood, Cheshire where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
20Aug41 Aircraft taken on charge with RAAF No.452 (F) Sqn at RAF Station Kenley, Surrey
31Aug41 1st Operational Mission. SGT J.M Emery departed Kenley at 1840hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires that joined twelve from 485Sqn and twelve from 602Sqn to provide Wing withdrawal cover to aircraft of Circus 92. The Wing patrolled the Channel 30 miles south of Beachy Head without making contact and all aircraft RTB safely at 1955hrs.
31Aug41 Aircraft flew one operational mission and made three non-operational flights in Aug41
15Sep41 2nd Operational Mission. SGT A.K Try departed Kenley at 1105hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey that flew a Squadron Balbo along the French coast. No enemy were encountered and all aircraft RTB by 1215hrs.
18Sep41 3rd Operational Mission. SGT A.K Try departed Kenley at 1410hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires and joined twelve from 485Sqn and twelve from 602Sqn to provide the Circus 99 Escort Wing for twelve Blenheims attacking Rouen, France. At 1449hrs the wing crossed the French coast at 10,000ft near St Valery when the formation was bounced by an estimated 60+ Bf109s. In the ensuing dogfight Sgt Try was shot down.
20Sep41 Aircraft flew two operational missions and made one non-operational flight in Sep41
22Sep41 Aircraft struck off charge. While serving with 452Sqn the aircraft flew three operational missions and made at least seven non-operational flights.
23Apr45 RAAF pilot 402264 Warrant Officer Augustine Kenneth Try stated he was hit by a Bf.109 while he was engaging another Bf.109 and hit again as he broke away from his attacker. He was forced down to low altitude by a pair of enemy fighters and hit several more times which eventually caused the aircraft to catch fire. Sgt Try baled out successfully10km NW of Rouen and hid in a dry well on a farm before his position was betrayed to the Germans by a French farmer. He was arrested and taken to a local police station in Rouen before being shipped to the Luftwaffe Dulag in Frankfurt.
At the Dulag he was allotted POW No.9700 and after a three-day interrogation was sent to Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf. During his incarceration Sgt Try was moved to seven POW camps: Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf Oct41-May42; Stalag Luft III Sagan May42-Oct42; Stalag Luft I Bath Oct42-Oct43; Stalag Luft VI Heydekrug Oct53-Jul44; Stalag Luft IV Grose Tyschow Jul44-Feb45; and, Stalag XIB Failing Bostle Apr45 where he was released from captivity by the US Army on 19Apr45. Also during his time as a POW he was promoted to Flight Sergeant on 01May43 and Warrant officer on 01May44.
He was repatriated to No.11 Personnel Despatch & Receiving Section in Brighton, Sussex then to Australia, arriving in Sydney on 24th July 1945. Try discharged from the RAAF on 27th November 1945 with the rank of Warrant Officer.
Augustine Kenneth Try born on 21 July 1920 in Sydney, Australia passed away aged 67 years on 21 March 1988 in Sydney, Australia. He is buried in Section RC, Lawn Row H, Plot 67 of the Frenchs Forest Cemetery, Sydney. He is commemorated on the Memorial Wall of the Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial in Ballarat, Victoria.
W3512
00Jun41 Component production for Mk.Vb Spitfires in this Serial Range was spread between several subcontractors located in Southern England. The components were then shipped to the newly built Assembly Hangars at Chattis Hill airfield in Hampshire where the aircraft was assembled and test flown. These aircraft came to be known as The Secret Spitfires.
Supermarine Spitfire F Serial W3508 was the 12th of 30 Mk.Vb fighters built in the Serial range W3501 thru W3530 by Supermarine Aviation (Vickers) Ltd with Construction No.1814. The aircraft was part of Supermarine’s Second Order to Contract B19713/36/39 dated 22 February 1940 for the construction of 450 Mk.I aircraft built between April and October 1941 at a cost of £5,696.
Powered by a 1,150-horsepower (857 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin M45 supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a de Havilland Type 5/29A three-bladed constant-speed variable pitch propeller. Armament was one Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon with 60rpg and two Colt Browning 7.7mm (.303inch) machine guns in each wing with 300rpg.
26Jun41 First flight at Chattis Hill by a Supermarine test pilot.
28Jun41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.12 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Kirkbride, Cumbria where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
05Aug41 Aircraft taken on charge with RAAF No.452 (F) Sqn at RAF Station Kenley, Surrey
27Aug41 1st Operational Mission. SGT B.P Dunstan departed Kenley at 0630hrs for Circus 85 as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires and joined twelve from 485Sqn and twelve from 602Sqn to provide the Escort Cover Wing to five Blenheims for their attack on the St Omer/Longuesse aerodrome complex in northern France. The Wing crossed the French coast at 0712hrs near Ambelteuse at 18,000ft and just before the group reached the target a force of 30-50 Bf.109E fighters attacked from out of the sun. The attacks continued as the Circus 85 aircraft headed for home and lasted well into mid-Channel. 452Sqn claimed three Bf-109s shot down without loss.
2nd Operational Mission. RAFVR SGT P. Makin departed Kenley at 0915hrs with eleven other Spitfires to escort a Lysander on an ASR mission over the Channel, The aircraft searched unsuccessfully from Beachy Head to the French Coast and back to Dungeness, all aircraft TB at 1100hrs.
31Aug41 At 1815hrs 400163 SGT C.N Wawn departed Kenley for a post maintenance test flight. At 1825hrs Wawn was performing a slow roll when the control stick jammed. Excessive force was then needed to free the control stick and, flight control was very difficult to maintain on return to the base. During landing it proved impossible to set up the aircraft correctly and this resulted in a heavy landing that caused severe damage to the undercarriage. The ensuing technical investigation revealed a broken split-pin had lodged in the controls which caused the problem. Damage was assessed as Cat.Ac and was beyond the unit repair capability.
Aircraft flew two operational mission and made at least four non-operational flights in Aug41.
01Sep41 Aircraft was repaired on site by a contractor of the Civilian Repair Organisation.
13Sep41 Aircraft returned to service with 452Sqn.
16Sep41 3rd Operational Mission.PLTOFF E.L Sly departed Kenley at 1750hrs as one twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of FLTLT A.G Douglas. The squadron then joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn and twelve from 602Sqn to provide the Rear Cover Wing of Circus 94. No enemy were encountered and all aircraft RTB by 1920hrs.
17Sep41 4th Operational Mission.SGT C.N Wawn departed Kenley at 0800hrs accompanied by PLTOF E.L Sly [P8711] and completed an uneventful 1hr 25min convoy escort patrol over the English Channel.
5th Operational Mission.SGT P. St J Makin departed Kenley at 1345hrs as one twelve 452Sqn Spitfires led by SQNLDR R. W Bungey. The squadron joined twelve from 485Sqn and twelve from 602Sqn to provide the Escort Cover Wing of Circus 95. No enemy were encountered and all aircraft RTB by 1515hrs.
6th Operational Mission.SGT P. St J Makin departed Kenley at 1655hrs as one twelve 452Sqn Spitfires led by SQNLDR R. W Bungey. The squadron joined twelve from 485Sqn and twelve from 602Sqn to provide the Escort Cover Wing of Circus 96. No enemy were encountered and all aircraft RTB by 1830hrs.
18Sep41 7th Operational Mission.PLTOFF W.D Willis departed Kenley at 1410hrs as one twelve 452Sqn Spitfires and joined twelve from 485Sqn and twelve from 602Sqn to provide the Escort Cover Wing of Circus 99 to six Blenheims of 18Sqn for their attack on targets in Rouen, France. At approximately 1445hrs the squadron engaged a large force of Bf109s and a swirling dogfight ensued. On this occasion 452 suffered badly with four Spitfires shot down and four others suffering damage. Willis was one of the casualties and the exact circumstances of his demise are unknown
20Sep41 Aircraft flew five operational missions and made several non-operational flights in Sep41 While serving with 452Sqn the aircraft flew six operational missions and made an unknown number of non-operational flights.
RAAF pilot 400166 Pilot Officer William Douglas Willis (24) of Ringwood in Melbourne, Victoria was KIA. His body washed ashore on the French coast and he was buried by local villagers in Division 67, Row D Grave 12 of the St Marie Cemetery in Le Havre, Seine-Maritime, France. He is commemorated on Panel 105 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. He is also remembered on the Roll of Honour at Canterbury, Victoria.
W3520
00Jun41 Component production for Mk.Vb Spitfires in this Serial Range was spread between several subcontractors located in Southern England. The components were then shipped to the newly built Assembly Hangars at Chattis Hill airfield in Hampshire where the aircraft was assembled and test flown. These aircraft came to be known as The Secret Spitfires.
Supermarine Spitfire F Serial W3508 was the 8th of 30 Mk.Vb fighters built in the Serial range W3501 thru W3530 by Supermarine Aviation (Vickers) Ltd with Construction No.1812. The aircraft was part of Supermarine’s Second Order to Contract B19713/36/39 dated 22 February 1940 for the construction of 450 Mk.I aircraft built between April and October 1941 at a cost of £5,696.
Powered by a 1,150-horsepower (857 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin M45 supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a de Havilland Type 5/29A three-bladed constant-speed variable pitch propeller. Armament was one Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon with 60rpg and two Colt Browning 7.7mm (.303inch) machine guns in each wing with 300rpg.
25Jun41 First flight at Chattis Hill by a Supermarine test pilot.
27Jun41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.9 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Cosford, Shropshire where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
11Aug41 Aircraft taken on charge with RAAF No.452 (F) Sqn at RAF Station Kenley, Surrey
26Aug41 1st Operational Mission.SGT C.F.R Manning departed Kenley at 1735hrs as one twelve 452Sqn Spitfires led by SNNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron joined twelve from 485Sqn and twelve from 602Sqn to provide the Cover Wing of Circus 80 for an attack by six Blenheims on targets in Marquise northern France. Enemy fighters were briefly engaged near Boulogne with two Bf.109s claimed as damaged. All aircraft RTB by 1905hrs.
31Aug41 Aircraft flew eight operational missions and made several non-operational flights in Aug41
18Sep41 16th Operational Mission. SGT K.B Chisholm departed Kenley at 1410hrs as one of twelve Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn and twelve from 602Sqn to escort twelve Blenheim bombers as part of Circus 99 to Rouen. At 1510hrs B Flight 452Sqn found themselves forced out of position by a Hurricane Squadron and as a result were exposed to several attacks by prowling German fighters. On one occasion two Bf.019s dived Red Section and one of the attackers crossed in front of Chisholm who proceeded to fire a 1.5 second burst of cannon and mg fire into an area the 109 had to fly through. Pieces flew off the 109s port wing and as it rolled away Chisholm followed and fired a two second burst that exploded on and around the cockpit and engine areas causing thick white smoke to pour out. Chisholm was about to attack again when another pair of 109s arrived and chased him off but he could see his victim plunging straight toward the Sea at less than 2000ft.
20Sep41 18th Operational Mission. SGT K.B Chisholm departed Kenley at 1450hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron then joined a further 24 Spitfires from 485 and 602 Sqns that formed the Escort Cover Wing for six Hampden bombers as part of Circus 100.B for an attack on the Abbeville marshalling yards. At approximately 1520hrs the squadron was attacked by more than 50 Bf.109 fighters and the attacks persisted to the target and back out over the Channel. On this occasion the Squadron claimed seven Bf.109Es destroyed and three damaged for the loss of SGT Milne [AB871].
Five miles NW of Abbeville Chisholm was flying as Red 2 behind Paddy Finucane (Red 1) when they spotted a lone Bf.109 flying straight and level. Finucane was setting up an attack on the unwary enemy when a 109 set up for a head on quarter attack on him but abruptly broke right and flew into Chisholm’s arc, who promptly fired a two second burst from a range of 75 yards. Numerous cannon strikes engulfed the belly of the 109 and it blew up in spectacular fashion.
21Sep41 19th Operational Mission. SGT K.B Chisholm departed Kenley at 1435hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron then joined a further 24 Spitfires from 485 and 602 Sqns that formed the Escort Cover Wing for six Hampden bombers as part of Circus 101 for an attack on Le Torquet, France. Soon after crossing the French coast FLTLT Finucane saw twelve Bf.109s above and to the rear of 485Sqn. He immediately informed Chisholm and the pair dived down to intercept the German fighters with Finucane selecting the No.3 of the outer section and Chisholm the No.4
Chisholm fired a six second burst from 300 into 200 yards at which time the cannons ceased firing but not before he saw several strikes in the wing root and cockpit area. Thinking his guns had jammed Chisholm half-rolled and dived for home but also noticed the two 109s diving down, one with thick black smoke pouring from it and the other with a thin stream of black smoke. A short time later the two 109s were 1000ft above and 300 yards behind when the one emitting thick smoke exploded in the air and the other last seen heading vertically to the ground at a very low altitude. As he was about to cross the French coast he noticed his guns selector switch was set to cannon and when he selected ‘both’ the machine guns worked perfectly. This was also fortuitous as a short time later he spotted twelve 109s patrolling the coast and decided to make a single high speed pass. As he rocketed past he selected one a fired a long burst and saw the 109 lurch violently before pitching upward. Chisholm claimed the first Bf.109 as destroyed and the second as damaged.
30Sep41 Aircraft flew 12 operational missions and made several non-operational flights in Sep41
02Oct41 22nd Operational Mission. SGT R.J Cowan departed Kenley at 1645hrs as one of eight 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron then joined a further 11 Spitfires from 485 Sqn and thirty four Spitfires of the Tangmere Wing for an Offensive Fighter Sweep along the French coast. The enemy were contacted twelve miles out to sea off Boulogne and a running fight occurred for the next 20min from Boulogne to Le Torquet.
SGT Cowan was flying as Red 2 behind the leader FLTLT Finucane and the pair were involved in several fleeting contacts without success. At 1740hrs and three miles off the coast Cowan saw two Bf.109Fs about to launch an attack on the two Spitfires. He called the warning and broke into the 109s who abandoned their own attack and turned away in a steep climbing turn which placed them in an ideal location for Cowan to engage. He opened fire at 300 yards with cannons and closed to 70 yards firing with all guns and saw multiple strikes entering the 109’s belly directly below the cockpit. He broke away to set up for another attack when he was forced to abort and rejoin his leader in the face of new threats appearing on the scene. Cowan claimed a Bf.109 destroyed.
12Oct41 24th Operational Mission. SGT K.B Chisholm departed Kenley at 1115hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron then joined a further 24 Spitfires from 485 and 602 Sqns that formed one of the two Target Support Wings of Circus 107. Twelve Blenheim bombers (six each from 21 and 226Sqns) successfully attacked Boulogne docks and headed home. When crossing the French coast near Le Torquet a force of 50+ Bf.109s attacked the formation and a running battle which took the combatants well out to sea and lasted for the next 22min. When the dust settled 452Sqn had lost two aircraft and claimed one destroyed and one damaged in return. SGT Chisholm was one of the two Spitfires shot down.
14Oct41 Aircraft flew four operational mission and made several non-operational flights in Oct41. While serving with 452Sqn the aircraft flew twenty four operational missions and made an unknown number of non-operational flights.
RAAF pilot 402150 Sergeant Keith Bruce Chisholm (22) of Paddington in Sydney, New South Wales was shot down into the English Channel near the French coastal town of Berck-sur-Mer. He baled out 1km off-shore and a German sea-rescue launch picked him up and returned him to Berck. From there he was taken by car to Lille and from there by train to the Luftwaffe Dulag Luft near Frankfurt-am-Main. After the interrogation process was complete he was assigned POW number 24368 and sent to Stalag VIII B (Lamsdorf).
A lot has been written about Keith Chisholm and his exploits in occupied Europe. Briefly, after his first successful escape from captivity he was betrayed by a French farmer and taken back to Lamsdorf. Not content with his lot Chisholm escaped again in August of 1942 and found sanctuary with the Polish underground, staying with the Poles until the Warsaw uprising in 1944. He then travelled to Paris and joined with The French Forces of the Interior (Forces Françaises de l'Intérieur) to fight against the Germans until Paris was liberated. He was then repatriated back to the UK where he met with the Winston Churchill and imparted firsthand knowledge of the Katyn massacre to the Prime Minister. The Official War Historian John Herrington wrote: ‘For more than two years he had by tenacity, effrontery and resilience kept himself free in enemy territory and despite repeated failures as his successive plans neared fruition, had finally surmounted all difficulties and escaped completely.’ While in captivity Chisholm was commissioned to Pilot Officer. He was the first Australian pilot to be awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal and while in captivity was awarded the Military Cross for his exploits with various Partisan groups.
Flight Lieutenant Keith Bruce Chisholm MC DFM resigned from the RAAF on 05 March 1946. After discharge he was instrumental in getting several Polish refuges into Australia before moving to Andover, Massachusetts in the USA. Chisholm died in 1991, survived by his second wife, Marie-France, and four children. A memorial service was held in the Newington College Chapel. In 1993, his ashes were returned to Australia by his widow and step-son and interred, with full military honours, at Rookwood Cemetery with a Newington College Guard of Honour.
SGT Keith Chisholm with Paddy Finucane
Bruce Chisholm with Wing Commander (Flying) WNGCDR John A Kent RCAF
Bruce Chisholm and FLTLT Bluey Truscott
Above 3 photographs taken at RAF Kenley on 20th Sep 1941 following a successful battle with Luftwaffe forces during RAF operation Circus 100B over northern France
W3600
00Jul41 Component production for Mk.Vb Spitfires in this Serial Range was spread between several subcontractors located in Southern England. The components were then shipped to the newly built Assembly Hangars at Chattis Hill airfield in Hampshire where the aircraft was assembled and test flown. These aircraft came to be known as The Secret Spitfires.
Supermarine Spitfire F Serial W3508 was the 8th of 30 Mk.Vb fighters built in the Serial range W3501 thru W3530 by Supermarine Aviation (Vickers) Ltd with Construction No.1868. The aircraft was part of Supermarine’s Second Order to Contract B19713/36/39 dated 22 February 1940 for the construction of 450 Mk.I aircraft built between April and October 1941 at a cost of £5,696.
Powered by a 1,150-horsepower (857 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin M45 supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a de Havilland Type 5/29A three-bladed constant-speed variable pitch propeller. Armament was one Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon with 60rpg and two Colt Browning 7.7mm (.303inch) machine guns in each wing with 300rpg.
12Jul41 First flight at Chattis Hill by a Supermarine test pilot.
14Jul41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.33 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Lyneham, Wiltshire where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
24Aug41 Aircraft taken on charge with RAAF No.452 (F) Sqn at RAF Station Kenley, Surrey
01Sep41 1st Operational Mission. SGT C.F.R Manning departed Kenley at 1000hrs accompanied by SGT B.E Tainton [W3572] and completed 1hr 15min convoy escort patrol over the English Channel.
2nd Operational Mission. SGT C.F.R Manning scrambled from Kenley at 1520hrs with two other Spitfires to intercept a reported bogey. After 1hr of fruitless searching the trio were recalled to Base.
02Sep41 3rd Operational Mission. SGT K.B Chisholm departed Kenley at 1005hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of FLTLT A.G Douglas. The squadron then joined twelve 485Sqn Spitfires, three Hurricanes and three Blenheims for a Roadstead operation to Ostend Harbour. After completing the mission the formation set course for home when a pair of Bf.109s attacked Black Section of 452Sq. Both enemy fighters were shot down without loss. All aircraft RTB by 1205hrs.
04Sep41 4th Operational Mission. PLTOFF D.E Lewis departed Kenley at 1535hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of SNQLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn plus twelve from 602Sqn and formed the target support Wing of Circus 93 for six Blenheim bombers to Maringarbe. No enemy were encountered and all aircraft RTB by 1720hrs.
15Sep41 5th Operational Mission. SGT C.F.R Manning departed Kenley at 1105hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey that flew a Squadron Balbo along the French coast. No enemy were encountered and all aircraft RTB by 1215hrs.
16Sep41 6th Operational Mission.SGT C.F.R Manning departed Kenley at 1750hrs as one twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of FLTLT A.G Douglas. The squadron then joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn and twelve from 602Sqn to provide the Rear Cover Wing of Circus 94. No enemy were encountered and all aircraft RTB by 1920hrs.
17Sep41 7th Operational Mission. SGT C.F.R Manning departed Kenley at 1345hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron then joined a further 23 Spitfires from 485 and 602 Sqns and formed the cover escort Wing for six Blenheim bombers as part of Circus 95. No enemy were encountered and all aircraft RTB by 1515hrs.
8th Operational Mission. SGT C.F.R Manning departed Kenley at 1655hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron then joined a further twenty four Spitfires from 485 and 602 Sqns and formed the cover escort Wing for six Blenheim bombers as part of Circus 95. No enemy were encountered and all aircraft RTB by 1830hrs.
18Sep41 9th Operational Mission. SGT C.F.R Manning departed Kenley at 1410hrs as one twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron then joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn and twelve from 602Sqn to provide the Escort Cover Wing of Circus 99 to six Blenheims of 18Sqn for their attack on targets in Rouen, France. At approximately 1445hrs the squadron engaged a large force of Bf109s and a swirling dogfight ensued. On this occasion 452 suffered badly with four Spitfires shot down and four others suffering damage. Manning was flying in A Flight as Yellow 2 to PLTOFF R.E Thorold-Smith [AB852] when he became separated from Smith in the first attack. Following squadron standard procedures he then dived away and headed for home. However, he was attacked and damaged by one or more Bf.109s and radioed to say he was preparing to attempt a sea landing. He did not survive the ditching of his aircraft and was killed in the attempt. His body was retrieved from the Channel and taken ashore for burial
20Sep41 Aircraft struck off charge. While serving with 452Sqn the aircraft flew nine operational missions and made an unknown number of non-operational flights.
RAAF pilot 400230 Sergeant Charles Frederick Richard Manning (20) of Bacchus Marsh, Victoria was shot down and killed. His body was recovered by the Germans and is one of four Allied personnel buried in the St Aubin-Sur-Mer Churchyard cemetery located 16km west of Dieppe in Haute-Normandie, France. He is commemorated on Panel 105 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. He is also remembered on the Roll of Honour in Bacchus Marsh Victoria.
St Aubin-Sur-Mer Churchyard cemetery, France
X4825
00Nov40 Component production for Mk.1 Spitfires in this Serial Range was spread between the Supermarine Woolston Works in Southampton and several subcontractors located elsewhere in Southern England. The components were then shipped to the new Assembly Hangars at Eastleigh Aerodrome where the aircraft was assembled and test flown.
Supermarine Spitfire F Mk.Ia Serial X4825 was the 11th of 45 fighters built in the Serial range X4815 thru X4859 by Supermarine Aviation (Vickers) Ltd with Construction No.1321. The aircraft was part of Supermarine’s Third Order to Contract B19713/39 dated 09 August 1939 for the construction of 500 Mk.I aircraft.
Powered by a 1,060-horsepower (780 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin III supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a three-bladed De Havilland two-pitch propeller. Armament was four Colt Browning 7.7mm (0.303inch) machine guns in each wing with 300 rounds per gun.
29Nov40 First flight at Eastleigh by a Supermarine test pilot.
05Dec40 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.9 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Cosford, Shropshire where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service.
19Apr41 Aircraft taken on charge with RAAF No.452 (F) Sqn at RAF Station Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire
03May41 452Sqn CO 39072 SQNLDR R.G Dutton [X4825] and A Flight Commander FLTLT B. Finucane [X4651] were briefed to perform a small air display over Brighouse, Leeds as part of the town's War Weapons Week. While flying in close formation near Hartshead Moor in the Halifax area, the propeller of the Finucane’s Spitfire struck the empennage of X4825 removing a large piece of the tail assembly. Dutton lost all fore and aft control of his aircraft and was only able to stop the aircraft loosing too much height by changing the power of his engine and pulling hard on his control column. He turned the aircraft over open country and force landed but crashed through a stone wall further damaging the aircraft and injuring himself. He was later treated for minor injuries in Halifax hospital but returned to Kirton in Lindsey later in the day. Meanwhile, Finucane nursed his damage Spitfire back to Base and made a successful emergency landing.
10May41 Aircraft assessed as unrepairable and struck off charge. While serving with 452Sqn the aircraft flew no operational missions and made three non-operational flights. Total accrued flight time since manufacture was 20 hours 35 minutes.
AA849
00Sep41 Component production for Mk.V Spitfires in this Serial Range was spread between the Supermarine Works in Chattis Hill, Hampshire and several subcontractors located elsewhere in Southern England. The components were then shipped to the new Assembly Hangars at Eastleigh Aerodrome where the aircraft was assembled and test flown.
Supermarine Spitfire F Mk.Vb Serial AA849 was the 17th of 50 fighters built in the Serial range AA833 thru AA882 by Supermarine Aviation (Vickers) Ltd with Construction No.2149. The aircraft was part of Supermarine’s Fourth Order to Contract B19713/39 dated 09 August 1939 for the construction of 500 Mk.I aircraft between August 1941 and February 1942.
Powered by a 1,060-horsepower (780 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin M46 supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a three-bladed De Havilland two-pitch propeller. Armament was one Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon with 60rpg and two Colt Browning 7.7mm (.303inch) machine guns with 300rpg in each wing.
30Sep41 First flight at Eastleigh by a Supermarine test pilot.
01Oct41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.38 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Llandow, near Cardiff in Wales where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service .
23Oct41 Aircraft flown to Vickers Armstrong facility in South Marston, Wiltshire for modifications to the aircraft fuel system and, to the M46 Merlin engine radiator.
30Oct41 Aircraft taken on charge with No.54 (F) Sqn at RAF Station Hornchurch, Essex.
18Nov41 Aircraft taken on charge with No.124 (F) Sqn at RAF Station Biggin Hill, London.
03Mar42 Aircraft taken on charge with RAAF No.452 (F) Sqn at RAF Station Kenley, Surrey
08Mar42 1st Operational Mission. PLTOFF E.B Tainton departed Redhill at 1035hrs with eleven other Spitfires and completed an uneventful 85min Squadron Fighter Sweep between Berck-Sur-Mer and Cap Gris Nez, France.
09Mar42 2nd Operational Mission. SGT M W Hamilton departed Redhill at 1425hrs with eleven other squadron Spitfires and joined the Kenley Wing and four other Wings that provided more than 200 Spitfires for Circus 113 to act as cover for six Boston bombers attacking a power station at Mazingarbe in the Pas-de-Calais, France. The Bostons dropped their bombs and were heading home when the Luftwaffe mounted a series of attacks by Bf109 and Fw190 fighters. In one of the attacks SGT Hamilton’s aircraft was seen to roll onto its back and dive into the sea near the village of Berck-Sur-Mer.
11Mar42 Aircraft struck off charge. While serving with 452Sqn the aircraft flew two operational missions and made three non-operational flights.
RAAF pilot 404726 Sergeant Malcolm Wallace Hamilton (24) of East Brisbane in Brisbane, Queensland was KIA and has no known grave. He is commemorated on Panel 112 of the Runnymede Memorial in Surrey, UK; and, Panel 105 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. He is also remembered on the East Brisbane Roll of Honour, Brisbane.
AB171
00Nov41 Component production for Mk.V Spitfires in this Serial Range was spread between the Supermarine Works in Chattis Hill, Hampshire and several subcontractors located elsewhere in Southern England. The components were then shipped to the new Assembly Hangars at Eastleigh Aerodrome where the aircraft was assembled and test flown.
Supermarine Spitfire F Mk.Vb Serial AB171 was the 5th of 50 fighters built in the Serial range AB167 thru AB216 by Supermarine Aviation (Vickers) Ltd with Construction No.2314. The aircraft was part of Supermarine’s Fourth Order to Contract B19713/39 dated 09 August 1939 for the construction of 500 Mk.I aircraft built as Mk.V machines between August 1941 and February 1942.
Powered by a 1,060-horsepower (780 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin M46 supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a three-bladed De Havilland two-pitch propeller. Armament was one Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon with 60rpg and two Colt Browning 7.7mm (.303inch) machine guns with 300rpg in each wing.
20Nov41 First flight at Eastleigh by a Supermarine test pilot.
23Nov41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.39 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Colerne, Wiltshire where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
11Dec41 Aircraft accepted by RAAF No.457 (F) Sqn at RAF Station Saint Andreas, Isle of Man. The aircraft arrived without cannons fitted and several smaller defects and was not taken on to squadron charge until 31st December. Allocated to B Flight and Coded as BP-V. While serving with 457Sqn the aircraft flew five operational missions.
AB171 with 457Sqn at RAF Andreas, Isle of Man c.1942
23Mar42 Aircraft moved to RAF Station Saint Andreas, Isle of Man where it was passed on to RAAF 452Sqn.
23Mar42 Aircraft taken on charge with RAAF No.452 (F) Sqn at RAF Station Saint Andreas, Isle of Man.
27Mar42 1st Operational Mission (with 452Sqn). SQNLDR R.E Smith departed Andreas at 1825hrs to conduct an SAR for a missing Spitfire pilot. However, soon after departure he was forced to abort when the engine began missing, RTB at 1840hrs.
30Mar42 SQNLDR R E-Smith was caught by a strong cross-wind gust when landing after completing a Squadron Balbo. The aircraft swung and pitched onto its nose causing Cat/Ac damage, which was repaired at the unit by civilian repair contractor.
31Mar42 Aircraft flew one operational mission and made at least three non-operational flights in Mar42.
30Apr42 Aircraft flew seven operational missions and made several non-operational flights in Apr42.
07May42 PLTOFF R.H Whillans and FLTLT P.J Makin departed Andreas at 1800hrs to do some practice cloud flying. Soon after departure an internal glycol leak developed and the controls failed. Fumes and smoke quickly filled the cockpit and forced Whillans to bale out. The aircraft crashed into a field one mile east of RAF Jurby on the Isle of Man located some six miles SW of RAF Andreas.
09May42 Aircraft struck off charge. While serving with 452Sqn the aircraft flew eight operational missions and made an unknown number of non-operational flights.
AB195
00Dec41 Component production for Mk.V Spitfires in this Serial Range was spread between the Supermarine Works in Chattis Hill, Hampshire and several subcontractors located elsewhere in Southern England. The components were then shipped to Chattis Hill where the aircraft was assembled and test flown.
Supermarine Spitfire F Mk.Vb Serial AB195 was the 29th of 50 fighters built in the Serial range AB167 thru AB216 by Supermarine Aviation (Vickers) Ltd with Construction No.2387. The aircraft was part of Supermarine’s Fourth Order to Contract B19713/39 dated 09 August 1939 for the construction of 500 Mk.I aircraft built as Mk.V machines between August 1941 and February 1942.
Powered by a 1,060-horsepower (780 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin M46 supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a three-bladed De Havilland two-pitch propeller. Armament was one Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon with 60rpg and two Colt Browning 7.7mm (.303inch) machine guns with 300rpg in each wing.
10Dec41 First flight at Eastleigh by a Supermarine test pilot.
12Dec41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.6 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Brize Norton in Oxfordshire where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
28Dec41 Aircraft taken on charge with RAAF No.452 (F) Sqn at RAF Station Red Hill, Surrey.
04Jan42 PLTOFF A.L Baker departed Red Hill to conduct an air-to-sea cannon test off Beachy Head, Sussex. After making a couple of successful passes Baker rolled in to make another strafing run but lost control of the aircraft which entered a spin and crashed into the sea approximately 1km SW of Beachy Head. The crash was witnessed by a 414Sqn Tomahawk pilot and several staff of the Beachy Head Naval Signal Station. Despite an extensive search his body was never recovered.
RAAF pilot 403159 Pilot Officer Allenby Leslie Baker (23) of Murwillumbah, New South Wales was KIA and has no known grave. He is commemorated on Panel 111 of the Runnymede Memorial in Surrey, UK; and, on Panel 105 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. He is also remembered on the Roll of Honour in Murwillumbah.
AB243
00Nov41 Component production for Mk.V Spitfires in this Serial Range was spread between the Supermarine Works in Chattis Hill, Hampshire and several subcontractors located elsewhere in Southern England. The components were then shipped to Chattis Hill where the aircraft was assembled and test flown.
Supermarine Spitfire F Mk.Vb Serial AB243 was the 4th of 45 fighters built in the Serial range AB240 thru AB284 by Supermarine Aviation (Vickers) Ltd with Construction No.2330. The aircraft was part of Supermarine’s Fourth Order to Contract B19713/39 dated 09 August 1939 for the construction of 500 Mk.I aircraft built as Mk.V machines between August 1941 and February 1942.
Powered by a 1,060-horsepower (780 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin M46 supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a three-bladed De Havilland two-pitch propeller. Armament was one Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon with 60rpg and two Colt Browning 7.7mm (.303inch) machine guns with 300rpg in each wing.
22Nov41 First flight at Chattis Hill by a Supermarine test pilot.
25Nov41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.39 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Colerne, Wiltshire where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
11Dec41 Aircraft accepted by RAAF No.457 (F) Sqn at RAF Station Saint Andreas, Isle of Man. The aircraft arrived without cannons fitted and several smaller defects and was not taken on to squadron charge until 31st December. While serving with 457Sqn the aircraft flew five operational missions and an unknown number of non-operational flights.
23Mar42 Aircraft taken on charge with RAAF No.452 (F) Sqn at RAF Station Saint Andreas, Isle of Man.
27Mar42 1st Operational Mission. PLTOFF R. Armstrong departed Andreas with three other Spitfires and completed an unsuccessful 55min SAR for a missing pilot who had crashed into the Irish Sea approximately 20 miles south of Douglas on the Isle of Man.
10Apr42 RAAF pilot 401362 SGT A.M Blackburn had just completed a training flight and landed at Andreas when a strong wind gust caused the aircraft to swing off the runway. Blackburn was unable to stop the aircraft before it crashed into an earthen mound that caused severe damage to the undercarriage, airscrew and forward fuselage. Initially assessed as Cat.Ac.
30Apr42 Aircraft reassessed as Cat.E and struck off charge. While serving with 452Sqn the aircraft flew three operational missions and made four non-operational flights. Total accumulated airframe hours was 31 hours.
AB244
00Nov41 Component production for Mk.V Spitfires in this Serial Range was spread between the Supermarine Works in Chattis Hill, Hampshire and several subcontractors located elsewhere in Southern England. The components were then shipped to Chattis Hill where the aircraft was assembled and test flown.
Supermarine Spitfire F Mk.Vb Serial AB243 was the 5th of 45 fighters built in the Serial range AB240 thru AB284 by Supermarine Aviation (Vickers) Ltd with Construction No.2333. The aircraft was part of Supermarine’s Fourth Order to Contract B19713/39 dated 09 August 1939 for the construction of 500 Mk.I aircraft built as Mk.V machines between August 1941 and February 1942.
Powered by a 1,060-horsepower (780 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin M46 supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a three-bladed De Havilland two-pitch propeller. Armament was one Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon with 60rpg and two Colt Browning 7.7mm (.303inch) machine guns with 300rpg in each wing.
25Nov41 First flight at Chattis Hill by a Supermarine test pilot.
30Nov41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.8 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Little Rissington, Gloucestershire where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
11Dec41 Aircraft accepted by RAAF No.457 (F) Sqn at RAF Station Saint Andreas, Isle of Man. The aircraft arrived without cannons fitted and several smaller defects and was not taken on to squadron charge until 31st December. While serving with 457Sqn the aircraft flew nine operational missions.
27Mar42 1st Operational Mission (with 452Sqn). SGT A.M Blackburn departed Andreas with three other Spitfires to carry out an unsuccessful 55min SAR for a missing pilot who had crashed into the Irish Sea approximately 20 miles south of Douglas on the Isle of Man.
31Mar42 Aircraft flew two operational missions and made at least two non-operational flights in Mar42.
30Apr42 Aircraft flew four operational missions and several non-operational flights in Apr42
08May42 PLTOFF W.H Ford was acting as a target aircraft for SGT R.A Goodhew [BL351] who was practicing gun-camera quarter attacks. Goodhew was making a head-on attack but suffered an error of judgement by failing to break away then crashing into Ford’s Spitfire. Ford was able to bale out and land safely next to Andreas airfield but Goodhew died in the crash.
10May42 Aircraft flew one operational missions and one non-operational flight in May42. While serving with 452Sqn the aircraft flew six operational missions and an unknown number of non-operational flights. Struck off charge.
RAAF pilot 401429 Pilot Officer William Hendrie Ford (23) of Prospect in Adelaide, South Australia survived the crash. After a brief stay in Station Sick Quarters he returned to active duty and remained with 452Sqn. He was selected together with many other RAAF aircrew to return to Australia to defend against the perceived Japanese threat to Australia. Ford embarked from the UK on 18Jun42 and arrived at Melbourne on 13Aug42.
AB785
00Jul41 Supermarine Spitfire F Serial AB785 was the 7th of 50 Mk.Vb fighters built in the Serial range AB779 thru AB828 by Vickers-Armstrong (Castle Bromwich) Ltd at their Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory, Birmingham. The aircraft was part of Vickers-Armstrong’s Second Order to Contract 981687/39/C.23 (c) dated 22 June 1940 for the construction of 500 Mk I aircraft. The aircraft was one of 170 Mk.Vb Spitfires with AB Serials built between July and November 1941.
Powered by a 1,150-horsepower (857 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin M45 supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a de Havilland three-bladed constant-speed variable pitch propeller. Armament was one Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon (60rpg) and two Colt Browning 7.7mm (.303inch) machine guns in each wing (300rpg).
25Jul41 First flight at Castle Bromwich by a Supermarine test pilot.
27Jul41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.38 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Llandow in Glamorgan, Wales where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
04Aug41 Delivered by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to RAAF No.452 Sqn at RAF Station Kenley, Surrey. The aircraft was taken on charge and issued to B Flight and allocated to SGT R.G Gazzard.
10Aug41 1st Operational Mission. SGT R.G Gazzard departed Kenley at 1230hrs as one of twelve Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey for a fighter sweep over St Omer airfield in the Pas de Calais, France. No enemy were encountered and all aircraft RTB at 1355hrs.
12Aug41 2nd Operational Mission. SGT R.G Gazzard departed Kenley at 1105hrs as one of twelve Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn to escort six Hampden bombers as part of Circus 70. No enemy contact was made and all aircraft RTB safely at1250hrs.
3rd Operational Mission. SGT R.G Gazzard departed Kenley at 1740hrs as one of twelve Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn to escort six Blenheim bombers as part of Circus 71. No enemy contact was made and all aircraft RTB safely at 1925hrs.
16Aug41 4th Operational Mission. SGT R.G Gazzard departed Kenley at 0730hrs as one of thirteen 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of FLTLT B.E Finucane that conducted a fighter sweep as part of Circus 73. A large force of 50+ enemy fighters were engaged and several shot down for no losses. All aircraft RTB safely by 0915hrs.
5th Operational Mission. SGT R.G Gazzard departed Kenley at 1210hrs as one of thirteen 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of FLTLT B.E Finucane that conducted a fighter sweep as part of Circus 74. No enemy contact was made and all aircraft RTB safely by 1345hrs.
6th Operational Mission. SGT R.G Gazzard departed Kenley at 1745hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of FLTLT A.G Douglas that conducted a fighter sweep as part of Circus 75. No enemy contact was made and all aircraft RTB safely by 1915hrs.
18Aug41 7th Operational Mission. FLTLT B.E Finucane departed Kenley at 1445hrs as one of twelve Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn and twelve from 602Sqn and formed the close escort Wing for six Blenheim bombers as part of Circus 78. Finucane was forced to abort with engine problems and RTB at 1445hrs.
8th Operational Mission. FLTLT B.E Finucane departed Kenley at 1745hrs as one of twelve Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn and twelve from 602Sqn and formed the escort cover Wing for six Blenheim bombers as part of Circus 80. At 1820hrs four Bf.109s made an ineffectual attack on the Squadron and Finucane fired at two assailants without result. All aircraft RTB safely by 1905hrs.
19Aug41 9th Operational Mission. SGT R.G Gazzard departed Kenley at 1005hrs as one of twelve Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn and twelve from 602Sqn that formed the close escort Wing for six Blenheim bombers as part of Circus 81.At approximately 1050hrs the Wing was attacked by large numbers of Bf.109s and a large scale melee ensued. The squadron’s aircraft all became separated in the hectic battle and at its conclusion made their individual flights back to the UK where aircraft landed at Manston and West Malling to refuel before returning to base. When all had returned to Kenley it was discovered that two aircraft were missing; SGT Gazzard and PLTOFF Eccleton in P8171, both men were listed as MIA.
In October of 1941 the International Red Cross advised RAF HQ that Gazzard was shot down and crashed in the Channel. His body washed ashore on 09Sep41 near Nieuwpoort, Belgium and was buried in the Oostduinkerke Cemetery.
RAAF pilot 402115 Sergeant Richard George Gazzard (21) of Strathfield in Sydney, New South Wales was shot down over the English Channel and listed as MIA. He was confirmed as KIA in Oct41 and is buried in Row G. Grave 167 of the Oostduinkerke Communal Cemetery in the Belgian Province of West-Vlaanderen. He is commemorated on Panel 105 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory; and, on the Strathfield Roll of Honour, Sydney.
Richard Gazzard’s headstone with the inscription:
'Your wish fulfilled 'Dick' sadly missed but proudly remembered' (courtesy Danielle Roubroeks)
AB841
00Jul41 Supermarine Spitfire F Serial AB841 was the 1st of 35 Mk.Vb fighters built in the Serial range AB841 thru AB875 by Vickers-Armstrong (Castle Bromwich) Ltd at their Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory, in Birmingham. The aircraft was part of Vickers-Armstrong’s Second Order to Contract 981687/39/C.23 (c) dated 22 June 1940 for the construction of 500 Mk I aircraft. The aircraft was one of 170 Mk.Vb Spitfires with AB Serials built between July and November 1941.
Powered by a 1,150-horsepower (857 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin M45 supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a de Havilland three-bladed constant-speed variable pitch propeller. Armament was one Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon (60rpg) and two Colt Browning 7.7mm (.303inch) machine guns in each wing (300rpg).
23Jul41 First flight at Castle Bromwich by a Supermarine test pilot.
25Jul41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.45 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Kinloss in Moray Forth, Scotland.
04Aug41 Delivered by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to RAAF No.452 Sqn at RAF Station Kenley, Surrey. The aircraft was taken on charge and issued to B Flight and allocated to SGT Ian Milne. The aircraft arrived without cannons fitted and several smaller defects which rendered it unsuitable for operations until 31Aug41.
31Aug41 1st Operational Mission. SGT I. Milne departed Kenley at 1840hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of FLTLT A.G Douglas. The squadron joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn and twelve from 602Sqn and formed the cover escort Wing for six Blenheim bombers as part of Circus 92. No enemy were encountered and all aircraft RTB by 2005hrs.
02Sep41 2nd Operational Mission. SGT I. Milne departed Kenley at 1005hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of FLTLT A.G Douglas. The squadron then joined twelve 485Sqn Spitfires, three Hurricanes and three Blenheims for a Roadstead operation to Ostend Harbour. After completing the mission the formation set course for home when a pair of Bf.109s attacked Black Section of 452Sq. Both enemy fighters were shot down without loss. All aircraft RTB by 1205hrs.
3rd Operational Mission. SGT I. Milne departed Kenley at 1640hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron then joined a further 38 Spitfires from 72, 92 and 602 Sqns for a fighter sweep over the Pas de Calais, France. No enemy were encountered and all aircraft RTB by 1805hrs.
15Sep41 4th Operational Mission. SGT I Milne departed Kenley at 1105hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey that flew a Squadron Balbo along the French coast. No enemy were encountered and all aircraft RTB by 1215hrs.
16Sep41 5th Operational Mission. SGT I Milne departed Kenley at 1750hrs as one twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of FLTLT A.G Douglas. The squadron then joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn and twelve from 602Sqn to provide the Rear Cover Wing of Circus 94. No enemy were encountered and all aircraft RTB by 1920hrs.
17Sep41 6th Operational Mission. SGT I Milne departed Kenley at 1345hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron then joined a further 23 Spitfires from 485 and 602 Sqns and formed the cover escort Wing for six Blenheim bombers as part of Circus 95. No enemy were encountered and all aircraft RTB by 1515hrs.
7th Operational Mission. SGT I Milne departed Kenley at 1655hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron then joined a further 23 Spitfires from 485 and 602 Sqns and formed the cover escort Wing for six Blenheim bombers as part of Circus 96. No enemy were encountered and all aircraft RTB by 1830hrs.
18Sep41 8th Operational Mission. SGT I Milne departed Kenley1410hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron then joined a further 24 Spitfires from 485 and 602 Sqns and formed the cover escort Wing for twelve Blenheim bombers as part of Circus 99 for an attack on Rouen. The Luftwaffe responded to this particular raid with large numbers of Bf.109E & (100+) attacking the formation from just short of the target area until three parts of the way back to England. 452Sqn lost four aircraft and pilots.
20Sep41 9th Operational Mission. SGT I Milne departed Kenley at 1455hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron then joined a further 24 Spitfires from 485 and 602 Sqns that formed the cover escort Wing for six Hampden bombers as part of Circus 100B for an attack on the Abbeville marshalling yards. At approximately 1520hrs the squadron was attacked by more than 50 Bf.109 fighters and the attacks persisted to the target and back out over the Channel. On this occasion the Squadron claimed seven Bf.109Es destroyed and three damaged for the loss of SGT Milne.
In a post war report Milne stated he was hit by cannon fire in the engine and radio at 15,000ft over Abbeville. He immediately turned for home but his engine cut out soon after so he stretched his glide until he was approximately three miles off the French coast at 1000ft when he baled out. He spent the next two days in a dinghy before he was picked up by a German Vorpostenboot (Flak Boat) on the morning of 23Sep41. He was transported to the Luftwaffe Dulag in Frankfurt and underwent a week of interrogation before he was given POW No.9067 and sent to Stalag VIIIB where he remained until May42. His next camp was Stalag Luft III (May42-Jun43) followed by Stalag Luft VI (Jun43-Jul44); Stalag 357 Thorn (Jul44-Aug44); and finally Stalag 357 Fallingbostel (Aug44-16Apr45).
He was released from captivity by British Army troops and returned to the UK where he was posted to No.11 Personnel Disposal and Reception Centre in Brighton, UK. After a brief period of recuperation he was repatriated back to Australia arriving in Melbourne in September 1945. Milne elected discharge from the RAAF and resigned on 4th October 1945 with the rank of Flight Lieutenant.
RAAF pilot 407078 Sergeant Ian Arthur Lace Milne (21) of Wirrabara, South Australia was shot down and ditched in the English Channel. He spent the rest of the War as a Prisoner of War and was released by British troops on 16 April 1945. Whilst incarcerated he was commissioned as a Pilot Officer on 01May42, to Flying Officer on 01Nov42 and, to Flight Lieutenant on 01May44.
He returned to his home town after discharge from the RAAF and remained there until his death on 22nd June 1992 aged 76 years and was buried in the Wirrbara Cemetery. Ian Milne is honoured on the wall of remembrance at the Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial; and, on the Wirrabara District Honour Roll, South Australia.
AB842
00Jul41 Supermarine Spitfire F Serial AB842 was the 2nd of 35 Mk.Vb fighters built in the Serial range AB841 thru AB875 by Vickers-Armstrong (Castle Bromwich) Ltd at their Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory, Birmingham. The aircraft was part of Vickers-Armstrong’s Second Order to Contract 981687/39/C.23 (c) dated 22 June 1940 for the construction of 500 Mk I aircraft. The aircraft was one of 170 Mk.Vb Spitfires with AB Serials built between July and November 1941.
Powered by a 1,150-horsepower (857 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin M45 supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a de Havilland three-bladed constant-speed variable pitch propeller. Armament was one Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon (60rpg) and two Colt Browning 7.7mm (.303inch) machine guns in each wing (300rpg).
03Jul41 First flight at Castle Bromwich by a Supermarine test pilot.
06Jul41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.38 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Llandow in Glamorgan, Wales where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
05Aug41 Delivered by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to RAAF No.452 Sqn at RAF Station Kenley, Surrey. The aircraft was taken on charge and issued to A Flight as UD-F. The aircraft arrived without cannons fitted and several smaller defects which rendered it unsuitable for operations until 31Aug41.
31Aug41 1st Operational Mission. FLTLT A.G Douglas departed Kenley at 0545hrs leading twelve 452Sqn Spitfires on a fighter sweep. The squadron patrolled the Channel 30 miles south of Beachy Head without making contact and all aircraft RTB safely by 0740hrs.
2nd Operational Mission. FLTLT A.G Douglas departed Kenley at 1140hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron then joined a further 24 Spitfires from 485 and 602 Sqns and formed the cover escort Wing for six Blenheim bombers as part of Circus 90. No enemy were encountered and all aircraft RTB by 1305hrs.
31Aug41 Aircraft flew two operational missions and made at least four non-operational flights in Aug41.
30Sep41 Aircraft flew twelve operational missions and made at least fourteen non-operational flights in Sep41.
21Oct41 Aircraft moved from Kenley to new base at RAF Station Redhill, Surrey
31Oct41 Aircraft flew five operational missions and made at least seven non-operational flights in Oct41.
08Nov41 20th Operational Mission. FLTLT K.W Truscott departed Red Hill at 1100hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron then joined a further 24 Spitfires from 485 and 602 Sqns and formed the top cover Wing for twelve Blenheim bombers as part of Circus 110. The Wing was attacked by Bf.109s while heading home and Truscott shot down two of the enemy however, the heavy combat consumed fuel at a prodigious rate and Truscott disengaged and headed for bass with very little fuel remaining. As it happened, his fuel ran out 30 miles off the English coast and he was forced to bale out some 10 miles East of Ramsgate. He was quickly rescued by a RAF ASR launch and returned to the squadron.
14Nov41 Aircraft struck off charge. While serving with 452Sqn the aircraft flew 20 Operational Missions and made at least 27 non-operational flights.
AB852
00Jul41 Supermarine Spitfire F Serial AB852 was the 12th of 35 Mk.Vb fighters built in the Serial range AB841 thru AB875 by Vickers-Armstrong (Castle Bromwich) Ltd at their Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory, Birmingham. The aircraft was part of Vickers-Armstrong’s Second Order to Contract 981687/39/C.23 (c) dated 22 June 1940 for the construction of 500 Mk I aircraft. The aircraft was one of 170 Mk.Vb Spitfires with AB Serials built between July and November 1941.
Powered by a 1,150-horsepower (857 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin M45 supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a de Havilland three-bladed constant-speed variable pitch propeller. Armament was one Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon (60rpg) and two Colt Browning 7.7mm (.303inch) machine guns in each wing (300rpg).
03Jul41 First flight at Castle Bromwich by a Supermarine test pilot.
30Jul41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.8 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Little Rissington, Gloucestershire where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
06Aug41 Delivered by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to RAAF No.452 Sqn at RAF Station Kenley, Surrey. The aircraft was taken on charge and issued to B Flight as UD-W. Allocated to FLTLT Paddy Finucane
AB852 shown as it appeared soon after arrival at 452Sqn
Drawing courtesy of Neil McKenzie
12Aug41 1st Operational Mission. SGT I.A Milne departed Kenley at 1105hrs as one of twelve Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn to escort six Hampden bombers as part of Circus 69. No enemy contact was made and all aircraft RTB safely at1250hrs.
2nd Operational Mission. SGT I.A Milne departed Kenley at 1740hrs as one of twelve Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn to escort six Blenheim bombers as part of Circus 71. No enemy contact was made and all aircraft RTB safely at 1925hrs.
16Aug41 3rd Operational Mission. FLTLT B.E Finucane departed Kenley at 0730hrs leading twelve 452Sqn Spitfires. The squadron joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn and twelve from 602Sqn to form the Mopping Up Wing for Circus 74; six Blenheim bombers attacking a shell factory at Marquise. At 0840hrs the wing was at 9,000ft leaving the French coast near Gravelines when a group of Bf.109s began diving down and attacking the Wing.
Finucane could see more enemy fighters above and climbed up to cut off further attacks. He selected a Bf.109E and gave it a quick burst from 250 yards then half-rolled diving after it and gave it another 2-second burst from 100 yards. Bits and pieces flew off the 109 and it entered a spin at 5000ft so Finucane broke off the engagement and pulled away. PLTOFF Truscott witnessed the combat and stated in his report that the 109 was at less than 1000ft still spinning when he was forced to break off the pursuit, he was of the opinion it would have been impossible for the 109 to recover from a full spin at that altitude.
27Aug41 8th Operational Mission. FLTLT B.E Finucane departed Kenley at 0627hrs as one of twelve Spitfires under the command of WNGCDR J.A Kent (CO Kenley Wing). The squadron joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn and twelve from 602Sqn to form the Escort Cover Wing for Circus 85; five Blenheim bombers attacking the St Omer/Longuesse airfield complex. Close to the target area small groups of enemy aircraft began harassing attacks and continued with this tactic until the formation has crossed the French coast on their way home. Finucane and PLTOFF Thorold-Smith were crossing the coast at 1000ft three miles NW of Gravelines when Finucane spotted two Bf.109s below and immediately called for an attack, himself against the leader and T-Smith against the No.2. Finucane saw his cannon shells hit the 109 around the cockpit and engine area causing the German to begin a steep left turn before crashing into the sea.
The pair then resumed their homeward flight but a few minutes later they came across a damaged Spitfire being attacked by two Bf.109Es. Finucane selected the leader of the two and gave him two bursts but was warned by Smith of a 109 on his tail and had to break away. Smith meanwhile shot down the other 109 and had broken away from the melee when he saw Finucane’s victim flip onto its back about 50ft above the sea with smoke and flames issuing from the aircraft. Finucane was credited with two confirmed kills and Thorold-Smith with one kill.
31Aug41 Aircraft flew twelve operational missions and made at least fifteen non-operational flights in Aug41.
18Sep41 17th Operational Mission. PLTOFF R.E Thorold-Smith departed Kenley at 1410hrs as one of twelve Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn and twelve from 602Sqn to escort twelve Blenheim bombers as part of Circus 99 to Rouen. At 1510hrs B Flight 452Sqn found themselves forced out of position by a Hurricane Squadron and as a result were exposed to several attacks by prowling German fighters. On one occasion a group of eight Bf.019s dived on the Flight and one of the attackers pulled up directly in front of T-Smith who proceeded to fire a three second burst of cannon and mg fire into an area the 109 had to fly through. Large explosions occurred around the nose and cockpit area of the 109 and the starboard fuselage was shattered causing the enemy fighter to fall away with smoke and flames pouring form the machine.
20Sep41 20th Operational Mission. FLTLT B.E Finucane departed Kenley at 1430hrs as one of twelve Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn and twelve from 602Sqn to escort six Hampden bombers as part of Circus 100.B to Abbeville marshalling yards. At 1530hrs the squadron was five miles NW of Abbeville at 20,000ft with a large number of 109s [50+] stationed 2000ft above the squadron. At 1530hrs groups of four began to peel off and make a high speed pass through the Spitfires. On one such occasion B Flight was attacked from the port side by 109s who made the mistake of trying to mix it with the Spitfires. Finucane latched onto one and closed to 75 yards from dead astern before firing a 3 second cannon burst which caused the 109 to ‘fall to pieces’. After this attack he was trying to rejoin the Squadron when he saw a 109 about to execute a rear quarter attack on his No.2 [Sgt Chisholm]. Finucane warned Chisholm then rolled in behind the 109 and gave it a 1 ½ second burst from his cannons at point blank range causing the 109 to lurch violently and begin diving down. He followed for a while and saw the aircraft burst into flames.
At this stage Finucane was running low of fuel so he set course for base but no sooner had he done so he came across two Spitfires being pursued by four 109s with one of the enemy lagging behind. Finucane closed undetected to 200 yards dead astern and opened fire on the laggard and followed the 109 as it dived away to try and avoid his fire. Finucane followed and fired when able to do so and was eventually rewarded with large chunks falling off and white smoke pouring from the engine. Last seen the 109 was diving vertically at very low altitude and on fire. Finucane claimed, and was credited with, three Bf.109Es destroyed.
21Sep41 21st Operational Mission. FLTLT B.E Finucane departed Kenley at 1435hrs as one of twelve Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn and twelve from 602Sqn to escort twelve Blenheim bombers as part of Circus 101 to Gosnay power station. At 1520hrs 452sqn was over Desvres at 22,000ft when Finucane saw twelve 109s diving on 485Sqn from the rear. He warned the Wing leader then dived down with his No.2 to intercept the 109s but was too late to prevent them from delivering an attack. He was however perfectly placed up-sun to attack the 109s and selected number three in the formation and shot it down with a 2-second burst of cannon fire from close range. By now a melee had developed and after a while Finucane noticed a Bf.109F doing steep turns as it tried to get on the tail of a Spitfire. He managed to format on the turning 109 and opened fire with his machine guns from 200 yards scoring numerous hits along the nose, fuselage and tail unit. He closed in to point blank range and opened up with his cannons and the 109 burst into flames and fell away out of control. Finucane claimed, and was credited with, two Bf.109Es destroyed.
30Sep41 Aircraft flew ten operational missions and made at least twelve non-operational flights in Sep41.
13Oct41 28th Operational Mission. SGT E.P Jackson departed Kenley at 1235hrs as one of twelve Spitfires under the command of Wing Commander E.N Ryder. The squadron joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn and twelve from 602Sqn to escort twelve Blenheim bombers as part of Circus 108A to Gosnay power station. Approximately five miles from Gravelines twelve Bf.109Fs dived to attack the bombers and the Sqn was ordered to attack the 109s. A series of dogfights ensued and when the smoke cleared SGT Jackson failed to return to Base and was listed as MIA.
RAAF pilot 400227 Sergeant Edgar Purton Jackson (21) of Preston, Victoria failed to return from an operational mission and was listed as MIA and then officially presumed KIA on 13th October 1941. He is commemorated on Panel 62 of the Runnymede Memorial in Surrey, UK. He is also commemorated on Panel 105 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory; and, on the Roll of Honour in the Preston War Memorial in High Street Preston, Victoria.
War Memorial, High St Preston, Victoria
AB874
00Aug41 Supermarine Spitfire F Serial AB874 was the 34th of 35 Mk.Vb fighters built in the Serial range AB841 thru AB875 by Vickers-Armstrong (Castle Bromwich) Ltd at their Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory, Birmingham. The aircraft was part of Vickers-Armstrong’s Second Order to Contract 981687/39/C.23 (c) dated 22 June 1940 for the construction of 500 Mk I aircraft. The aircraft was one of 170 Mk.Vb Spitfires with AB Serials built between July and November 1941.
Powered by a 1,150-horsepower (857 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin M45 supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a de Havilland three-bladed constant-speed variable pitch propeller. Armament was one Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon (60rpg) and two Colt Browning 7.7mm (.303inch) machine guns in each wing (300rpg).
06Aug41 First flight at Castle Bromwich by a Supermarine test pilot.
09Aug41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.37 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Burtonwood, Cheshire where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
18Aug41 Delivered by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to RAAF No.452 Sqn at RAF Station Kenley, Surrey. The aircraft was taken on charge and issued to A Flight. The aircraft arrived without cannons fitted and several smaller defects which rendered it unsuitable for operations until 31Aug41.
31Aug41 1st Operational Mission. SGT K.V Williams departed Kenley at 1840hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of FLTLT A.G Douglas. The squadron joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn plus twelve from 602Sqn and formed the cover escort Wing of Circus 92 for six Blenheim bombers to Le Trait. No enemy were encountered and all aircraft RTB by 2005hrs.
Aircraft flew one operational mission and flew at least four non-operational flights in Aug41.
Aircraft flew four operational mission and flew at least six non-operational flights in Sep41.
01Sep41 2nd Operational Mission. FLTLT B.E Finucane and SGT W.M Burvill [W3520] departed Kenley and conducted an uneventful convoy patrol in the English Channel.
02Sep42 3rd Operational Mission. FLTLT B.E Finucane departed Kenley at 1005hrs leading twelve 452Sqn Spitfires that rendezvoused with twelve Spitfires from 485 Sqn, a squadron of Hurricanes and three Blenheim bombers for a Roadstead Mission to Ostend. The mission was accomplished without loss and two Bf.109Es were claimed as destroyed.
4th Operational Mission. FLTLT B.E Finucane departed Kenley at 1640hrs leading twelve 452Sqn Spitfires then rendezvoused with 36 Spitfires 72. 92 and 602 Sqns. The force set course to conduct a fighter sweep in the area bounded by St Omer – Marquise – Ambleteuse – Dungeness. No enemy were encountered and all aircraft RTB by 1812hrs.
04Sep41 5th Operational Mission. SGT J.N Hanigan departed Kenley at 1535hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of SNQLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn plus twelve from 602Sqn and formed the target support Wing of Circus 93 for six Blenheim bombers to Maringarbe. No enemy were encountered and all aircraft RTB by 1720hrs.
07Sep41 SGT J.N Hanigan and SGT K.V Williams departed Kenley at 1005hrs to carry out air-to-air gunnery training. When conducting a head-head manoeuvre SGT Williams misjudged the approach and collided with SGT Hanigan, both pilots were killed in the crash.
10Sep41 Aircraft struck off charge. While serving with 452Sqn the aircraft flew five operational missions and made at least eight non-operational flights.
RAAF pilot 402120 Sergeant James Neate Hanigan (24) of Hurstville in Sydney, New South Wales was KIA and is buried in Row H, Grave 32 in Airmen’s Corner of St Luke’s Churchyard Cemetery, Whyteleafe UK. He is commemorated on Panel 105 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory; and, on the Hurstville War Memorial in Forrest Road, Hurstville.
Sgt James Hanigan grave, the inscription reads 'To live in the lives of those we leave behind is not to die.'
June 1941. Group portrait of 452Sqn pilots at RAF Station Kirton-in-Lindsey, SGT James Hanigan [6th from the left].
Eleven of the sixteen pilots in this photograph were killed during the War.
AB966
00Sep41 Supermarine Spitfire F Serial AB966 was the 7th of 35 Mk.Vb fighters built in the Serial range AB960 thru AB994 by Vickers-Armstrong (Castle Bromwich) Ltd at their Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory, Birmingham. The aircraft was part of Vickers-Armstrong’s Second Order to Contract 981687/39/C.23 (c) dated 22 June 1940 for the construction of 500 Mk I aircraft. The aircraft was one of 170 Mk.Vb Spitfires with AB Serials built between July and November 1941.
Powered by a 1,150-horsepower (857 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin M45 supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a de Havilland three-bladed constant-speed variable pitch propeller. Armament was one Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon (60rpg) and two Colt Browning 7.7mm (.303inch) machine guns in each wing (300rpg).
00Sep41 First flight at Castle Bromwich by a Supermarine test pilot.
08Aug41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.37 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Burtonwood, Cheshire where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
19Aug41 Delivered by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to RAAF No.452 Sqn at RAF Station Kenley, Surrey. The aircraft was taken on charge and issued to B Flight as UD-U. Aircraft allocated to SGT J.M Emery.
27Sep41 1st Operational Mission. SGT J.M Emery departed Kenley at 1335hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of FLTLT B.E Finucane. The squadron joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn plus twelve from 602Sqn and formed the close escort Wing of Circus 103A for eleven Blenheim bombers to Amiens marshaling yards. Some desultory enemy attacks were encountered but were easily repulsed, all aircraft RTB by 1530hrs.
2nd Operational Mission. SGT J.M Emery departed Kenley at 1825hrs to participate in a SAR mission for a downed pilot in the English Channel. Recalled at 1850hrs.
30Sep41 Aircraft flew two operational missions and made at least four non-operational flights in Sep41.
21Oct41 Aircraft moved from Kenley to the new operating base at RAF Redhill, Surrey.
13Oct41 6th Operational Mission. SGT J.M Emery departed Kenley at 1235hrs as one of twelve Spitfires under the command of Wing Commander E.N Ryder. The squadron joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn and twelve from 602Sqn to escort twelve Blenheim bombers as part of Circus 108A to Gosnay power station.
Approximately five miles from Gravelines SGT Emery was flying as Black 1 located above and to port of four Blenheims when, at 1319hrs, twelve Bf.109s dived across his front to attack the bombers and the squadron was ordered to go after the 109s. Emery latched on to a diving enemy and opened fire with cannons at 300 yards and immediately saw cannon strikes bursting on the target from the tail to just behind the cockpit. Emery closed to 30 yards firing in short controlled bursts and saw numerous hits on the fuselage and wing roots with pieces flying off the enemy. The 109 attempted to pull out of his dive with Emery maintaining his position while firing repeatedly. At 5,000ft the 109 nosed over into a vertical dive and in Emery’s words ‘began disintegrating’, Emery followed his target but was forced to break off the attack when more 109s arrived on the scene.
Emery broke away and formatted with FLTLT Finucane who had become separated from the rest of the squadron. As he took position a small group of 109s dived across directly in front and the Spitfires immediately engaged. Emery fired a large deflection shot at one of the 109s and as the enemy passed through the firing zone Emery saw pieces fly of the target and saw one cannon shell burst about 3ft behind the cockpit. Once again Emery was forced to break away by the presence of more 109s. Now running low on fuel and ammo Emery broke away and returned to base with Finucane. For this action Emery claimed a Bf.109 destroyed and one damaged but his claim was amended to one probable and one damaged.
21Oct41 Aircraft moved from Kenley to a new operating base at RAF Station Redhill, Surrey
31Oct41 Aircraft flew nine operational missions and made at least twelve non-operational flights in Oct41.
30Nov41 Aircraft flew ten operational missions and made at least twelve non-operational flights in Nov41.
08Dec41 22nd Operational Mission. SGT J.M Emery scrambled from Redhill at 1230hrs as one of thirteen Spitfires led by SQNLDR R.W Bungey to provide top cover to Dungeness Air Sea Rescue launches. At approximately 1310hrs a group of Fw190s was encountered at 9,000ft 12 miles south of Dungeness and soon after contact two of the 190s dived down to attack the Spitfires and four Spitfires were directed to attack the pair. SGT Emery got on the tail of an FW and was last seen chasing it toward the French coast with two more FWs chasing him. Emery failed to return to base and was listed as MIA then listed as presumed dead as a result of air operations.
RAAF pilot 407116 Sergeant John Marsh Emery (27) of North Adelaide, South Australia was KIA and has no known grave. He is commemorated on Panel 62 of the Runnymede Memorial in Surrey, UK; and, Panel 105 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. He is also remembered on the Hindmarsh Roll of Honour, Adelaide.
AB992
00Oct41 Supermarine Spitfire F Serial AB992 was the 33rd of 35 Mk.Vb fighters built in the Serial range AB960 thru AB994 by Vickers-Armstrong (Castle Bromwich) Ltd at their Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory, Birmingham. The aircraft was part of Vickers-Armstrong’s Second Order to Contract 981687/39/C.23 (c) dated 22 June 1940 for the construction of 500 Mk I aircraft. The aircraft was one of 170 Mk.Vb Spitfires with AB Serials built between July and November 1941.
Powered by a 1,150-horsepower (857 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin M45 supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a de Havilland three-bladed constant-speed variable pitch propeller. Armament was one Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon (60rpg) and two Colt Browning 7.7mm (.303inch) machine guns in each wing (300rpg).
04Oct41 First flight at Castle Bromwich by a Supermarine test pilot.
06Oct41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.9 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Cosford, Shropshire where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
14Oct41 Delivered by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to RAAF No.452 Sqn at RAF Station Kenley, Surrey. The aircraft was taken on charge and issued to B Flight and allocated to PLTOFF D.E Lewis.
21Oct41 1st Operational Mission. PLTOFF D.E Lewis departed Kenley at 1110hrs as one of twelve Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn plus twelve from 602Sqn and carried out an uneventful Wing Rodeo mission over St Omer via Le Torquet. Al aircraft returned safely and landed at RAF Redhill by 1300hrs.
The remainder of the Squadron moved from Kenley to new base at RAF Station Redhill, Surrey at 1400hrs
31Oct41 Aircraft flew six operational missions and made eight non-operational flights in Oct41.
06Nov41 6th Operational Mission. PLTOFF D.E Lewis departed Redhill at 1345hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn plus twelve from 602Sqn that provided cover for ten Tomahawks to Cap Gris Nez. At 1445hrs the formation was bounced by a mixed bag of approximately thirty Bf.109 and Fw190 fighters over Cap Gris Nez. Lewis managed to fire a short burst into a 109 but and saw pieces fly off the aircraft. However, he was prevented from further action when he was attacked by two Fw190s. Claimed one BF.109 as damaged
30Nov41 Aircraft flew ten operational missions and made at least nine non-operational flights in Nov41.
31Dec41 Aircraft flew three operational missions and made at least four non-operational flights in Dec41.
14Jan42 Aircraft moved from Redhill to a new operating base at RAF Station Kenley, Surrey
22Jan42 23rd Operational Mission. PLTOFF D.E Lewis departed Kenley at 1105hrs and flew to Manston with ten other Spitfires to provide air cover for RN Minesweepers operating off the coast. At 1350hrs Lewis departed Manston leading Blue Section and reached the minesweepers at 1417hrs. After one circuit of the vessels Lewis told his No.2 SGT Harper [AA909] to take over as he was returning to base with engine problems. Five minutes after heading for base Lewis again radioed saying his engine had packed up and he was going in. FLTLT Smith [W3118] was detailed to search for Lewis with Red Section and at 1428hrs eighteen miles SW of the minesweepers the pair located Lewis floating on his back with an open parachute surrounding him. The aircraft then climbed to 3000ft and transmitted fixes to the rescue services but when they went down again they could not locate Lewis in the heavy sea mist. A subsequent search by aircraft and ASR Launches failed to find any trace of Lewis or his aircraft.
25Jan42 Aircraft struck off charge. Aircraft flew four operational missions and made at least six non-operational flights in Jan42. While serving with 452Sqn the aircraft flew twenty three operational missions and made at least twenty seven non-operational flights.
RAAF pilot 400148 Pilot Officer Donald Edwin Lewis (19) of Omeo, Victoria was KIA and has no known grave. . He is commemorated on Panel 110 of the Runnymede Memorial in Surrey, UK; and, Panel 105 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. He is also remembered on the Malvern Roll of Honour, Victoria.
AD242
00Sep41 Supermarine Spitfire F Serial AD242 was the 18th of 50 Mk.Vb fighters built in the Serial range AD225 thru AD274 by Vickers-Armstrong (Castle Bromwich) Ltd at their Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory, Birmingham. The aircraft was part of Vickers-Armstrong’s Second Order to Contract 981687/39/C.23 (c) dated 22 June 1940 for the construction of 500 Mk I aircraft. The aircraft was one of 320 Mk.Vb Spitfires with AD Serials built between August and November 1941.
Powered by a 1,150-horsepower (857 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin M45 supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a de Havilland three-bladed constant-speed variable pitch propeller. Armament was one Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon (60rpg) and two Colt Browning 7.7mm (.303inch) machine guns in each wing (300rpg).
11Sep41 First flight at Castle Bromwich by a Supermarine test pilot.
13Sep41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.5 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Kemble, Gloucestershire where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
14Oct41 Delivered by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to RAAF No.452 Sqn at RAF Station Kenley, Surrey. The aircraft was taken on charge and issued to B Flight and allocated to SGT B.M Schrader.
21Oct41 1st Operational Mission. SGT B.M Schrader departed Kenley at 1110hrs as one of twelve Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn plus twelve from 602Sqn and carried out an uneventful Wing Rodeo mission over St Omer via Le Torquet. Al aircraft returned safely and landed at RAF Redhill by 1300hrs.
The remainder of the Squadron moved from Kenley to new base at RAF Station Redhill, Surrey at 1400hrs
23Oct41 2nd Operational Mission. SGT B.M Schrader departed Redhill at 1605hrs with SGT Emery [P8711] and completed an uneventful 55min Rhubarb Sweep across the northern French coast.
28Oct41 3rd Operational Mission. SGT B.M Schrader departed Redhill at 1140hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of FLTLT R.E Thorold-Smith. The squadron carried out an uneventful Balbo Sweep over St Omer, France
04Nov41 4th Operational Mission. SGT J. Donald departed Redhill at 1235hrs as one of twelve Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey for redeployment back to Redhill after convoy escort duty.
5th Operational Mission. SGT J. Donald departed Martlesham at 1535hrs as one of twelve Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey that deployed to RAF Martlesham for convoy escort duty.
06Nov41 6th Operational Mission. SGT B.M Schrader departed Redhill at 1345hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn plus twelve from 602Sqn that provided cover for ten Tomahawks to Cap Gris Nez. At 1445hrs the formation was bounced by a mixed bag of approximately thirty Bf.109 and Fw190 fighters over Cap Gris Nez. Schrader was hit by enemy fire and dived vertically into the sea about ten miles of Cap Gris Nez.
10Nov41 Aircraft struck off charge. While serving with 452Sqn the aircraft flew six operational missions and made at least eight non-operational flights.
RAAF pilot 400135 Sergeant Eric Henry Schrader (21) of South Yarra in Melbourne, Victoria was KIA and has no known grave. He is commemorated on Panel 63 of the Runnymede Memorial in Surrey, UK; and, on Panel 105 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory.
AD310
00Sep41 Supermarine Spitfire F Serial AD310 was the 23rd of 35 Mk.Vb fighters built in the Serial range AD288 thru AD322 by Vickers-Armstrong (Castle Bromwich) Ltd at their Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory, Birmingham. The aircraft was part of Vickers-Armstrong’s Second Order to Contract 981687/39/C.23 (c) dated 22 June 1940 for the construction of 500 Mk I aircraft. The aircraft was one of 320 Mk.Vb Spitfires with AD Serials built between August and November 1941.
Powered by a 1,150-horsepower (857 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin M45 supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a de Havilland three-bladed constant-speed variable pitch propeller. Armament was one Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon (60rpg) and two Colt Browning 7.7mm (.303inch) machine guns in each wing (300rpg).
25Sep41 First flight at Castle Bromwich by a Supermarine test pilot.
13Sep41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.8 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Little Rissington, Gloucestershire where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service.
27Sep41 Delivered by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to RAAF No.452 Sqn at RAF Station Kenley, Surrey. The aircraft taken on charge and issued to B Flight and allocated to SGT J.R.H Elphick. The aircraft was delivered minus several items of equipment and was not ready for operational use until mid-October.
13Oct41 1st and only Operational Mission. SGT J.R Elphick departed Kenley at 1235hrs as one of twelve Spitfires under the command of Wing Commander E.N Ryder. The squadron joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn and twelve from 602Sqn to escort twelve Blenheim bombers as part of Circus 108A to Gosnay power station. Approximately five miles from Gravelines twelve Bf.109Fs dived to attack the bombers and SGT Elphick’s machine was hit and he immediately turned and headed for Base. He managed to coax his stricken aircraft closer to England but the engine died leaving him no choice but to bale out. He successfully baled out and waited patiently in his dinghy until he was rescued by a Dover based ASR Launch.
16Oct41 Aircraft struck off charge. While serving with 452Sqn the aircraft flew one operational mission and made four non-operational flights.
RAAF pilot 402157 Sergeant John Rodney Henry Elphick (22) of Cootamundra, New South Wales baled out over the English Channel and was rescued by an RAF ASR Launch. He returned to the squadron and completed his tour in early 1942 accumulating 72 sorties including 30 sweeps over occupied territories. He was selected together with many RAAF aircrew to return to Australia to defend against the Japanese threat to Australia. Elphick embarked from the UK on 25Mar42 and arrived at Melbourne on 14May42
His next operational posting was to 76Sqn where he served for the next 12 months before a series of non-flying positions. He was then selected for Catalina duties and posted to No.1 Operational Training Unit in Melbourne in March 1944. From Oct thru Dec 1944 he ferried Catalina aircraft back to Australia before his next flying posting to No.113 Air Sea Rescue Flight followed by a posting to No.115 Air Sea Rescue Flight where he remained until the end of the War. During his tour on air-sea rescue he completed 383 hours of operational flying spread over 32 missions, including 10 secret missions for the Allied Intelligence Bureau, which involved alighting in enemy waters close to string shore positions. For his contribution to the war effort on 26th June 1945 Flight Lieutenant John Elphick was awarded a Mention-in-Despatches (MiD). John Elphick resigned from the RAAF on 30th November 1945 with the rank of Flight Lieutenant.
A photograph of PLTOFF John Elphick [1st on Left] taken at RAF Redhill in January 1942.
Elphick was commissioned to Pilot Officer on 09Dec41
AD430
00Oct41 Supermarine Spitfire F Serial AD430 was the 20th of 20 Mk.Vb fighters built in the Serial range AD411 thru AD430 by Vickers-Armstrong (Castle Bromwich) Ltd at their Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory, Birmingham. The aircraft was part of Vickers-Armstrong’s Second Order to Contract 981687/39/C.23 (c) dated 22 June 1940 for the construction of 500 Mk I aircraft. The aircraft was one of 320 Mk.Vb Spitfires with AD Serials built between August and November 1941.
Powered by a 1,150-horsepower (857 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin M45 supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a de Havilland three-bladed constant-speed variable pitch propeller. Armament was one Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon (60rpg) and two Colt Browning 7.7mm (.303inch) machine guns in each wing (300rpg).
08Oct41 First flight at Castle Bromwich by a Supermarine test pilot.
10Oct41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.9 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Cosford, Shropshire where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
14Oct41 Delivered by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to RAAF No.452 Sqn at RAF Station Kenley, Surrey. The aircraft was taken on charge and issued to B Flight and allocated to PLTOFF D.E Lewis.
21Oct41 Aircraft moved from Kenley to new base at RAF Station Redhill, Surrey at 0900hrs
1st Operational Mission. SGT J.R Elphick departed Kenley at 1110hrs as one of twelve Spitfires led by SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn plus twelve from 602Sqn and carried out an uneventful Wing Rodeo mission over St Omer via Le Torquet. Al aircraft returned safely and landed at RAF Redhill by 1300hrs.
28Oct41 2nd Operational Mission. SGT K.V Williams departed Redhill at 1140hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of FLTLT R.E Thorold-Smith. The squadron carried out an uneventful Balbo Sweep over St Omer, France
29Oct41 3rd Operational Mission. SGT Morrison departed Redhill at 1110hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron joined up with twenty five Spitfires from 485 and 602 Sqns and carried out an uncontested Wing Sweep over the Calais area. All aircraft RTB without incident by 1240hrs.
31Oct41 4th Operational Mission. SGT K.V Williams departed Redhill at 1605hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron joined up with twenty five Spitfires from 485 and 602 Sqns to form the Rear Support Wing for Circus 110. The Wing patrolled the Straits of Dover for 75min without incident before returning to base at 1730hrs.
04Nov41 5th Operational Mission. SGT R.E Anderson departed Redhill at 1235hrs as one of twelve Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey for redeployment back to Redhill after convoy escort duty.
6th Operational Mission. SGT R.E Anderson departed Martlesham at 1535hrs as one of twelve Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey that deployed to RAF Martlesham for convoy escort duty.
06Nov41 7th Operational Mission. SGT B.M Geissman departed Redhill at 1345hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.W Bungey. The squadron joined twelve Spitfires from 485Sqn plus twelve from 602Sqn that provided cover for ten Tomahawks to attack targets near Cap Gris Nez. At 1445hrs the formation was bounced by a mixed bag of approximately thirty Bf.109 and Fw190 fighters over Cap Gris Nez. Geissman was hit by enemy fire and radioed that he was trying to get back to the UK. The aircraft failed to return and it is assumed he crashed into the Channel and perished.
404334 Sergeant Bernard Malcolm Geissman (19) of North Tamborine, Queensland was KIA and has no known grave. He is commemorated on Panel 62 of the Runnymede Memorial in Surrey, UK; and, on Panel 105 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. He is also remembered on the Tamborine Roll of Honour, Queensland
AD537
00Nov41 Supermarine Spitfire F Serial AD537 was the 3rd of 50 Mk.Vb fighters built in the Serial range AD535 thru AD584 by Vickers-Armstrong (Castle Bromwich) Ltd at their Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory, Birmingham. The aircraft was part of Vickers-Armstrong’s Second Order to Contract 981687/39/C.23 (c) dated 22 June 1940 for the construction of 500 Mk I aircraft. The aircraft was one of 320 Mk.Vb Spitfires with AD Serials built between August and November 1941.
Powered by a 1,150-horsepower (857 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin M45 supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a de Havilland three-bladed constant-speed variable pitch propeller. Armament was one Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon (60rpg) and two Colt Browning 7.7mm (.303inch) machine guns in each wing (300rpg).
20Nov41 First flight at Castle Bromwich by a Supermarine test pilot.
22Nov41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.33 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Lyneham, Wiltshire where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service.
15Dec41 Delivered by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to RAAF No.457 Sqn at RAF Station Andreas, Isle of Man. While serving with 457Sqn the aircraft flew eleven operational missions and made at least nineteen non-operational flights.
23Mar42 Aircraft taken on charge with RAAF No.452 Sqn at RAF Station Andreas, Isle of Man. Issued to B Flight as UD-R.
15Apr42 1st Operational Mission with 452Sqn. PLTOFF Evans departed Andreas at 1030hrs with PLTOFF W.J Lamerton [R7348] and completed an uneventful 65min defensive patrol.
2nd Operational Mission PLTOFF Evans departed Andreas at 1335hrs with PLTOFF W.J Lamerton [R7348] and completed an uneventful 65min defensive patrol.
3rd Operational Mission SGT K.D Bassett departed Andreas at 1500hrs with PLTOFF P. St J Makin [AB171] and completed an uneventful 95min convoy protection patrol.
16Apr42 4th Operational Mission SGT K.D Bassett departed Andreas at 1030hrs with PLTOFF W.J Lamerton [R7348] and completed an uneventful 65min defensive patrol.
5th Operational Mission PLTOFF Evans departed Andreas at 1030hrs with PLTOFF W.J Lamerton [R7348] and completed an uneventful 65min defensive patrol.
17Ap42 6th Operational Mission PLTOFF W.J Lamerton departed Andreas at 0635hrs with PLTOFF P. St J Makin [R7348] and completed an uneventful 70min defensive patrol.
18Apr42 7th Operational Mission SGT Bevan departed Andreas at 0940hrs with SGT K.D Bassett [AA928] and completed an uneventful 70min defensive patrol.
8th Operational Mission SGT Bevan departed Andreas at 1755hrs with SGT K.D Bassett [AA928] and completed an uneventful 20min defensive patrol.
25Apr42 9th Operational Mission PLTOFF P. St J Makin departed Andreas at 1330hrs with SGT K.D Bassett [AB140] and completed an uneventful 65min defensive patrol.
26Ap42 10th Operational Mission PLTOFF P. St J Makin departed Andreas at 1330hrs with PLTOFF W.J Lamerton [AB140] and completed an uneventful 50min defensive patrol.
03May42 11th Operational Mission PLTOFF W.J Lamerton and SGT K.D Bassett [AB148] departed Andreas for a defensive patrol at 25,000ft over the Mull of Galloway. As they climbed through 20,000ft they saw a Ju88 5000ft above and immediately manoeuvered to get up-sun of the target. Lamerton attacked first from the rear and fired a long 3-4 second burst into the Junkers that silenced the top gunner. However, before the enemy gunner was silenced his return fire was accurate and struck Lamerton’s Spitfire in the nose and a short time later flames and smoke appeared from the exhaust and cowling. The fire began to spread and grow rapidly forcing Lamerton to radio a Mayday call and bale out of his blazing machine at 12,000ft over the Channel off Heysham, Lancashire. He was picked up by a naval launch six hours later and returned to Base.
RAAF pilot 407900 William John Lamerton (22) of College Park in Adelaide, South Australia baled out of his stricken aircraft over the Channel. He was later rescued by a Naval Launch and returned to the squadron.
05May42 Aircraft struck off charge. While serving with 452Sqn the aircraft flew eleven operational missions and made at least fifteen non-operational flights. Total accumulated flight time was 124hrs 50min.
BL351
00Nov41 Supermarine Spitfire F Serial BL351 was the 41st of 46 Mk.Vb fighters built in the Serial range BL311 thru BL356 by Vickers-Armstrong (Castle Bromwich) Ltd at their Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory, Birmingham. The aircraft was part of Vickers-Armstrong’s Third Order to Contract 981687/39/C.23 (c) dated 24 October 1940 for the construction of 1,000 Mk II aircraft. The aircraft was one of 584 Mk.Vb Spitfires with BL Serials built between November 1941 and February 1942.
Powered by a 1,150-horsepower (857 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin M45 supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a de Havilland three-bladed constant-speed variable pitch propeller. Armament was one Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon (60rpg) and two Colt Browning 7.7mm (.303inch) machine guns in each wing (300rpg).
22Nov41 First flight at Castle Bromwich by a Supermarine test pilot.
22Nov41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.9 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Cosford, Shropshire where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
12Dec41 Delivered by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to RAAF No.457 Sqn at RAF Station Andreas, Isle of Man. While serving with 457Sqn the aircraft flew fifteen operational missions and made at least twenty non-operational flights.
23Mar42 Aircraft taken on charge with RAAF No.452 Sqn at RAF Station Andreas, Isle of Man. Issued to A Flight as UD-H.
28Apr42 1st Operational Mission with 452Sqn. PLTOFF Ford departed Andreas at 1300hrs with FLTLT Ross [AB138] and completed an uneventful 20min defensive patrol.
02May42 2nd Operational Mission SGT R.A Goodhew departed Andreas at 0940hrs with SGT Moore [BL468] and completed an uneventful 80min convoy patrol.
08May42 PLTOFF W.H Ford was acting as a target aircraft for SGT R.A Goodhew [BL351] who was practicing gun-camera quarter attacks. Goodhew was making a head-on attack but suffered an error of judgement by failing to break away then crashing into Ford’s Spitfire. Goodhew died when his aircraft smashed into the ground beside Andrea’s airfield but Ford was able to steer his mortally damaged aircraft a short distance away before baling out, his aircraft crashed onto Farrants Farm near St Judes.
10May42 Aircraft struck off charge. While serving with 452Sqn the aircraft flew two operational missions and made four non-operational flights. In total, the aircraft flew 17 operational missions and made at least 22 non-operational flights with 452Sqn and 457Sqn. Total accumulated flight time was 145hrs 30min.
RAAF pilot 403332 Sergeant Reginald Allen Goodhew (23) of Orange, New South Wales was KIA and is buried in Grave No.5 of the Kirk Andreas Parish Churchyard on the Isle of Man, UK. He is commemorated on Panel 105 in the in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. He is also remembered on the Orange Cenotaph in Summer Street, Orange NSW.
BL384
00Nov41 Supermarine Spitfire F Serial BL384 was the 20th of 27 Mk.Vb fighters built in the Serial range BL365 thru BL391 by Vickers-Armstrong (Castle Bromwich) Ltd at their Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory, Birmingham. The aircraft was part of Vickers-Armstrong’s Third Order to Contract 981687/39/C.23 (c) dated 24 October 1940 for the construction of 1,000 Mk II aircraft. The aircraft was one of 584 Mk.Vb Spitfires with BL Serials built between November 1941 and February 1942.
Powered by a 1,150-horsepower (857 kW) Rolls Royce Merlin M45 supercharged, liquid-cooled V-12 four-stroke piston aero engine driving a de Havilland three-bladed constant-speed variable pitch propeller. Armament was one Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon (60rpg) and two Colt Browning 7.7mm (.303inch) machine guns in each wing (300rpg).
25Nov41 First flight at Castle Bromwich by a Supermarine test pilot.
27Nov41 Flown by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to No.12 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Kirkbride, Cumbria where the aircraft was fitted out for operational service
11Dec41 Delivered by an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to RAAF No.457 Sqn at RAF Station Andreas, Isle of Man. While serving with 457Sqn the aircraft flew four operational missions and made at least six non-operational flights. While serving with 457Sqn the aircraft flew four operational missions and made eleven non-operational flights
23Mar42 Aircraft taken on charge with RAAF No.452 Sqn at RAF Station Andreas, Isle of Man. Issued to A Flight as UD-H.
27Mar42 1st Operational Mission with 452Sqn. SGT P. St John Makin departed Andreas at 1820hrs with three other Spitfires to carry out an unsuccessful 55min SAR for a missing pilot who had crashed into the Irish Sea approximately 20 miles south of Douglas on the Isle of Man.
28Mar42 2nd Operational Mission SGT W.J Wilkinson departed Andreas at 1325hrs with SGT K.D Bassett [AB148] and completed an uneventful 90min escort for a merchant vessel and an RN Corvette escort off Barrow Head.
10Apr42 SGT R.E Waters departed Andreas at 1900hrs as one of twelve 452Sqn Spitfires under the command of SQNLDR R.E Thorold-Smith DFC to conduct a complex series of formation manoeuvres. The formation climbed to 10,000ft and carried out the exercise in perfect cloudless sky between the Isle of Man and St Bee’s Head. When the signal to break was given the formation noticed that BL384 was missing, and the Squadron returned to base expecting that BL384 had already landed.
A Court of Enquiry into the accident found that: “...the aircraft which was detailed to take part in a Squadron formation exercise led by Squadron Leader Raymond Ernest Thorold-Smith DFC (402144) (Killed on Air Operations: 15 March 1943). The exercise was carried until 2015 hours when the break signal was given. BL384 was not seen again after the break signal, although an oil patch was later seen on the water. It was considered that Sergeant Waters had either lost consciousness during the manoeuvre or otherwise lost control and was trapped in the aircraft when it crashed into the Irish Sea about eight miles south west of St Bee’s Head. The weather was perfect with no cloud. Aircraft searches were conducted together with sea rescue boats from Ramsey, but no trace of Sergeant Waters was seen.”
13Apr42 Aircraft struck off charge. While serving with 452Sqn the aircraft flew two operational missions and made five non-operational flights. In total, the aircraft flew six operational missions and made at least fifteen non-operational flights with 452Sqn and 457Sqn. Total accumulated flight time was 80hrs 30min.
RAAF pilot 408165 Sergeant Ralph Ernest Waters (25) of Hobart, Tasmania was KIA and has no known grave. He is commemorated on Panel 113 of the Runnymede Memorial in Surrey, UK; and, on Panel 105 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. He is also remembered on the Roll of Honour in Hobart, Tasmania
PMcG 2023-05
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