79 squadron battle of france

Markyboy · Nov 16, 2019

Largely limiting my ww2 knowledge to memoirs, can anybody shed light on the nameless CO of 79 squadron who suffered gut (guts?) trouble for the 10 days they were in France before a miraculous recovery to claim a hurricane to get back to England? This is based on Dimsie Stones no holds barred memoir which also slates a wing commander who ordered them to strafe tanks with .303 ammunition. I know we have some 1940 walking encyclopaedias on this forum, so any info is welcome.

Orwell1984 · Nov 16, 2019

From Squadron Leaders
Two COs in May.

No. 79 'Madras Presidency' (F) Squadron - The same thing for this squadron. Squadron Leader R. V. Alexander followed by Squadron Leader J. D. C. Joslin
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Joslin was later killed July 7 1940 in a friendly fire incident, still leading 79 Squadron.
J. D. C. Joslin - Aircrew Details - Aviation Directory

Some more info here:
Battle of Britain London Monument - F/O T C PARKER

79 Squadron immediately began patrols over the BEF as it advanced into Belgium but without encountering any enemy aircraft. S/Ldr. Alexander had reported sick on arrival at Merville, so the Squadron was led in the air by the two flight commanders. Early on 11th May 79 Squadron began patrols at flight strength, in the course of which both F/Lt. R Edwards, 'A' Flight commander, and P/O LL Appleton were shot down by unseen aircraft but later returned.
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The following day was uneventful, but on 14th May a section of three Hurricanes led by P/O Appleton intercepted three Ju88’s. P/O DWA Stones and Sgt. H Cartwright shared in the destruction of one and then Cartwright shot down another but Appleton failed to return. Elsewhere, F/O Davies shot down a Hs126 and a Me110, both confirmed, while Sgt. Whitby claimed the unconfirmed destruction of a Do17. P/O JER Wood was shot down but returned later, while F/Lt. R Roberts, commanding 'B' Flight, was wounded. With both flight commanders out of action, 79 Squadron was now led in the air by the senior section leaders.
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During 18th May F/O Davies destroyed a Do17, while on a lone sortie in the evening P/O Stones shot down one Me110 and damaged another then had to force-land his Hurricane, which had been hit, and returned to base by road. On 19th May P/O Stones shot down an Hs126 over Tournai. The 601 Squadron detachment returned to England but that evening 85 Squadron and 87 Squadron arrived at Merville with their remaining Hurricanes. On the following morning Parker, P/O Dorrien-Smith (a nephew of Lord Trenchard, the first Chief of the Air Staff) and Sgt. Whitby were sent individually to attack a German column of tanks and troops approaching Arras. Parker's Hurricane was hit and he forced-landed, unhurt, on Vimy Ridge. Having set fire to his aircraft, Parker made his way to Arras where he gave the Scots Guards their first warning that the enemy was close by. Parker returned to the Squadron by road a few hours later, where he learned that Dorrien-Smith had not come back. Further attacks had been made on the enemy column, and Parker found there was much anger among the other pilots at the futility of such operations.
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S/Ldr. Alexander had now recovered sufficiently to lead the seven remaining Hurricanes of 79 Squadron back to England. Initially they landed at Northolt, to the west of London, but after a short wait they returned to Biggin Hill. The Squadron was then sent on forty-eight hours leave, and Parker set off to spend it with his parents in Bromley. That evening however he crashed his father's car and, in order to get away from his father's wrath, rang his friend P/O Stones who was spending his leave at his parents' home at Ipswich in Suffolk. Having arranged to spend the rest of his leave with Stones, Parker travelled up by train. That night they went on a pub-crawl, returned late and shot out the bedroom light with their revolvers before going to sleep. The next morning they caught the first train back to Biggin Hill, leaving two more irate parents.
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S/Ldr. Alexander had now been posted away from 79 Squadron, and in the absence of a replacement F/O GDL Haysom took temporary command, as well as leading 'B' Flight, while F/O Davies now led 'A' Flight. Late in the morning of 25th May Hurricanes of 79, 17 and 605 Squadrons - a total of twenty-one - operated as a composite unit to cover Blenheims attacking Calais. The Hurricanes then turned to patrol Courtrai-Hazebrouck-Dunkirk. Although the other two squadrons became engaged against some enemy aircraft, the pilots of 79 Squadron saw no action
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79 Squadron began to receive fresh pilots and aircraft, and was virtually non-operational while it trained under the leadership of a new commanding officer, S/Ldr. JDC Joslin. Davies and Haysom were confirmed in their appointments as 'A' and 'B' Flight commanders respectively and promoted to Flight Lieutenant. 111 Squadron left Digby on 30th May, being replaced by the Hurricanes of 56 Squadron. On 4th June P/O Stones was awarded the DFC and Sgt. Cartwright the DFM, the first decorations for 79 Squadron since the outbreak of war. That night there was a party in the Mess and on the following day 79 Squadron returned to Biggin Hill.
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Markyboy · Nov 16, 2019

Perfect thanks. Alexander it is then. Stones speaks highly of Joslin. I wonder if he’s in one of the pics labelled as A N Other, as other group shots say ‘unknown’ where appropriate.

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