Sniper of the Skies: The Story of George Frederick 'Screwball' Beurling, DSO, DFC, DFM

by Nick Thomas

  Beurling was involved in a flying accident on 24 June, while sharpening his combat techniques by raising his undercarriage too early during a practice scramble. His Spitfire IIa P8591, skidded along the runway on its belly, but luckily, the gas tank didn’t rupture, otherwise his Spitfire would have been engulfed in flames. Beurling commented on the Spitfire’s resilience to fire, stating that it was less of a fire risk than many fighters:

  ‘You can’t jettison your gas, and leaking glycol is always a fire hazard, but if you’ve cut your switches and picked soft ground, the chances of taking fire in a crash landing are reasonably low.’

  As the weeks passed by, Beurling was a constant visitor to his CO’s office, enquiring after his next posting. According to another pilot attending the Sutton Bridge course, Beurling feared that he might be pigeon-holed as a full-time instructor. Beurling later claimed that in order to avoid this he refused to sit the final exam. This, however, does not appear to tally with Air Ministry sources, which affirm that he passed through his course, and was subsequently posted as an instructor, something which is unlikely to have occurred had he not officially qualified.

  The press were still keen to publish any stories on Beurling but, apart from the odd flying incident, his current posting was largely un-newsworthy.

  Meanwhile, old stories were re-hashed.

  One such example of the fanciful stories that abounded at the time was later referred to by Wing Commander Arthur Donaldson. The account apparently appeared in the Sunday Express in June 1943 and recalled an incident ten months earlier. By then the story had become somewhat embellished.

  Following the announcement of the award of the George Cross to the island by His Majesty King George VI, Arthur Donaldson was ordered to lead three Spitfires on a low-level flypast. One of those selected to take part was George Beurling.

  Donaldson took up the narrative, quoting from the original article:

  ‘They came roaring down the street wing-tip to wing-tip, almost grazing the walls on either side.

  ‘“As the leader, Beurling’s task was difficult, but it was but child’s play compared with that of the senior officers, who were defying death by inches.’

  ‘“Screwball however, decided to give the spectators an additional thrill and, to the amazement of everyone, most of all the Wing Commanders, who were congratulating themselves on the success of the venture, he calmly turned his plane over and flew along the remainder of the street upside down!”’

  Donaldson noted wryly that it was, ‘a good story but not quite true!’

  On 6 July 1943, Beurling was posted to No. 61 OTU, Rednall, Shropshire, as a gunnery instructor. Taking off in his Spitfire IIA (P8010), Beurling experienced an engine failure, and was forced to belly-land on Pandora Sands on the Wash.

  Beurling had been confident in his approach and landed the Spitfire on a sixpence, bending the prop and filling the air intake and gun-ports with mud, but otherwise causing minimal damage:

  ‘You can bring her down on her belly, hanging on the prop until she slackens down to about seventy miles an hour, drag the tail and let her flop [on] soft, ground, she won’t slide more than twenty yards.’

  Unable to persuade another aircraft to land beside his to pick him up, Beurling was totally unphased by the experience and continued on to his new base by car and rail.

  Beurling spent just under two months at Rednall, continuing to pass on his gunnery skills to trainee fighter pilots, and helping with their conversion onto other types, including the P-47.

  He had expressed his desire to transfer into the RCAF while on his War Bonds tour of Canada. Not unnaturally both politicians and senior RCAF staff officers were keen to make what they considered a coup by claiming Beurling as their own.

  And so, on 1 September 1943, Beurling transferred to the RCAF, partly on the understanding that he would be allowed back onto a combat Squadron. A photo-shoot was arranged at the RCAF’s headquarters in London where Air Vice-Marshal W. A. Curtis and Beurling posed for an official photograph. The press reported:

  ‘“Buzz” Beurling Is Sworn In By Canadians

  ‘Ace Flier Says “Only by Transferring Can Get Back Into the Air”

  ‘Why He Makes Change

  ‘After the ceremony Beurling explained why he made the change.

  “Only by transferring can I get back into the air,” he said. The air ace had been protesting vigorously since he was assigned to an instructor’s job in an RAF gunnery school after his return from Canada.

  ‘The oath was administered by Air Vice-Marshal W.A. Curtis, deputy air officer commanding, at RCAF headquarter. The oath was actually taken five times so the RCAF photographic unit could be sure it was recorded properly.’

  Beurling was later reported as having been elated at the move. His friend and journalist, Bruce West, many years later quoted him as saying in his eagerness to get back into combat with the enemy:

  “Boy! I can’t wait to get shooting at those guys! Just let me get lined up on one of them.”

  36. Bishop, it should be noted, was the only recipient of the Victoria Cross, whose award was based solely on an uncorroborated combat report (that of a solo attack on an enemy airfield, which was later put into doubt by the lack of corroborating evidence from the enemy’s perspective, becoming the subject of a controversial docu-drama).

  Chapter Eleven

  No. 403 Squadron RCAF

  On 1 September 1943, Beurling was transferred into the Royal Canadian Air Force (serial No. C.18263), and five days later was posted as gunnery officer to No. 403 Squadron, flying Spitfire Mk IXs out of No. 127 Airfield, Headcorn. This was a tented encampment, served by a temporary mesh airstrip. The Squadron formed a part of No. 17 Wing, which also included No. 421 Squadron, currently flying Ramrod operations. In the air, the Wing was commanded by J.E. ‘Johnnie’ Johnson, Wing Commander (Flying).1

  No. 403 Squadron’s ORB noted:

  ‘F/O Beurling (DSO, DFC, DFM and Bar) reported to our Squadron today for duty. George Beurling, who formerly was with 403 Squadron as a sergeant, completed a magnificent tour of operations in Malta.’

  Beurling arrived at a difficult time for the Squadron, which two days earlier had lost their CO, Squadron Leader F.E. Grant. His replacement, Squadron Leader N.R. Fowlow, had only arrived on the previous day (5 September).

  The Squadron had had a busy day on the 6th with three operations, the third of which was Ramrod S36 (Part III) flown at 1720 hours. The Wing, led by Squadron Leader R.W. McNair, acted as high cover to Mitchells bombing the Abbeville marshalling yards. After escorting the bombers to the coast, the Wing swept to the south of Amiens following the Controller’s vector. A section of No. 421 Squadron was given permission to engage three Fw 190s, Flight Lieutenant R.D. Phillip damaged one with strikes on the starboard wing, firing at 600 yards. Meanwhile, in the Amiens area, No. 403 Squadron’s Yellow Section engaged three Fw 190s, which were flying west at 24,000ft. Yellow 3, Flying Officer Dowding, shot one down in flames. Yellow 4, Flight Lieutenant H.J. Southwood, closed underneath another Fw 190, which he hit with a decisive burst, causing it to explode, before damaging the third.

  Details of No. 403 Squadron’s combats were collated into a general report by the Squadron’s Intelligence Officer, Flight Lieutenant Monty Berger.

  Yellow 3, Flying Officer Dowding, destroyed an Fw 190:

  ‘I saw two Fw 190s pull up and climb into sun. They turned starboard about 200 yards apart. I closed very fast, climbing on the number two enemy aircraft and fired a long burst at 30 degrees angle off, closing from 300 to 100 yards [firing 150 cannon shells and 300 machine gun rounds]. I saw strikes on the cowling and starboard side of fuselage. The Fw 190 flicked over my head and burst into flames at the engine cowling and fuselage. I watched it spin down burning with first black smoke and then white smoke coming from it. It crashed near a village approximately ten miles west of Amiens.

  Meanwhile, Yellow 4, Flying Officer H.J. Southwood, closed on the leading Fw 190, whic
h he destroyed before damaging a second:

  ‘I saw Yellow 3 fire, then I pulled up under an Fw 190 that was flying across in front of me, in a straight and level attitude. I closed under the enemy aircraft and, in almost a vertical position, started firing at 200 to 300 yards, closing to about 100 yards or less. The enemy aircraft was hit on the latter part of the burst under the engine and centre part of the aircraft. It belched black smoke and red flames, and the centre part seemed to disintegrate. The flames and black smoke enveloped the aircraft from engine nacelle to tail unit.

  ‘I saw another Fw 190 on my port side. He turned in on me and across my nose. I got behind him. The Fw 190 began to dive in a south-westerly direction. I followed. I fired a burst at 700 to 800 yards closing to 400 to 500 yards. I observed several strikes on his port side. He continued diving and I broke off the engagement [at] about 12,000 to 15,000ft. I claim this Fw 190 as damaged [in total firing 116 cannon shells and 900 machine gun rounds].’

  At 0750 hours on the following day (7 September) the Wing, led by Squadron Leader McNair, flew on Ramrod S32 (Part II), providing an escort to Fortresses bombing targets four miles north of St Omer. The Wing escorted the retiring Fortresses as far as the French Coast before making a swept to the west of Lille and turning for home. Beurling, meanwhile, flew a sector reconnaissance, gaining experience on the Spitfire Mk IX (flying MA573 KH-F).

  At 0940 hours on 8 September, the Squadron joined the rest of the Wing under Wing Commander Johnson, flying on Ramrod S41 (Part III). The Wing’s role was to act as top cover to twenty-four Mitchells bombing Vitry aerodrome. Fifteen Fw 190s were seen manoeuvring in an attempt to bounce No. 421 Squadron. A general melee followed, during which another Spitfire Mk IX Wing was drawn in. Flying Officer Dowding damaged an Fw 190 and a parachute was seen in the same vicinity.

  At 1415 hours, Wing Commander J.E. Johnson led the Wing on their second operation of the day; a Fighter Sweep of the St Pol, Amiens, Le Touquet and Boulogne areas. This was made as a part of Ramrod S42.

  At 0715 hours and again at 0915 hours on 9 September, Johnnie Johnson led the Wing on uneventful bomber escorts to the Gris Nez and Boulogne areas.

  During the afternoon, Beurling (flying MH356) flew on Ramrod S 43 (Part II). Commanded by Squadron Leader H.C. Godefroy, DFC and Bar2, the Squadron’s former CO, No. 17 Wing acted as high cover to eighteen Mitchells bombing Bryas Sud airfield.

  Two days later, at 1700 hours on 11 September, the Wing took off on Ramrod 216 (Part II). Led by Squadron Leader Godefroy, the Wing’s role was as top cover to thirty-six Marauders bombing Beaumont le Roger airfield.

  While flying to the north-west of Rouen, about a dozen Bf 109s and Fw 190s tried to draw the Wing. No. 403 Squadron’s Yellow 3, Flying Officer Dowding, fired at a Bf 109, closing to 100 yards. The Messerschmitt was seen to crash near Duclair at 1810 hours:

  ‘We closed very rapidly and I fired several bursts at the last Me 109 in the gaggle, closing from approximately 300 yards to approx 100 yards [firing 77 cannon shells and 600 machine gun rounds]. I saw strikes on [the] fuselage and [the] engine cowling. This Me 109 spun down with white and black smoke pouring from it and out of control. I took a look around and the last time I looked down I saw a fire on the ground about 5 miles northwest of the Rouen.’

  Yellow 2, Sergeant J.E. Grevbia, witnessed Flying Officer Dowding’s3 Bf 109, which he saw spin down and crash in flames, while Squadron Leader H.C. Godefroy (Red 2) saw a fire in the same area, which he thought was an aircraft burning.

  Yellow 1, Flight Lieutenant Southwood, had combat with an Me 109 which he felt he damaged, but on which he saw no strikes. No claim was made pending development of cine film, but Flight Lieutenant H.J. Southwood describes his combat as follows:

  ‘I recognised two Me 109s about 2,000ft away at our height. Yellow Section went into a shallow dive and closed in behind the two enemy aircraft preventing them from half-rolling. At approximately 400 yards and astern of the two Me 109s, I told Yellow 2 to take the one on the right.

  ‘I then slowed in behind the first enemy aircraft to about 250 yards. He began to take evasive action to port by doing climbing turn. I opened up with cannon and machine gun, and followed him around through about 180 degrees. I closed to about 100 yards. I did not see any strikes on this Me 109 but the range was close, and I believe I allowed correct deflection and that this enemy aircraft must have been badly damaged [by 85 cannon shells and 175 machine gun rounds fired].’

  At 1655 hours on 14 September, Squadron Leader N.R. Fowlow took off at the head of No. 403 Squadron’s Spitfires, including Beurling (flying MA241), on Ramrod 218 (Part II). The mission was led by Wing Commander H.C. Godefroy, Wing Commander (Flying) No. 127 Airfield, having taken over from ‘Johnnie’ Johnson. Initially acting as an escort to thirty-six Marauders, the fighters continued over France even after the bombers were recalled, making a sweep of the intended target area before returning. There were no reports of enemy fighters having been seen. Ramrod 220 (Part III), which was flown next day, proved equally uneventful.

  At 1740 hours on 16 September, Wing Commander Godefroy led the Squadron, including Beurling (flying his assigned MA585 KH-B), on Ramrod 223 (Part III), providing top cover to eighteen Mitchells.

  During the day, bomb-carrying Fw 190s made a rare offensive sweep against airfields in the Kent area. During the night all but essential staff were ordered into the slit trenches. Beurling had spent months under intense air bombardment between combat operations and the threat of such ad-hoc raids wouldn’t have concerned him in the slightest.

  Beurling joined No. 403 Squadron on Ramrod 228 at 1135 hours on 18 September. Meanwhile, the Squadron’s ORB noted that:

  ‘A big party was planned for Wing Commander J.E. Johnson, DSO and Bar, DFC and Bar, who has left the Wing to take up a staff position. He has been with the Wing since the latter part of March and has led the Wing on many successful operations. His score was twenty-six destroyed and the Wing during that time destroyed 100. A grand dinner was served and then everyone celebrated by drinking up a large supply of spirits. Johnnie was presented with a watch in remembrance of the grand job he did with us.’

  No. 403 Squadron took off on a Ramrod at 1650 hours on 19 September, providing top cover to a dozen Mitchells bombing the Lens Petrol Refinery. Twelve Bf 109s attempted to bounce the Wing and were engaged by No. 421 Squadron, with Flight Lieutenant R.A. Buckham claiming one destroyed and Flying Officer H.P. Zary getting another damaged. The mission proved frustrating for the pilots of No. 403 Squadron as they didn’t get the opportunity to fire their guns, despite up to fifty Bf 109s and Fw 190s being reported during the course of the whole operation.

  Flight Lieutenant Buckham (White 1) claimed a Bf 109 destroyed, firing 144 cannon shells:

  ‘Four of the Huns broke in on Green Section, the leading Hun opening fire at about 700 yards. I gave a break to Green 1 and then rolled on the leading Hun, who immediately broke off and commenced an aileron turn. I opened fire at 300 yards with a short burst. He then reversed his turn and I fired again at the same range, observing strikes on the wing roots, and an orange flash back of his cockpit. I fired two more bursts at about 200 – 250 yards and white smoke commenced to stream from his engine. He then rolled over and bailed out.

  (signed) Flight Lieutenant R.A. Buckham DFC and DFC (USA)4’

  Flying Officer Zary selected one of the four Bf 109s and fired bursts of 120 cannon shells and 480 machine gun rounds, claiming to have damaged the enemy aircraft:

  ‘[I] was flying White 4. I followed and broke in behind an Me 109. I opened fire from 20 degrees at 250 yards from his port side, observing strikes on port and starboard wings, and engine. White smoke followed later by black smoke.’

  Beurling flew uneventful fighter sweeps on 21 (Ramrod 235) and 23 (Ramrod 239) September. Meanwhile, the Squadron carried out two sweeps during 24 September, the first being Ramrod 242.

  On Ramrod 243, flown to Beauvais in the afternoon of the 24th, the Wing engaged a n
umber of Fw 190s of I. and II./JG 2 in the area of Poix. Four enemy fighters were destroyed, with the loss of three pilots. Combat reports reveal that Wing Commander H.C. Godefroy destroyed one enemy aircraft, while No. 421 Squadron’s Flight Lieutenant Buckham claimed one, damaging another.

  Reporting to the Squadron Intelligence Officer for debriefing, Beurling mentioned almost in passing, that he had destroyed an Fw 190. Beurling had been flying as Red 4 and his CO was astonished that he could have engaged the enemy and reformed with the section without it being noticed.

  Beurling explained that he had sighted the enemy aircraft when it was only a tiny dot in his rear-view mirror above, and in the distance, at 12 o’clock. He only had a fraction of a second to react before it escaped. Pulling up and giving chase, Beurling (flying MA585 KH-B) delivered one very short burst of cannon:

  ‘I peeled off, climbed and got behind him. I was to his left and behind, and I could see my shots going into the rear of his aircraft. The Fw went down in flames.’

  Beurling saw the enemy aircraft’s port wing break off. He claimed the Fw 190 of JG 2 destroyed. To Wing Commander Godefroy’s astonishment, Beurling’s gun camera evidence showed his cannon shells strike and the Fw 190 disintegrate exactly as he had reported.

  The Wing’s Intelligence Officer filing a general report wrote:

  ‘No. 421 Squadron, led by Wing Commander Godefroy, DFC & Bar, and 403 (Wolf) Squadron, commanded by Squadron Leader Fowlow, DFC, were airborne at 1520 hours as top cover to seventy-two Marauders bombing the Tille aerodrome.

  ‘At 1610 hours, as the Wing was flying at 20,000ft covering the bombers withdrawal, a gaggle of six [sic] Fw 190s were seen directly below at 15,000ft over Poix. Wing Commander Godefroy led Black Section of 421 Squadron onto these enemy aircraft who were flying in line abreast towards the French coast’.