So it Began.....Their Finest Hour

Sergeant ERIC DEBNAM BAKER

740057, 145 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
who died age 28
on 08 August 1940
Son of Gerald Debnam Baker and Edith Anne Baker, of Wimborne, Dorsetshire; husband of Evelyn Baker.
Remembered with honour
RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

Sgt E.D.Baker of No 145 Squadron was on patrol in his Hurricane I (P2957) on the 8th of August 1940. He was believed to have been shot down by F.W. Müller of I Gruppe of JG 27 off the Isle of White at 09:15hrs. Sgt E.D.Baker was posted M.I.A., aged 28.

 

64 Sqd, Kenley
Spitfire L1039.
Caught fire during combat with Me 109s of JG51 north of Dover 12.05pm. Crashed and burned out near West Langdon. P/O P.F. Kennard-Davis baled out seriously wounded but died two days later in Royal Victoria Hospital, Dover. Aircraft a write off.

Aircraft lost/damaged (repairable):

2 Blenheim
19 Hurricanes
11 Spitfires

28 in Combat - 4 in Accidents/Unknown

4/StG77
Ju 87B (5600). Shot down by P/O Parrott 145 Sqd during operations over the Channel. Forced landed at St Lawrence, Isle of Wight 5.40pm. Uffz Pittroff captured. Uffz Schubert killed. Aircraft S2+LM a write off.

18 Me 109
2 He 111
2 Ju 88
8 Me 110
19 Ju 87

Note: An escalation in combat in the first day of high combat losses.

 

Battle of Britain London Monument - P/O P F KENNARD-DAVIS

Peter Frank Kennard-Davis joined the Royal Navy at the age of 16 but then went into the RAF on a short service commission in May 1939.
Kennard-Davis was posted to 7 OTU, Hawarden in July 1940 and, after converting to Spitfires, he joined 64 Squadron at Kenley on August 3rd. Five days later his aircraft caught fire during combat with Me109’s over Dover and Kennard-Davis baled out, seriously wounded.
He was admitted to Royal Victoria Hospital and died there on August 10th.
His Spitfire, L1039, crashed and burned out near West Langdon.
Kennard-Davis was 19. He is buried in Brookwood Cemetery.

 

9th August 1940

No.500 Sqn Anson crashed into the North Sea off Katwijk while engaged on Hookos Patrol (Hook of Holland to Ostende)
P/O H G R Pirie,
P/O J B S Brockway, PoW
Sgt S R Croft, PoW
Sgt M A Prentice,

No.321 Sqn Anson became lost while carrying out local flying practice and forcelanded at the east end of Pendine Sands, Dyfed. As Sgt Bielfeldt RNNAS was landing he hit one of the anti-invasion beach obstructions and crashed into the sea. He safely reached shore and the Anson was later recovered to become 2398M.

No.321 Sqn was formed from Dutch Naval airmen who had made their way to Britain and was now working up to provide convoy protection for the Bristol Channel and SW Approaches.

Summary of Cat E Coastal Losses for the day.
1 on Ops and 1 on Non Op.

Ross

 

605 Sqd, Drem
Hurricane L2103.
Developed glycol leak during section patrol off the east coast and crashed into the sea one mile off Dunbar, East Lothian 4.45pm. Sgt R.D. Ritchie presumed overcome by fumes and neck broken in crash. Picked up by the Eunmara. Aircraft lost.

Aircraft lost/damaged (repairable):

4 Spitfires
2 Hurricanes
1 Blenheim

3 in Combat - 4 in Accidents/MF/Friendly Fire

I/JG53
Me 109E-1. Emergency forced landing at Guernsey following engine failure during operational sortie. Collided with flak emplacement killing three men and injuring two others. Pilot severely injured. Aircraft a write off.

Aircraft lost/damaged (repairable):

1 Do 17
4 Ju 88
1 Me 109
1 Me 110
1 Ar 66
2 He 111

 

10th August 1940

No Coastal Command Cat E losses recorded in the UK.

Ross

 

No Fatal Fighter Command Losses

Aircraft lost/damaged (repairable):

2 Blenheims
1 Spitfire

0 in Combat - 3 in Accidents/MF

5/JG2
Me 109E-4. Hit an obstruction shortly after take off from Beaumont Le Roger on local flight. Uffz Graf Stollberg killed. Aircraft a write off.

Aircraft lost/damaged (repairable):

1 Hs 126
4 Ju 88
3 Me 109
1 He 111

 

11th Aug 1940

No.217 Sqn Anson on Patrol SA.12 presumed lost after enemy attack. All 4 crew killed.
P/O A Gordon-Peiniger
P/O R M Coulman
Sgt E K Mellody
Sgt E Hopperton

No.53 Sqn Blenheim missing off coast of France on Patrol Dundee 2.
P/O P J Coleson - Evaded
Sgt I Inskip
P/O G M Bardolph - died later from wounds

Summary of Coastal Command Cat E losses for day:
2 Op losses.

Ross

 

August 11th Sunday
1 Sqd, Northolt
Hurricane P3172.
Damaged in combat with Me 110s and crashed and burned out on Sandown golf course in attempted forced landing 11.20am. P/O J.A.J. Davey killed. Aircraft a write off.

Aircraft lost/damaged (repairable):

35 Hurricanes
10 Spitfires

38 in Combat - 7 in Accidents/MF/Unknown/Collisions/Friendly Fire

Stab I/ZG2
Me 110C (3078). Shot down over Portland during combat with enemy fighters. Crashed in the sea. Major Ott (Gruppe Kommandeur) and Fw Zimehl both killed. Aircraft lost.

Aircraft lost/damaged (repairable):

2 He 59
8 Ju 88
17 Me 110
17 Me 109
8 Do 17
6 Ju 88
2 Ju 87

The biggest day of losses so far.

August 12th Monday
145 Sqd, Westhampnett
Hurricane R4180.
Missing following combat with Ju 88s and Me 110s south of the Isle of Wight 12.30pm. P/O J.H. Harrison missing. Aircraft lost.

Aircraft lost/damaged (repairable):

23 Hurricanes
1 Whirlwind
1 Blenheim
17 Spitfires

34 in Combat - 8 in Accidents/MF/Ground Attack

8/KG51
Ju 88A-1. Failed to return from operational sortie over southern England. Oberfw Kessel, Fw Gundlach and Fw Velten killed. Oblt Noelker missing. Aircraft a write off.

Aircraft lost/damaged (repairable):

1 He 115
13 Me 110
17 Me 109
4 He 111
15 Ju 88
2 Ju 87

 

12th August 1940

No.53 Sqn Blenheim lost on night Op Search 54. Crew safe.
Made landfall on the return over the west coast of Kent. From Manston F/O Jameson set course for Detling but failed to locate the aerodrome. The crew received no bearings from Detling but they did receive another QDM from Manston from which the Blenheim again set course for Detling, but again failed to locate the airfield. The crew baled out at 01:45 hrs on the 13th at 7,000 ft, F/O Jameson then baled out at 9,000 ft leaving the aircraft to crash and burn at Conghurst, Hawkhurst, Kent.


Summary of Coastal Command Cat E losses for day:
1 loss Ops.

Ross

 

According to John Frayn Turner, in his book, The battle of Britain, 12th August was destined to be known as "Anti-Radar Day" with the German's trying to neutralise the early warning stations.

Roderick Learoyd was subsequently awarded the VC for his piloting of a Damaged Hampden bomber following his attack on the Dortmund-Ems Canal.

Regards
Tom

 

A Luftwaffe casualty from the 12th August.

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/war-cemeteries-war-memorial-research/27362-hawkinge-cemetery-kent-battle-britain-casualties.html#post303077

 

13th August 1940

Air Raid on RAF Detling.

No.53 Sqn has 4 Blenheim aircraft destroyed on the ground.

The air raid struck as the bulk of station airmen were at evening meals. All the hangars being destroyed with three messes demolished and the operations block suffered a direct hit. Runways and taxyways were cratered.

The station commander, G/C Edward Davis and nine Service and Civilian personnel were killed. 40 injured.

Essential operations and communications were restored by noon on the 14th after commendable efforts.

Summary of Coastal Command Cat E losses for day.
4 non Op

Published ground casualty reports are confused as they include those killed and injured at nearby Eastchurch. With so many injured, numerous surrounding hospitals took the casualties as did surrounding mortuaries for the dead.

Ross

 

87 Sqd, Exeter
Hurricane P3387.
Hit by return fire from Ju 88 engaged south of Selsey Bill 8.00am crashed in sea. F/O R.L. Glyde missing. Aircraft lost.
See Also: http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/all-anniversaries/22664-memoriam-those-air-force-pilots-crews-who-died-day-ww2-26.html#post422703

Aircraft lost/damaged (repairable):

24 Hurricanes
8 Spifires

28 in Combat - 4 in Accidents/MF/Bombing/Unknown

3/ZG26
Me 110C. Shot down by F/O Weaver 56 Sqd in combat over the Thames Estuary. Crashed at Warden Bay, Sheppey 4.05pm. Oblt Fuchs and Uffz Ebben both killed. Aircraft a write off.

Aircraft lost/damaged (repairable):

4 He 111
1 Ju 52
13 Do 17
14 Me 109
21 Ju 88
25 Me 110
8 Ju 87

 

14th August 1940

After a few days of respite the losses for No.206 Squadron resume

No.206 Sqn Hudson crashes just after take off at 03:15 hrs on Patrol SA.4. One survivor.

P/O H G Ballantyne
P/O J O L Stephenson
Sgt J Steel
Sgt E Fitzgerald

Summary of Coastal Command Cat E losses for day:
1 on Ops

Ross

 

609 Sqd, Warmwell
Spitfire N3024.
Missing following sporadic independent actions of the south coast 5.30pm. F/O H. McD. Goodwin killed. Aircraft lost.

Aircraft lost/damaged (repairable):

4 Blenheims
10 Hurricanes
7 Spitfires

17 in Combat - 4 in Accidents/Bombing

2/Erprobungs Gruppe 210
Me 110D. Collided with another aircraft from Erp.Gr. 210 crippled by flak and crashed at Manston 12.10pm. Uffz Steding killed, Gefr Schank baled out wounded and captured. Aircraft S9+MK a write off.

Aircraft lost/damaged (repairable):

3 Me 110
8 Me 109
12 He 111
3 Ju 88
2 Ju 87

 

Flying Officer HENRY MACDONALD GOODWIN

90269, 609 Sqdn., Royal Air Force (Auxiliary Air Force)
who died age 25
on 14 August 1940
Son of Laughton and Jessie Goodwin, of Hagley.
Remembered with honour
CHADDESLEY CORBETT (ST. CASSIAN) CHURCHYARD

 

15th August 1940

PRU Spitfire listed as damaged then SOC on 26/08/40.

Accident details not traced but possibly associated with unit loss listed on 16th Aug 1940.

Summary for Coastal Command Cat E for day
1 non Op?

Ross

 

Flying Officer CHRISTOPHER JOHN DRAKE ANDREAE

70018, 64 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
who died age 23
on 15 August 1940
Son of Frank George and Georgiana Andreae, of Paddington, London.
Remembered with honour
RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

F/O C.J.D.Andreae of No 64 Squadron was shot down and killed in his Spitfire I (R6990) on the 15th of August 1940 by a Bf 109 at 15:20hrs.
A-pilots

 

Pilot Officer MAURICE SIMON HENRI CHARLES BUCHIN

81626, 213 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
who died
on 15 August 1940

Remembered with honour
RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

P/O Maurice S.H.C.Buchin a Belgian was posted to No 213 Squadron on the 25th of July 1940. Maurice Buchin and P.J.Philipart were on patrol over Portland on the 11th of August 1940 and each of them shot down a Junkers Ju 88. Maurice Buchin was the first Belgian to be killed in the Battle of Britain when his Hurricane I (V7227) was shot down over Portland on the 15th of August 1940 at 17:45hrs.
Br-pilots