The Battle of Britain
Page 84
Andrew Jackson, a navigator in Bomber Command. He and his crew were among the first sent to bomb Berlin in August.
Jan Zumbach (left). His was a long journey from Poland to Britain, but when he and his fellow Poles finally joined the great air battle, they very quickly proved both their courage and skill as fighter pilots.
HMT Darthema, a pre-war trawler given a few guns and converted as a mine-sweeper. She was one of the many civilian vessels that made up the Royal Navy Patrol Service, better known as Harry Tate’s Navy.
One of her crew, Joe Steele. A pre-war member of the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve, Joe joined Darthema as a signalman, operating in the Channel throughout the Battle of Britain.
Some of the Few. Allan Wright (above, standing) and Tony Bartley (right) of 92 Squadron, veterans of Dunkirk who later found themselves in the thick of the battle when they were posted to Biggin Hill in early September. Jimmy Corbin (below) joined 66 Squadron in 11 Group straight from training in August, but was quickly sent north to a quieter sector to gain crucial flying hours and experience.
Keith Park, a brilliant fighter commander who was both tactically and operationally astute, and who led 11 Group with consummate skill and in perfect tandem with his C-in-C, Air Chief Marshal Dowding.
Middle Wallop. Men of 609 Squadron watch a flight of Spitfires take to the sky.
A reconnaissance photo of invasion barges at Dunkirk. Despite the RAF’s best efforts, Germany had enough barges along the continental coast by mid-September to meet their invasion plans, but not all in the right place.
Men of Erpro 210, the ‘experimental unit’ of mostly Me 110 Zerstörers. All were highly skilled pilots, specializing in precision bombing. They suffered a heavy toll, however, as this photograph of the 1st Staffel shows: the men with crosses above their heads were all lost in the Battle.
A German sentry stands guard beside one of the heavy guns ranged across the Channel. On clear days, with the White Cliffs in easy site, Britain must have seemed tantalizingly close.
Peter Stahl at the controls of his Ju 88. Like most bomber pilots and crews, Peter was expected to fly over Britain day after day, and later, night after night.
Pilots of 32 Squadron at dispersal. Laughing in the centre is Pete Brothers, with one of their Hurricanes standing behind them. Like all the Squadron’s pre-war regulars, Pete survived the Battle. Experience, properly managed, was the key to survival.
The capitals under attack, just as the pre-war doomsayers feared – although it was not Armageddon yet. In London, Cecil Beaton took a number of photographs of the bomb damage including this one of St Paul’s (left) and a wax head (above right), he saw among the remains of a bombed-out hairdressing salon in Albermarle Street. Berliners experienced raids before Londoners, however, and here (below) workers start clearing away some of the damage.
The crew of U-48. The summer of 1940 was known as the ‘Happy Time’ by the U-boat crews, who carried out a slaughter of Allied Atlantic shipping. Had they had a hundred, or even fifty ocean-going submarines, as Dönitz had demanded, rather than a maximum of fourteen, the U-boats really might have brought Britain to her knees.
Prien’s U-47, with her snorting bull logo on the conning tower, leaves for another mission.
The Dundas brothers – John on the left, and Hughie, or ‘Cocky’ as he was known in the RAF, on the right.
Index
1 Squadron (i), (ii), (iii) and Portland attack (iii)
1 Squadron RCAF, attacks Göring’s armada (i)
2 Squadron (i)
10 Squadron, Whitley Mk Vs (i)
12 Squadron Fairey Battles (i)
18 Squadron Blenheims (i), (ii), (iii)
night bombing (i)
to Crécy (i)
to Watton (i)
32 Squadron (i), (ii)
and Erpro 210 (i)
and III/JG (i)
at Biggin Hill (i)
Channel patrols (i)
to Acklington (i)
41 Squadron, and 15 September raid (i)
43 Squadron, and III/JG 27 (i)
46 Squadron, and 15 September raid (i)
54 Squadron
and (i)/JG (ii)
and coastal convoy CW8 (i)
and JG (i)
57 Squadron Hurricanes (i)
64 Squadron, and coastal convoy CW8 (i)
66 Squadron, and 15 September raid (i)
71 Wing, Wellingtons to Marseilles (i)
72 Squadron, and 15 September raid (i), (ii)
74 Squadron Spitfires
attack KG 2 (i)
at Pas de Calais (i)
79 Squadron, Hurricanes (i)
87 Squadron (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)
and night fighting (i)
and Portland attack (i)
and pubs (i)
at Church Fenton (i)
dog fight near Lyme Regis (i)
downs a Ju 88 (i)
92 Squadron, (i)
and 15 September raid (i), (ii), (iii)
and Dunkirk (i)
and night fighting (i)
and pubs (i)
at Biggin Hill (i)
at Duxford (i)
at Pas de Calais (i)
at Pembrey (i)
101 Squadron Blenheims, high-level raids (i)
111 Squadron Hurricanes and Erpro (i) (ii)
attack KG 2 (i)
115 Squadron, Wellingtons (i)
145 Squadron, and Portland attack (i)
152 Squadron, at Warmwell (i)
238 Squadron, and 15 September raid (i)
249 squadron
and 15 September raid (i), (ii), (iii)
and Gosport attack (i)
at Boscombe Down (i)
at North Weald (i)
at Leconfield (i)
attacks Göring’s armada (i), (ii)
253 Squadron, and 15 September raid (i)
257 Squadron (i), (ii)
and 15 September raid (i), (ii)
303 Kociuszko Squadron (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v)
and 15 September raid (i)
attacks Göring’s armada (i)
310 Czech Squadron, and 15 September raid (i)
501 Squadron, and 15 September raid (i)
504 Squadron (i)
and 15 September raid (i)
601 Squadron, and III/JG 27 (i)
603 Squadron, and 15 September raid (i)
609 Squadron (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi)
American volunteers (i)
and 15 September raid (i), (ii)
and Dunkirk (i), (ii)
and Middle Wallop attacks (i), (ii)
and night fighting (i)
and Portland attack (i)
at Middle Wallop (i), (ii)
at Northolt (i)
attacks Stuka 1 (i)
610 Squadron (i)
and (i)/JG 52 (ii)
and III/JG 52 (i)
616 Squadron
and Dunkirk (i), (ii), (iii)
and Luftflotte 5 (i)
at Leconfield (i)
convoy patrols (i)
joins Duxford Wing (i)
losses (i)
to Kenley (i)
AA Command, Dowding and (i)
Aachen, Shirer on (i)
Abbeville, Panzer Corps Guderian reaches (i)
Abrial, Admiral Jean–Marie Charles
and Dunkirk defence (i)
unrealistic orders (i), (ii)
Adam, General Ronald, at Dunkirk (i)
Adlerangriff massed bombing attack (i)
Adlertag 13 August (i)
Admiralty
and evacuation fighter cover (i)
requisitions small craft (i)
see also Royal Navy
Admiralty Research Laboratory, and coastal defence radar (i)
Advanced Air Striking Force (AASF)[UK] (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii)
aerial battles, public and (i), (ii)
air raids, practice for (i)
Air Intelligence (i
)
Dowding and (i)
estimates Luftwaffe strength (i)
Air Ministry
and Beaverbrook (i)
and Bomber Command (i)
procurement
Specification F10/35 (i)
Specification F7/30 (i)
Supply Committee, stockpiling materials (i)
Air Raid Warning System, Dowding and (i)
Air War Academy (i)
air-sea rescue provision lacking (i)
air-training schools, Luftwaffe (i)
airborne radar, Dowding and (i)
aircraft industry attacks, Göring on (i)
aircraft production
British overtaking German (i), (ii)
increases (i), (ii)
shortage (i), (ii), (iii)
Beaverbrook Minister for (i), (ii)
repair/salvage (i)
airfield repairs (i)
Alanbrooke, Viscount see Brooke, Lt-Gen Alan Francis
Albert canal, bridges (i)
Alexander, Major-General
and evacuation (i), (ii)
succeeds Gort (i), (ii)
Allen, Lieutenant-Colonel (i)
allied shipping, U-boats and (i)
Alster, HMS Icarus and (i)
Altmayer, Général Robert (i)
America see United States
Americans
reporters in Europe (i)
visit Dover (i)
volunteers, RAF (i), (ii)
Amerika [Hitler’s train] (i), (ii), (iii)
Amery, Leo (i), (ii)
anti-aircraft artillery, Dowding and (i)
AA Command (i)
convoy protection (i)
anti-aircraft guns, German, at Sedan (i)
Appleby, Michael (i), (ii), (iii)
Arandora Star, U-47 sinks (i)
Ardennes
Canal bridge capture (i)
forest, tanks and (i)
Guderian and (i)
tank offensive (i), (ii)
Arkforce, escape via Le Havre (i)
Armée de l’Air see French air force
armour plating, bombers (i)
Arras, German offensive on (i)
Ashmore, Major-General, and Observer Corps (i)
Asia [Göring’s train] (i), (ii), (iii)
Asquith, Beaverbrook and (i)
Astor, Margot (i)
Atlantic, German ships and (i)
Attlee, Clement (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)
Australia, declares war on Germany (i)
Auxiliary Air Force (i)
Auxiliary Fire Service (i)
Axis coalition, Ribbentrop and (i)
Bader, Douglas (i), (ii)
and 15 September raid (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)
and Leigh-Mallory (i)
Dundas on (i)
Baillon, Plt Off (i)
Baker, Josephine (i)
Balck, Oberstleutnant (i)
Baldwin, Stanley, on unstoppable bombers (i)
Balloon Command, Dowding and (i)
Balmoralwood (i)
U-47 sinks (i)
Barker, General Evelyn (i)
Barlow, Robert (i)
barrage balloons
Balloon Command (i)
mobile, convoy protection (i)
Barran, Pip (i), (ii)
Bartels, Werner (i)
Bartley, Tony (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii)
and 15 September raid (i)
collapse (i)
lucky escape (i)
on night fighting (i)
Barton, ‘Butch’ (i)
Bastianini, Giuseppe, Halifax and (i), (ii)
‘Battle of the Barges’ (i)
Bavarian Aircraft Company see Messerschmitt
Bawdsey RDF station (i), (ii)
beaches mined (i)
Beamont, Roland ‘Bee’ (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii)
dog fight near Lyme Regis (i)
Hurricane action at Louvain (i)
on sleeping (i)
sent to Hendon (i)
Beard, Sgt (i)
Beaton, Cecil (i), (ii), (iii)
photographing bomb damage (i), (ii), (iii)
Beaufighter, for night fighting (i)
Beauman Division, BEF remnants (i), (ii)
Beaverbrook, Max Aitken, Baron (i)
and Dowding (i)
and Spitfire campaigns (i)
and US destroyers sale (i)
Minister for Aircraft Production (i), (ii), (iii)
BEF see British Expeditionary Force
Begg, ERA Andrew (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii)
Belgium
air force, 10 May losses (i)
army (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)
surrender (i), (ii), (iii)
Belgian RAFVR pilots (i)
Benson, John, and (i)th Minesweeping Flotilla (ii)
Bentley Priory
Adlertag plots (i)
Elmhirst at (i)
Fighter Command HQ (i)
benzedrine, pilots and (i)
Bergen aan Zee, German attack on (i)
Berlin
bombed (i), (ii)
civilian (i)
Tempelhof raids (i), (ii)
Berliners and bombing (i)
Bés, Sergent-chef (i)
Bethke, Oberleutnant
Siegfried (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x), (xi), (xii), (xiii), (xiv), (xv), (xvi)
and 609 Squadron (i)
and London bombing raid (i), (ii)
and Portland attack (i)
on aircraft shortage (i)
on Dunkirk from air (i)
on invasion prospects (i)
on loss reporting (i)
on RAF pilots (i)
Beware the Hun in the Sun (i)
Bf (i)s (ii)
Bickworth, Flt Lt Richard (i)
big wing concept ineffective (i), (ii)
Biggin Hill (i), (ii)
32 Squadron (i), (ii)
attacked (i), (ii)
Observer Corps (i)
Billotte, Général Gaston (i), (ii)
and proposed counterattack (i)
Blair, Captain Malcolm (i)
Blairangus (i)
Blanchard, Général (i)
and proposed counterattack (i)
declines evacuation (i)
elusive (i)
Gort plans withdrawal with (i)
vetos French Dunkirk fallback (i)
Blandy, Captain Lyster (i)
Bleichrodt, Kapitänleutnant Heinrich (i)
Blenheim bombers (i), (ii)
at Nieuport (i), (ii)
at Sedan (i), (ii)
attack (i)th Panzer Division (ii)
attack Cherbourg (i)
BEF Air Component (i)
coastal targets (i)
production priority (i)
Bletchley Park GCSC (i)
Blind Approach Development Unit (i)
blockade, total (i)
Blount, AVM C.H.B., visit to Lille-Marcq (i)
Blumentritt, General Günther (i)
Bob, Hans-Ekkehard (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi)
and inaction (i)
glides home (i)
on aircraft shortage (i)
on battle outcome (i)
on drinking (i)
Bock, Generaloberst Fedor von (i), (ii), (iii)
Bolshevism, Hitler and (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)
bomb-aiming aids, Luftwaffe (i), (ii)
bomber crews, and drinking (i)
bomber force, Luftwaffe (i)
Bomber Command
Air Ministry and (i)
and ‘Battle of the Barges’ (i)
and Dunkirk (i)
and Italy (i)
at Sedan (i)
attacks German airfields (i), (ii), (iii)
crucial role (i)
losses (i)
night-bombing offensive (i)
reports invasion preparations (i), (ii)
&nbs
p; weather problems, (i)
see also squadrons by number
Border Regiment, (i)st
at Bray Dunes (i), (ii)
lack of equipment (i)
near Lille (i)
Borrow, George, ‘Prayer for England at Gibraltar’ (i)
Boulogne (i), (ii)
Bowring, Captain Kit (i)
Bracken, Brendon (i)
Brauchitsch, Major Bernd von (i)
Brauchitsch, General Walter von (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)
and Canal Line consolidation (i)
and halt order (i)
and invasion plans (i), (ii), (iii)
on lost time (i)
Bray Dunes
1st Border Regiment at (i), (ii)
250th Field Company make pier (i)
crowds at (i)
Fraser at (i)
Breda Variant (Gamelin) (i)
Bremen, attack on oil storage depot (i)
Brest, evacuations from (i)
Breton Redoubt, Churchill argues for (i), (ii)
British Corporal, attacked by S-Boat (i)
British Expeditionary Force (i), (ii)
1st Armoured Division (i), (ii)
3rd Division (i), (ii)
4th Division (i)
4th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)
at Bray Dunes (i)
escape from Bray Dunes (i), (ii)
make for Dunkirk (i), (ii)
5th Division (i), (ii)
30th Brigade, defends Calais (i), (ii)
42nd Division (i), (ii)
50th Division (i), (ii), (iii)
51st Highland Division (i), (ii)
52nd Division, to new BEF (i)
Air Component (i), (ii), (iii)
Arras counterattack (i)
Beauman Division (i), (ii)
communications issues (i)
dug in at canal line (i), (ii)
equipment abandoned (i)
evacuation see Dunkirk evacuation; Operation Dynamo
fall back to ‘E’ Line (i)
non-fighting troops evacuation (i), (ii)
regrouping to fall back (i)
reconstituted (i), (ii)
trapped near coast (i), (ii)
Britsum, hit by Stuka (i)
Bröcker, Gefreiter (i)
Brooke, Lt-Gen Alan Francis (i), (ii), (iii)
and II Corps (i)
and BEF withdrawal from France (i)
on Churchill (i)
orders troops to battle stations (i)
replaces Ironside (i)
return to France (i)
Broompark (i)