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Aviation History
1944
1944 - 1187.PDF
JUXE 8TH, 1944 619 COASTAL COMMAND'S SHARE looking for enemy convoys," said Wing Cdr. McConnell. "Three small escort ships signalled us with an Aldis lamp and we flashed back a reply. They took us for Hun air craft. Then we flew low over the inhabited islands and could see the islanders in their Sunday clothes taking an evening stroll. Afterwards we came to a field where the Huns were playing football and they ran for their lives. "At 7.30 p.m. we climbed over the hill to make our attack. The enemy had been firing flak at us for some time but we were too low to "be hit. There was a hail of fire from the ack-ack batteries. ' "When we had flown over the hill," said the Wing Commander, " we had to be quick in firing or we should have found that we had passed over the enemy vessel. I did not have sufficient time to fire at first, nor did No. 2 .Hrcraft, but No. 3 spotted the ship a little earlier and opened fire with the R.P. " I turned round up the fjord and made a second attack, scoring hits on the ship. No. 2 aircraft following me, scored several more hits. Meanwhile, the Beaufighters of the other squadron were circling overhead, as protection against enemy fighters. I saw the ship catch fire at the stern and she was burning brightly when two'MeiogFs appeared and attacked No. 3 Beaufighter. At the time the observer of this aircraft was holding a camera over the side taking a picture of the first attack with the R.P. The ANTI-FLAK 1 A combined rocket and cannon attack to silence and to divert the attention of the enemy anti-aircraft gunners. first he knew that the Me iogFs were there was when a bullet hit his camera. " We flew out to sea and managed to shake off the enemy fighters but No. 3 Beaufighter was badly shot up with the undercarriage out of action and a bullet hole in one of the petrol tanks. One of our escort Beaufighters, which was also attacked turned away down the coast and is missing," ended Wing Cdr. McConnell. The pilot of No. 3 Beaufighter made a successful belly landing on a small runway. His observer was slightly wounded. Next day reconnaissance aircraft reported that the enemy merchant vessel was beached. * That is the account of but one attack out of 3,252 such anti-shipping sorties of all sorts which have been flown during the past six months. What is the effect of all this action on Germany's war effort? In this softening process before D-day strategic and tactical bombing destroy his land communications and these complementary attacks make the only other supply lines unreliable and highly dangerous. Over forty per cent, of Germany's naval per sonnel is now engaged on escort work and Rotterdam, once the main supply terminus of the Swedish ore trade, is now no longer being used. Any shipping which moves up the coast of Europe—from the Spanish border to North Cape— sneaks along in sight of the shore and, even then, is in continual peril. SPITFIRE MITCHELL MEMORIAL FUND A FUND to commemorate the late Mr. R. J. Mitchell, designer of the Spitfire and many other Supermarine types, was inaugurated at a luncheon in London on June 1st, Speeches were made by Viscount Itennett, Air Marshal Sir Leslie Gossage, Air Marshal Sorley, the Lord Mayor of Stoke- on-Trent (Mitchell's birthplace), the Mayor of Southampton, and Mrs. R. J. Mitchell. Instead of a memorial in stone, the towns of Stoke and Southampton have agreed to found a fund, to be known as the Spitfire Mitchell Memorial Fund, designed to help the youth of the country. A "target" of £250,000 is aimed at, and it is intended to earmark £100,000 for a youth centre % Stoke-on-Trent, and to found 15 scholarships in aero nautics, 10 tenable at University College, Southampton. President of the Fund is Lady MacRobert, and the Chair man is Sir Francis Joseph. Lord Swaythling has agreed to act as Hon. Treasurer. The General Secretary is Miss Mary Pitcairn, and Appeal Headquarters of the Fund are at 59, New Oxford Street, Lon don W.C.i, from which address full particulars may be obtained. By way ol illustrating how far-seeing R. J. Mitchell was. Air Marshal Sorley. recalled that it was designed some ten years ago, and that since then its engine power had been increased by 100 per cent., its speed by 35 per cent., its gross weight by 40 per cent., and its rate of climb by 80 per cent. All this had been achieved without fundamental changes in the design.
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