Fewest of the Few Supplement S32 Entry Graduated July 1934 SURNAME INITS LISTER RCF MacDONNELL ARD S 32 Page 1 of 4 Cranwellian Participants 90 Flight cadets, 17 SFTS trainees and a transferee to the RAFVR, as far as our records show, each played their part in the Battle of Britain. Here we summarise their efforts by squadron; a more detailed breakdown is available in our booklet, Battle of Britain. Battle of Britain - 10 Group Participants 87 92 152 213 219 234 236 238 Cranwellian Participants JS Dewar RH Holland RM Hogg DC Shepley90 Flight cadets,HF Atkinson 17 SFTS traineesKW Worsdell and a transfereeRE Barnett to the RAFVR,PE Drew as far as ourCEJ records Baines show, each played their part in the Battle of Britain. Here we summarise their efforts by squadron; a more detailed breakdown is available in our booklet, Battle of Britain. CBF Kingcome JSB Jones C Warren HD Clark Battle of Britain - 10 GroupDTM Lumsden ParticipantsCT Davis Lister, Robert Charles Franklin (S32 Entry, A Squadron) 87 41 9292 614 152 213 219 234 236 238 ES Marrs GW Montagu WEJ Measures RCFRobert Lister Charles Franklin Lister was born on 23rdAR AugustWatson 1913 and attendedJS Dewar Cheltenham College from 1927 to 1932. He entered Cranwell in September 1932, won the Groves RM Hogg DC Shepley HF Atkinson Memorial Prize in 1934 and, after graduating, he joined 13JS (Army Dewar Co-operation)RH Holland Squadron KW Worsdell RE Barnett PE Drew CEJ Baines at Netheravon on 28 July 1934. Lister was posted to 20 (Army Co-Operation) Squadron at Peshawar on 28 February 1935. In 1937, he was supporting the Army, JSB Jones C Warren HD Clark operating in the mountains of Waziristan CBF Kingcome DTM Lumsden CT Davis against tribesmen led PGStGby the FakirO’Brian of Ipi.TS Wildblood WCLister Watling was awarded the DFC (gazetted 16 247 J Tillett August 1938) for gallant and distinguished service in operations in Waziristan from 16 September 1935 to 15 December 1937 He received a Mention in Despatches (gazetted RCF Lister ES Marrs AR Watson JS Dewar GW Montagu WEJ Measures 18th February 1938). Back in the UK, Lister was posted to CFS Upavon for an instructor’s course, after which he went to 10 FTS Tern Hill. On 2 January IN Bayles WC Watling PGStG O’Brian TS Wildblood AR1939, Wright he was made Adjutant of 614 PGStG O’Brian247 J Tillett Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force at Cardiff. In late 1939, Lister crashed during take-off with engine failure and fractured his spine. He was in plaster for nine months and was AR Wright IN Bayles given a temporary job at the Air Ministry. PGStG O’Brian Lister was cleared for flying duties in August 1940 and asked for a posting to Fighter Of the CranwelliansCommand. He was postedthat to 7 OTUserved Hawarden, converted in tosquadrons Spitfires and then took within 10 Group (SW England), Charles temporary commandNot of 41 strictly Squadron part at Hornchurch of 11Of onGp, 8the September. but Cranwellians based He was at shot RAF down that Tangmere, served inthe squadrons Fighter Interception within 10 UnitGroup was (SW England), those Davis (8 with on238 the 14 September Sqn), by an Me109Brian out of the Kingcome evening sun that no-one had (7 spotted, with whilst 92 Sqn), Harold Atkinson (6 with 213 Sqn), flying at the rear offormed a squadron and formation commanded in Spitfireaccredited R6605. by PeterLister baled‘aces’ Chamberlain, out when(i.e. thefive followingor more his‘kills’) pioneering and the development greatest number work of successes were Allan Wright aircraft(6 caughtalso fire, onslightly airwith wounded interception in the92 arm. radar.Sqn)Charles Henry Davisand Eeles (8 withEricis also 238 uniqueSqn),Marrs Brianin that Kingcome(5 he iswith one (7 Cranwellian with152 92 Sqn), Sqn) who Harold Atkinsonare accredited (6 with On 22 September, declinedhe was attached the to offer 92 Squadron of 213the at Biggin BattleSqn), Hill Allanofas aBritain supernumerary. Wright Clasp, (6 also despite with 92having Sqn) earned and Eric it asMarrs OC (5263 with Sqn 152 Sqn). John Dewar ‘aces’ (i.e. fiveShortly or after more Lister'soperating arrival the‘kills’) OC wasWhirlwind burned with and Listerand(87 the took andHurricane command. 213greatest Sqns), aircraft. Peter Charles number Drew Bacon, (236 Sqn),ofFerdinand successes. Richard Baraldi Hogg and (152 David John Sqn), John Dewar Jones (152(87 and On 24 September,Fulford 92 Squadron were was scrambledthree Cranwellian Sqn),to be part Douglas of a 'Bigparticipants Wing'Shepley of three (152who Sqn)received who theirlost hisflying brother training at Dunkirk, from the and Kenneth Wordsell 213 Sqns), Petersquadrons. Time Drew was wasted and(236 it met a formation Sqn), of nine Ju88s Richard with a 100+ Me109 Hogg (152 Sqn), John Jones (152 Sqn), escort, head-on andSFTS slightly below.at RAF Cranwell.(219 Sqn) all paid the ultimate sacrifice. Douglas Shepley (152 Sqn) who lost his brother at Dunkirk, and Kenneth Wordsell (219 On 12 Group operations,By far Tim the VigorsgreatestS 32 Page (222 number2 of 4Sqn) ofappears Cranwellians to have involved been the in theoutstanding Battle of Britain operated on Sqn) all paid the ultimateCranwellian sacrifice. ‘ace’ withsquadrons five successes within during 11 Groupthe Battle (SE of England).Britain. The ‘aces’ were Aeneas MacDonnell (8½ ‘successes’ with 64 Sqn), Peter Townsend (8 with 85 Sqn), Henry Hogan (6 with 501 Sqn) Arguably a better knownand Cranwellian John Badger in (512 with Group 43 wasSqn). Sir Those Douglas who Bader lost their who, lives as onOC Ops 242 within 11 Group were By far the greatest numberSqn, famously of advocated CranwelliansChristopher the ‘Big Andreae Wing ’ (64involvedOps Sqn), concept John despite inBadger the fierce (43 Battle oppositionSqn), Charles offrom BritainBacon11 (610 operatedSqn), John on Gp who, being closerChomley to the enemy (257 Sqn),lines, couldPhilip notCox assemble (501 Sqn), a comparableJohn Davey ‘Big (1 Sqn),Wing’ Ianin Donald (141 Sqn), squadrons within 11time Group to repel the (SEoncomingGeoffrey England). Luftwaffe Gaunt forces;(609 Sqn), Thethey Hilary opted ‘aces’ Hoodfor finger (41 fourSqn),were formations Noel Aeneas Hall attacking(257 Sqn), MacDonnell David Hanson (17 (8½ the enemy aircraft in Sqn),pairs, Johna mode Lecky d’emploi (41 Sqn), which Richard was to Lee become (85 Sqn), SOP Johnin ‘Rodeo McKenzie’ fighter (111 Sqn), Miles Miley ‘successes’ with 64 Sqn), Peter Townsend(25 Sqn), Henry Sawyer (8 with (65 Sqn) 85 and Sqn), Rodney WilkinsonHenry (266 Hogan Sqn). (6 with 501 Sqn) sweeps over France after the Battle of Britain had been won. Bader was attributed four and John Badger (5successes with). (1½ Thosex Do 17, 1 x whoBf109, 1 lostx Bf110) their in the Battlelives of Britain. on It Opsis postulated within that 11Page Group 13 of 32 were Nothe strictly was shot part down of - 11some Gp, believe but blue-on-bluebased at RAF- in 1941, Tangmere, captured bythe the Fighter Germans Interception and Unit was Christopher Andreaeformedenjoyed (64 and theSqn), commandedhospitality John of Colditz by Badger PeterCastle tillChamberlain, the (43end of Sqn),the war. following Charles his pioneering Bacon development (610 Sqn), work John on air interception radar. Henry Eeles is also unique in that he is one Cranwellian who Chomley (257 Sqn),Having Philip been Coxposted from(501 1 Sqn Sqn), to 242 SqnJohn on 21 DaveySeptember, Michael(1 Sqn), Homer wasIan shot Donald (141 Sqn), declineddown and the killed offer on 27of Septemberthe Battle when of Britainhis Hurricane Clasp, aircraft despite P2967 havingcrashed intoearned a wood it as OC 263 Sqn Geoffrey Gaunt (609operatingnear Sqn), Sittingbourne. Whirlwind Hilary andHood Hurricane (41 Sqn), aircraft. Noel Charles Hall Bacon, (257 Ferdinand Sqn), BaraldiDavid and Hanson David (17 Sqn), John Lecky Fulford(41 Sqn), were Richardthree Cranwellian Lee (85 participants Sqn), Johnwho received McKenzie theirPage flying14(111 of 32 trainingSqn), fromMiles the Miley (25 Sqn), Henry SawyerSFTS at (65RAF Sqn)Cranwell. and Rodney Wilkinson (266 Sqn). On 12 Group operations, Tim Vigors (222 Sqn) appears to have been the outstanding Cranwellian ‘ace’ with five successes during the Battle of Britain. Page 13 of 26 Arguably a better known Cranwellian in 12 Group was Sir Douglas Bader who, as OC 242 Sqn, famously advocated the ‘Big Wing’ Ops concept despite fierce opposition from 11 Gp who, being closer to the enemy lines, could not assemble a comparable ‘Big Wing’ in time to repel the oncoming Luftwaffe forces; they opted for finger four formations attacking the enemy aircraft in pairs, a mode d’emploi which was to become SOP in ‘Rodeo’ fighter sweeps over France after the Battle of Britain had been won. Bader was attributed four successes (1½ x Do 17, 1 x Bf109, 1 x Bf110) in the Battle of Britain. It is postulated that he was shot down - some believe blue-on-blue - in 1941, captured by the Germans and enjoyed the hospitality of Colditz Castle till the end of the war. Having been posted from 1 Sqn to 242 Sqn on 21 September, Michael Homer was shot down and killed on 27 September when his Hurricane aircraft P2967 crashed into a wood near Sittingbourne. Page 14 of 26 After a general break Lister, in X4427, found himself alone and being circled by some nine Me109's. He was eventually hit by a cannon shell in the bottom of the cockpit and wounded in both legs. He went into a spin, managed to get back to Biggin Hill, but had only one flap working, causing him to go out of control into a skidding diving turn which fortunately took the Spitfire into a valley below the level of the airfield. Lister regained control, made a landing without flaps and stopped ten yards short of a wood at the far end.