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Aviation History
1954
1954 - 1155.PDF
\IULHIP ** 9J0 '&Lg?.lJ0S. WSSTLAMO WAPITI 19tO - I9i4 HAWKtJI It A lt)4 - Iftt UADRON F EDINBURGH) RY AIR FORCE Part I "<Q^O^ under F/L. P. Gifford shot down a Heinkel 111 into the sea off Port Seton. Three crew-members were rescued and taken prisoner. Yellow section, under F/L. G. L. Denholm, pursued another Heinkel out to sea. P/O. Gilroy's Spitfire was the only machine to suffer damage—it received one bullet through the top engine cowling. The bodies of two German airmen killed in this action were buried with military honours, the squadron pipe band attending in full-dress uniform. Six days later F/L. Gilford's red section had a further success by shooting down a Heinkel 111 which attacked a convoy off St. Abb's Head; and again it was the same section, joining forces with another from No. 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron, that shot down the first enemy aircraft actually to fall in Britain— the others had fallen in the sea. An account of the fight says: "One enemy aircraft was sighted by a patrol of No. 602 Squadron and Red Section of No. 603. It was revealed by anti-aircraft shell bursts. No. 602 Squadron attacked first, followed by No. 603, and the e/a, which proved to be a Heinkel 111, was shot down near Kidlaw, six miles south of Haddington. Two of the crew were dead, the pilot wounded and the observer unhurt. The two squadrons were each credited with a half share. A month later F/L. Gifford left the squadron in order to take over command of No. 3 Fighter Squadron. He was awarded the D.F.C. for his work with No. 603. A move made from Turn-house to Prestwick was indeterminate, for in January 1940, a further move was made to Dyce. Almost immediately on arrival at Dyce the squadron scored a further success. A section under F/O. H. K. Macdonald recog nized a Heinkel 111 20 miles east of Aberdeen and attacked, open ing fire at 350 yd and closing to 200 yd. The enemy made no effort to jink, neither was there any return fire. Contrails were a novelty then and it is interesting to read that "the intense cloud trail created by the Heinkel made observation very easy but obscured it from astern. . . . When coming up behind the Heinkel the Spitfire was caught in the cloud formed by the enemy aircraft which froze to the windscreen." Intense cold caused gun failures, but the Heinkel was last seen going down on to the sea and was later confirmed as destroyed. "Bandits" became scarce but operational patrols were still flown; for a while they were known as "co-operational practice." Then affairs quietened down for what was later to become known as the "phoney war." At the end of May 1940, W/C. Broadhurst (now Air Marshal Sir Harry Broadhurst, C-in-C. 2nd T.AJ?.) lectured to the pilots on fighter tactics in France. Yet up north the war was never really "phoney." In June Turnhouse was raided and 603 bought down two of the attacking aircraft; and in the first week of July two Ju 88s and a Heinkel were added to the bag. July, in fact, proved to be a very busy month; no fewer than ten enemy aircraft, all definitely confirmed, fell to the guns of the squadron Spitfires. However busy July appeared, August was much more so. Detachments which had been at Dyce and Montrose returned to the unit at Turnhouse. Immediately came the order for all flying personnel and 32 ground crew to proceed to Hornchurch—the Battle of Britain was on. Within three days of their arrival four pilots were missing and three more were wounded. Sgt. Sarre came back on the morning of the 30th with the tail of his aircraft almost shot away and in the afternoon of the same day he baled out when his tail was completely shot off. Three other members of the squadron had to bale out. But the Germans had to pay a price; over the same period the squadron claimed 25 enemy aircraft destroyed and a further 11 probables. It was a time for heroic deeds but not, apparently, for heroic writing. The squadron diary of the time is positively laconic. "1-9-40 Fighting patrols. F/O. R. McG. Waterson reported killed. P/O. G. K. Gilroy parachuted from burning aircraft and was badly treated by Home Guard (lynching threatened). P/O. P. M. Cardell forced landed. P/O. J. R. Caister returned from leave (honeymoon). 2-9-40. Fighting patrols. F/O. J. G. E. Haig landed with under carriage retracted, due to enemy action. Sgt. J. Stokoe missing. . . . 3-9-40. Fighting patrols. P/O. D. Stewart-Clark parachuted from disabled Spitfire and taken to hospital (wounded). P/O. R. H. Hillary parachuted from burning aircraft into channel and picked up by the Margate lifeboat and taken to hospital. 4-9-40. Fighting patrols. Sgt A. R. Sarre force-landed at Ashford (uninjured). 5-9-40. Fighting patrols. F/L. F. W. Rushmer missing from patrol. P/O. W. P. H. Rafter missing. F/O. I. S. Ritchie discharged from hospital. 6-9-40. Fighting patrols. P/O. J. R. Caister missing. . . ." And so it went on day after day—not (as is usual in army or naval warfare, where a face-to-face encounter is a rare occurrence) A formation of 603 Squadron Westland Wapitis, author 22 years ago. "Flight" photograph photographed by the An informal group of officers in 1932. From left to right are: P/O. P. Gifford, F/O. T. M. McNeil, F/O. A. M .Mitchell, Mr. G. Gatturall, P/Os. £. H. Stevens, I. D. Shields, F/O. D. M. T. MacDonald, F/0. C. H. W. Bolders. P/Os. G. A. Reid, I. Kirkpatrick, F/L I. £. C. Watson, F/O. A. Wallace, S/L. H. R. Murray-Philllpson, CO., F/L J. Jack, M.C., F/L R. Legg. ••Flight" photograph w 2*ir •»; « £5 Q o.
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