836 near Broadstairs,MinsterandBrentwood. the pilotsreturnedtorefuelandrearmthreesmall raidscrossedthecoastusingcloudcovertoavoidinterception As and droppedbombs 54 Squadron,at25,000feetover Deal,alsoengagedsomeMe109sonafreelancepatrol. have would and suffered greaterlosseshadnot56 Squadronintervened. Me109s the for match no were Defiants The outnumbered. greatly though even – bombers the to way their fight to 616 Squadron was ‘bounced’ by Me109s. 264 Squadron came upon 12+ Do17s with a strong escort of 30 to 50 Me109s and attempted 610 SquadronfoughttheMe109s,othersquadronsapproached thecoastandengagedasecond‘wave’ at11.53fell on Bombs ‘bombing’eight Me109s see arrived to Squadron 610 as just hours feet. 5,000 from the pilotsof As 616 Squadron 54 Squadron 264 Squadron 610 Squadron 56 Squadron the scrambled Controller Group 11 the hours 11.45 at following tomeettheraid: to returned ‘B’ As Straits. the in developed suddenly raid large a when area the in fighters only the were and intercept to sent were Squadron 616 Wellingtonsof ‘B’two Flight damaged. and injured others ten killed, were people Six Oxfordshire. airfield, Harwell on bombs four dropped aircraft single a hours 11.00 At 26 AUGUST COMBAT A – – – – – 12 SpitfiresupfromKenleytoDover. 8 SpitfiresupfromRochfordtoManston. 7 DefiantsupfromHornchurchtoDover. 12 SpitfiresupfromHawkingetoDover. 12 HurricanesupfromNorth Weald toMaidstonethenHawkinge. 11.55 -12.30hrs...FolkestonetoDover oftheraid. Hptm GüntherLützowJG3 P/O D A P McMullen54Sqn P/O DSWilson610Sqn Lt Egon Troha 7/JG3 1(J)/LG2 St II/JG54 2/JG52 2/JG52 1/JG52 8/JG51 6/JG51 5/JG51 5/JG51 4/JG51 4/JG51 4/JG51 4/JG51 3/JG51 St/JG51 8/JG3 8/JG3 7/JG3 6/JG3 6/JG3 5/JG3 4/JG3 St II/JG3 St II/JG3 3/JG3 2/JG3 2/JG3 1/JG3 Oblt St/JG3 Lothar St/JG3 St/JG3 Keller Hurricane 264 Sqn 264 Sqn 264 Sqn 264 Sqn 264 Sqn 264 Sqn 264 Sqn 264 Sqn 616 Sqn 56 Sqn 56 Sqn 56 Sqn 54 Sqn 54 Sqn 54 Sqn 610 Sqn 610 Sqn 610 Sqn 610 Sqn 610 Sqn 610 Sqn realised thatitwasmoreimportanttocommunicatewithothersquadronsinthevicinity now was it but lost, be surprise of advantage the and the alert might details such giving that pilots should now report to their controllers the details of any enemy sighted. Prior to this it was thought fighter his that stated No.6’which Controllers to Instruction Group ‘11 issued Vice-MarshalPark Air Luftwaffe Victory Claims RAF Victory Claims 26 August 1940-11.55hrs -12.30hrs.Combat A. FolkestonetoDover RAF andLuftwaffeClaims Lt Hptm DietrichHrabak Ludwig Oblt HelmutBennemann Theopold Fw lfonsBacher Hurricane Oblt Karl-HeinzLeesmann Lt GottfriedSchlitzer Oblt JosefPriller Lt HansKolbow Lt HansKolbow Oblt JosefFözö Ofw Werner Hübner Fw Hans-DieterJohn Lt ErichHohagen Oblt RichardLeppla Maj Lt WinfriedSchmidt Uffz JosefKeil Lt Egon Troha Oblt ErichWoitke Oblt KarlWesterhoff Lt HorstBuddenhagen Uffz JostKipper Oblt HeinrichSannemann Hptm Erichv.Selle Uffz KurtGraf Ofw RobertOlejnik Fw HansEhlers Hptm GüntherLützow Hptm GüntherLützow Oblt F-Fv.Cramon Sgt ER Thorn Sgt ER Thorn Sgt ER Thorn P/O HIGoodall P/O FDHughes P/O FDHughes F/Lt EWCampbell-Colquhoun F/Lt A JBanham F/O DEGillam P/O MHMounsdon P/O K T Marston P/O K T Marston P/O EFEdsall P/O CFGray P/O D A P McMullen Sgt RFHamlyn Sgt RFHamlyn Sgt NHDRamsay F/O P GLamb P/O DSWilson S/Ldr JEllis Combat A Combat A Spitfire Spitfire Spitfire Spitfire Spitfire Spitfire Spitfire Spitfire Spitfire Hurricane Spitfire Spitfire Spitfire Spitfire Spitfire Spitfire Spitfire Spitfire Spitfire Spitfire Hurricane Spitfire Spitfire Spitfire Hurricane Spitfire Defiant Defiant Defiant Me109 destroyed Do17 destroyed Do17 destroyed Do17 destroyed Do17 destroyed Do17 destroyed Do17 damaged Do17 destroyed Me109 destroyed Me109 destroyed Me109 destroyed Me109 destroyed Me109 probable Me109 probable Me109 destroyed Me109 probable Me109 destroyed Me109 probable Do215 destroyed Me109 destroyed Me109 destroyed

11.55 -12.30hrs 11.55 -12.30hrs - Dover Dover Dover - 5 kmwestofBoulogne north ofDover north ofDover Canterbury Canterbury Canterbury Canterbury Dover –Folkestone Folkestone Ashford Dover Canterbury Canterbury Canterbury Canterbury Canterbury Thames Estuary Thames Estuary Canterbury Faversham west ofCalais Thames Herne Bay-Deal Estuary Herne Bay-Deal - Dover -Deal Dover -Deal Dover -Deal Dover -Deal Dover -Deal Dover -Deal Dover -Deal Dover -Deal Deal-Dover area Whitstable-Westgate Whitstable-Westgate Whitstable-Westgate Channel offDeal Channel offDeal Channel offDeal Folkestone Folkestone Folkestone Deal-Dover Folkestone Dover Area .

837 838 smoking andwentrightin.Nowreckageorpilotswereseen,merelythesplashrings. started aircraft the and delivered was burst another France, towards dive steep a into went Me109 the miles southofDover. 12 up picked was pilot the and height, losing was Machine ceased. fire gun rear and engine smoking starboard began the seconds 8 about of burst a after and delivered was attack No.1 below.A 1,000 in thesea400yardsoffbeachatFolkestone. ThiswasseenbyF/O Wilson. exhaust manifold flew off the 109 and hit his wing. The Me109 was seen to burst into flames of and piece large plunge a fire opened had pilot our Immediately surprise. by both them taking above and astern P/O Webster, asidentificationmarkwasfoundonhisbody. was This killed. instantaneously being pilot the fire, caught immediately and Hawkinge at crashed a/c One Do215alsodestroyed. were destroyed. probably Me109s was Me109 Folkestone. further 4 off A sea the feet. into down shot 5,000 being all destroyed, at Folkestone bombing were which Me109s eight about engaged They 26 AUGUST 26 August 1940-11.55hrs -12.30hrs.Combat A. FolkestonetoDover Contemporary Accounts 610Sqn Sgd. P P Beecroft A/S/O IntelligenceOfficer Extract from report of F/O Wilson – Blue 2. Chased an Me109 and having given it a deflection burst, Extract from report of F/O Lamb – Yellow 1. Sighted a Dornier flying home out to sea off Deal about from Me109s of pair a attacked No.2 his and pilot This 1. Blue – Ellis S/Ldr of report from Extract 10 a/clandedatBigginHillbetween12.10and13.10hours. One Hospital. Canterbury and the at wounded seriously is and Hawkinge at out baled Else Sgt Dover. approaching aircraft enemy engage Hawkinge to left hours Squadron 11.42 610 Spitfires, 12 610 SQUADRONINTELLIGENCEREPORT “ returned tobase. All theenemyfightersseenhadyellowwingandtailtips. I so sight aircraftin therewereno but clouds, throughthe again up climbed I seconds. several for water the flames. E/A crashed in the sea about one mile off the end of Whitstable pier. Pieces of the machine splashed in into burst section centre the saw I it following and clouds the in hole a through went vertically.It dived and knocked the hood off the cockpit. E/A started to dive and then pulled out. I gave another burst and it flicked out P/O MHMounsdon-Yellow 3, A Flight,56Squadron burst second three a and yards 250 at fire opened I it. to on dived and me below Me109 an saw then ...I Contemporary Accounts 54&56Sqns the Spitfireswhichwereattackingbombersprobablygotabetterviewthanhedid. usual the says were He received. he which impression an camouflage just was it as evidence and further any give cannot He German. markings The bottom. the at away cut and plane tail the along way half being fins the rudders, twin large had it says He 88. Breda a was – attacked was himself he when – attacking was he bomber the that impression the got He unhurt. was He intact. are etc instruments of anattackbyaMe109.Hewasunhurt. far awaytobecaught. too were they but south-east turned then and sighted when west flying were bombers The astern. line 6 of bunches in above He113s) flying and (Me109s fighters 30 about with feet 15,000 at formation in 17Zs or 215s Dornier 12 saw they Manston from miles 10 About feet. 15,000 at Hawkinge patrol to squadron splitupandattackedvarioussmallformationsdog-fightsensued. enemy aircraft of at various heights, which formations the squadron largewas not near enough other to engage in with formation. The associated were and Me109s were They Deal. of north feet 25,000 at aircraft enemy the sighted Squadron 54 aircraft. enemy of waves intercept to them with and Manston re 2 St mte fre lne na Rcfr. i arrf ws rce bt lt f the of lot a but wrecked was aircraft His Rochford. near landed forced Smythe) (Sgt 2 Green (P/O 2 Red Wicks)result the as Canterbury near out bale to had but 215 Dornier a of tail the on was North left Squadron 56 Weald11.49diverted at then being feet, 12,000 at patrol to hours Squadronover join264 to order in hours 11.46 at left Rochford 54 Squadron of Spitfires Eight 54 Squadron11.46 –12.50hours 26 August 1940-11.55hrs -12.30hrs.Combat A. FolkestonetoDover 56 SQUADRONINTELLIGENCEREPORT 54 SQUADRONINTELLIGENCEREPORT ” 839 616 Squadron’s Black Monday 616 Squadron’s Black Monday 26 August 1940 - 11.55hrs - 12.30 hrs. Combat A. Folkestone to Dover 26 August 1940 - 11.55hrs - 12.30 hrs. Combat A. Folkestone to Dover

616 SQUADRON INTELLIGENCE REPORT Five fighters of ‘A’ Flight (Red and Green Sections) took off at 11.44 to orbit base. Theywere then ordered to patrol between Dover and Deal at 17,000 feet when they were unfortunately caught Seven Spitfires of ‘B’ Flight (Blue and Yellow Sections) took off 11.05 to intercept a single He 111. unawares by the Me109s. Blue Section sighted the He111 just above cloud at 7,000 ft but it dived into clouds (at 4,000 feet) to Red 3 (Sgt Ridley) was seen by Red 1 to make an inverted dive and dropped 10,000 feet. He was not evade our fighters and disappeared. Blue 1 detailed Yellow Section to fly below cloud in case enemy seen again and is presumed killed. appeared below. Yellow Section ordered to pancake. As enemy was not sighted again Blue Section Green 1 (F/O Moberly) was not seen again. His body was subsequently picked up in the sea and taken received the order to look out for a loose balloon at 10,000 feet at a position approximately over to Dover mortuary. Dungeness. Balloon was not seen. Controller then told Blue 1 that he was in the vicinity of several large Red 1, Red 2 and Green 2 dived down immediately to evade the enemy, circled round, but did not see raids (X50 and others). He then sighted approximately 100 Me109s about 3,000 feet above at 20,000 the large numbers of Me109s witnessed by ‘B’ Flight. They landed together at 13.20. feet. His section of four aircraft immediately formed into a circle. In the meantime Yellow Section were Blue 4 (P/O Walker) of ‘A’ Flight baled out when over the sea and was picked up by the Navy and climbing to re-join Blue Section (having remained under cloud base in case the He111 came down), but taken to Hawkinge Sick Quarters. He has a bullet wound in his foot and is now in Halton Hospital. before they arrived they were all shot at by the Me109s who swooped down and disabled all of them. It should be explained that in this particular case ‘B’ Flight consisted of Blue and Yellow Sections, 4 All three pilots made forced landings, two being wounded and all three aircraft u/s. aircraft in the former and 3 in the latter. Yellow 1 (F/O St Aubin) forced landed on the perimeter of Eastchurch aerodrome. His aircraft was ‘A’ Flight consisted of Red and Green Section, 3 aircraft in the former and 2 in the latter. 26 AUGUST burnt out and he is suffering from burns and is now in the Minster County Hospital. His aircraft was hit in the glycol cooling system. Yellow 2 (F/O Bell) made a forced landing near Canterbury. His aircraft was hit in numerous places Our casualties. and is a ‘write off’. Pilot safe and returned to Kenley by transport fromWest Malling. F/O Moberly Killed One of the unfortunate Sgt Ridley Missing believed killed Yellow 3 (Sgt Copeland) forced landed near Ashford. His aircraft has been ‘written off’ and he is 616 Sqn pilots that day wounded and in Ashford Hospital. was William Walker who F/O St Aubin Wounded received a bullet in his P/O Marples Wounded Blue Section were then attacked by several Me109s diving on to them, and when one of them went ankle. He survived until P/O Walker Wounded on to Blue 2’s tail, he (Blue 1) chased it down to 4,000 feet, firing three-quarters of his ammunition. the grand old age of 99 Sgt Copeland Wounded and kept the bullet as a After going through the cloud he saw a Me109 crashing into the sea ahead of him about 2 miles east of souvenir. Deal, and presumed it was the one he had fired at. As he was carrying a cine gun, the developed cine P/O Bell forced landed but unwounded. film should confirm his claim. Blue 1 returned to base after the engagement and landed at 12.40. Blue Seven aircraft unserviceable. 1 was F/Lt Gillam A.F.C. Enemy casualties. Blue 2 (P/O Marples) made a forced landing about 5 miles south of Canterbury. His aircraft is a ‘write 1 Me109 destroyed off’ (hit in petrol tank and dashboard) and he is wounded with cannon shell shrapnel in the leg. He is now in the Kent and Canterbury Hospital at Canterbury. Signed Blue 3 (P/O Murray) after diving down to evade enemy, returned to base and landed at 12.40 hours. C R Gibbs P/O Squadron Intelligence Officer No.616 Squadron Kenley

Spitfires of 616 Squadron prepare for take off, probably at Fowlmere in September 1940. Note the variation Right: Roy Marples was another of the in placement of squadron code both unfortunate 616 Squadron pilots that before and aft of the roundel. day. He too survived and went on to fight in the Western Desert, receiving the DFC and Bar in the process. He was killed in a mid air collision on 26 April 1944 at the age of just 24.

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