© Philip Harvey; no reproduction without permission, please
1500 hours: Twelve a/c ordered to patrol Maidstone. SL Hood reported Missing. FL Webster killed in action. FO Wallens injured in leg and admitted to hospital. FO Lovell baled out near Benfleet, uninjured. Enemy casualties on this day were:- 3 Me109 destroyed and 1 He113 destroyed. Probables 3 Me109. Damaged 2 Do17.
PO Bennions - R6884, Yellow 1
Circled around RAF pilot descending by parachute North of
Southend. Claimed 1 Ju88 probable, 1 Ju88 damaged
FO Boyle - R6697
PO Cory -
X4021(?), Yellow 2
Slightly wounded
Sgt Ford - R6756,
Yellow 3
Claimed 1 Me109 damaged
SL Hood - P9428,
Blue 1, EB-R
Missing. Believed to have attempted to bale out of damaged
aircraft - possibly as a result of AA fire or collision with wreckage of FL
Websters aircraft - and became entangled with aircraft.
Majority of Spitfire fell in deep thicket at Stevensons Farm, Nevendon,
with engine landing in open fields adjacent Great Wasketts Farm [Parts recovered at time in authors
collection]. Torso of pilot fell with partially opened parachute beside arterial road
in Nevendon. Body recorded as
'unidentified' and taken to mortuary at St Andrews hospital, Billericay.
Sgt Howitt - N3118
PO Lock - N3162,
Red 2
Wounded in left leg. Claimed
2 He111 and one Me109 which exploded in mid-air.
PO Lovell - R6885,
Blue 3(?)
Crashed in Kimberley Road, South Benfleet, between High
Road and South View Road. Machine
burnt out. Pilot baled out,
uninjured, landing at Wickford Road, Rayleigh or on Pitsea Marshes.
PO Morrogh-Ryan - R6635(?), Red 3, EB-A
Claimed 1 Me109 down in flames into the sea near Margate.
FL Ryder - R6887,
Red 1
'A' Flight acting as rear guard to 'B' Flight, who were
leading. Attacked Me109 on tail of
Blue 3, followed it down to 8000 ft where, after smoking heavily, it exploded.
PO Wallens - X4021,
Blue 2, EB-P
Evaded rear attack by Me109's and attacked two Me109's
near Margate, sending one into the sea. Hit
by cannon fire from Me109 from behind. Crash
landed in field near Stifford Clays Farm, Orsett. Wounded in leg and taken by car belonging to local to Orsett Hospital.
FL Webster - R6635,
Green 1
Aircraft believed to have disintegrated over Wickford following a collision with Hurricane of FL Lovett of 73 Squadron. Body recovered and identified from papers and identity card. Remains taken to mortuary at St Andrews Hospital, Billericay. Wing, marked 'K', fell on bungalow in Lower Park Road. Seat recovered in field adjacent Broomfields Farm. Maewest and engine found in field near Newlands Farm. Part of fuselage and wing fell at Tye Corner on Cranfield Park Road. Tail section found by Mr R Wilson in field adjacent arterial road, who removed stub aerial and rudder mass balance weight. Blood-stained parachute pack marked 'Webster' discovered by Mr Wilson 30/9/40 in bushes near footpath and handed to Wickford police.
Intelligence
Report
41 Squadron took off 12 a/c 1459 hours, landed 8 a/c 1530
- 1545 hours.
Ordered to patrol base 15,000. Patrolled Thameshaven Gravesend - enemy formation sighted to port over
Rochford flying straight towards Squadron from the East.
The formation consisted of about 30 Ju88 in very close vics with He111 in
the leading section. They were
escorted by Me109. Squadron Leader
ordered line astern and then ordered Blue and Green to echelon port for head-on
attack on bombers. Red and Yellow to
act as rear protection. Blue and
Green commenced attack but appeared to break away to port and downwards as enemy
formation had turned North about. Blue
and Green were then attacked by fighters and general dogfight ensued.
Blue and Green a/c covered by Red and Yellow continued to attack the
bomber formation.
One Me109 had Me109E on plate. One Me109 was silver colour.
|
Casualties: |
FL Webster killed |
|
SL Hood missing |
|
|
FO Lovell baled out but is safe |
|
|
Wounded: |
PO Cory |
|
PO Lock |
|
|
PO Wallens (Baled out) |
|
|
4 A/C Cat 3 |
|
|
Enemy Casualties: |
Two He111 destroyed |
|
Four Me109 destroyed |
|
|
One Ju88 probable |
|
|
One Ju88 damaged |
|
|
One Me109 damaged |
Form F
Combat Report - PO Lock
I was Red 2, 41 Squadron, when we intercepted a formation
of enemy aircraft. We attacked the
bombers first. After we engaged we
broke away to port when I saw Red 1 shoot down a Me109 which exploded in
mid-air. It then developed into a
dogfight. I then engaged an enemy
He111 which dived into the river and I followed this down. I climbed back to 8000 ft and saw an enemy He111 which had left the main
formation. I engaged same and set
his starboard engine on fire. I
closed in to about 75 yards and fired short bursts and smoke came from the
fuselage. The E/A then put his
wheels down and started to glide. I
then stopped firing and followed him down. I
was then attacked by a Me109 who fired at me from below and wounded me in the
leg. As he banked away, he stall
turned. I fired at him and he
exploded in mid-air. I then followed
the bomber down, who landed on the sea, about ten miles from the first one, in
the mouth of the river. I circled
round a boat which was at hand. I
also flashed my downward light. I
saw the boat go to the enemy aircraft. I
was then joined by Red 3. On our
return we saw the first bomber, which was still floating. I saw a small rubber boat.
Form F
Combat Report - PO Bennions
Attacked Ju88 and after 2 seconds return fire ceased. Saw Me109 diving down from above and broke to port.
Came in again beneath another Ju88. Wheels
of aircraft lowered and the port engine exploded. Starboard engine smoked heavily. Once
ammunition exhausted circled British pilot descending by parachute North of
Southend.