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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 0495.PDF
March 17th, 1940 317- The havoc among the squadron's aircraft caused by a gale at Fere-en-Tardenois on December 28th, 1914. Damage was so severe that no operational . flights could be made for a number of days. On May 10th, however, when the war started in earnest, the Squadron left in that grey afternoon for MerviUe under the command of S/L. Patrick Gifford, D.F.C. (he was later killed in France). The ground crews and equipment were flown over the next day in Ensigns, Harrows and Bombays. The first action occurred shortly after the unit's arrival, and with it came the Squadron's first successes. A formation was patrolling between Tourcoing and Ghent at about 1930 hours when bunches of Heinkels were sighted, flying at 7,000 feet in formations of five or seven each, circling and bombing 10-15 miles north-east of Lille, and being fired at by our ack- ack. The Hurricanes, their R/T unserviceable, gave chase. There followed numerous dogfights in which No. 3 shot down some five Heinkel 11 is, and, as far as can be ascertained, the distinction of bagging the Squadron's first enemy aircraft fell GLOSTER G AU ECOCK IS28-Z9 to P/O. F. R. Carey, D.F.M., who four days later failed to return from a patrol south of Louvain. Eventually he found himself in a Belgian hospital, and later returned to England. Carey, who is now Wing Commander Flying at Gutersloh, in Germany, recalls the action in these words: "A few hours after the Squadron's arrival at Merville, I decided to have a look round the local area. Three of us took off in formation and headed east, where I spotted a lot of unescorted Heinkels circling and bombing Courtrai. This was the first time I had seen more than one enemy aircraft and in my initial excite- ment attacked first one and then another without much result. I eventually decided to settle on one, which crash-landed in a cloud of dust. I continued attacking the others until my ammunition was expended and returned independently to refuel and re-arm." -u _ . , % The Squadron operated from Merville for ten days. Though for two of those days the Squadron did not fire their guns, a total of 178,000 rounds of ammunition were fired and sixty enemy machines destroyed, plus ten possibles. The destroyed included 17 Heinkel 11 is, 16 Junkers 87s and seven Dornier 215s. The Squadron's total loss was 21 machines, which in- cluded two aircraft that collided, and one that crashed on a delivery flight. For reinforcements No. 3 Squadron was fed by pilots from Nos. 56, 32 and 253 Squadrons. When France collapsed, the order came to evacuate Merville, and by devious routes and a variety of vehicles the unit—or what was left of it—arrived at Boulogne and embarked in the Manx Queen for England. The fighting had been very severe and the Squadron was without either adjutant or intelligence officer—the duties of which posts were, however, being effi- ciently performed by A/Ci J. J. Hackett, of the orderly room. After such a spell of duty it was obvious that the Squadron was due for a rest, and for this purpose it was posted to the north of Scotland. Although the rest "was well deserved, everyone was depressed at the idea of being out"Sl the Battle of Britain. Life was not entirely without its excitements. There was a scramble one day to intercept a raid oA-the Fleet in Scapa Flow and in the ensuing interception P/O...D. %.. L. Joaes shot down a Heinkel. Despite the intensity of the Battle of Britain, No. 3 was kept in Scotland, getting"the odd Hun every now and then, with an occasional crack at big prey such as the long-range F.W.200 Condors. But all things come to an end and at last, in March, 1941, the Squadron came dQwn" to Martlesham Heath and took over the Hurricane Us of No. 17 Squadron. Duties were mostly convoy patrols, but the opera- tions known as "Fighter Nights" were also started. The first Fighter Night successes came on the night of May 10th- uth—the great raid in which the area bordering on St. Paul's Cathedral in London was burnt out. In June a move was made from Martlesham to Stapleford Tawney and intruder sorties over France were added to the duties of Fighter Nights, convoy and bomber escorts. It was while on a bomber escort from this station that pilots of the Squadron had what is thought to have been the first sight of a pilot-ejector seat in action. The six Hurricanes The Morone Parasols of No. 3 Squadron at La Houssojre in 1916. The pilots on the right include Roberts, " Splinter " Wood, Wther, Houghtm and Lewis. Ranks and initials are not available.
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