Hurricane Squadron Ace: The Story of Battle of Britain Ace, Air Commodore Peter Brothers, CBE, DSO, DFC and Bar

by Nick Thomas

  The airman, who was refuelling Brothers’ Hurricane had his eyes fixed skywards and was ecstatic, ‘Got him!’ But as the parachute was seen, the ‘erk’ was none too pleased and turned to Brothers, ‘Oh jammy bastard!’

  As soon as the ground crew gave the signal, Brothers fired up the Merlin. The starter leads were already plugged in, the engine still hot from his last sortie. It burst into life, the exhausts spitting out flames. Brothers taxied before racing down the grass runway, lifting off, and back into the fray. Brothers adding, ‘I got a 109 on that day.’ It should be noted that this narrative could equally relate to 29 July 1940, as Brothers claimed a Bf 109 over Dover on both days. No written claim survives for a Ju 87, which would allow a positive dating of the events Brothers recalled.

  The possibility that Brothers did in fact destroy a Ju 87, not included in any of his tallies, may be inferred by his later explanation of the tactics often used to take on the Ju 87 dive-bomber:

  ‘Stukas were pretty easy meat because you could shoot straight into the top of them as they pulled out of their dive and they were slower than we were. That awful screaming sound they made had been built into them to terrify people. Once they had started the dive, you could follow them down, and hit them if you were lucky. If you were too close, of course, you’d overtake.’

  Meanwhile, other members of the squadron who engaged the same raid had been able to make claims. Squadron Leader J. Worrall (flying P3112), Green 1, destroyed one Bf 109 unconfirmed at 1605 hours:

  ‘We intercepted about five Ju 87s [flying at 6,000ft] and about twelve 109s escorting. Just as Green Section were about to attack the 87s, Red Section was attacked by a section of 109s, which were followed by some more, and a general dogfight ensued. I found two 109s about 2,000 feet above me and climbed up after them. I got onto the tail of one and fired a one second burst [at 200 yards] and holed his port tank, a few bits flew off the wing near the port tank. I was still closing and about to reopen fire [one-second burst at 125 to 150 yards, firing a total of 400 rounds], when a Spitfire appeared from underneath and to one side and the Spitfire followed him down.’

  (signed) Sqn Ldr J. Worrall.

  Weaver Sections Yellow 1, Pilot Officer Smythe (flying P3522), claimed one Bf 109 probably destroyed while defending Red Section:

  ‘A section of 109s passed over me to attack Red Section. I pulled the nose up and fired a quick burst [two bursts, one short and one about 320 rounds at 250 yards; total of 400 rounds fired] at one as it passed over me. I then climbed and attacked the leader of the formation; he turned sharply and I saw my bullets entering his wings; and [his] engine cowling blew off, but I was unable to follow him down as I was being attacked by another 109.’

  (signed) PO Smythe.

  Also flying with Yellow Section, Pilot Officer B. Henson (flying P3677), claimed one Ju 87 destroyed:

  ‘I turned towards [Dover] harbour when a machine came from above and got on my leader’s tail. I gave him a short burst [two-seconds] in his side at about 40 feet range, but I could not turn fast enough to follow him.

  ‘I saw a Ju 87 dive towards the harbour. I dived after him keeping above him, and as he pulled up in front of me I opened fire at 300 yards (one burst of about eight-seconds), he turned to port and dived. I throttled back, turning inside his turn, and gave him a fifteen second burst. Clouds of smoke came from his engine; he then slowly glided towards the French coast.

  ‘I closed in to about 50 yards and was giving him another burst when bullets coming from behind me passed my starboard wing. I tightly turned, completing a circle to port, and noticed a machine climbing away from me. I then looked for my victim and saw a terrific splash in the sea about eight miles from the French coast.’

  Flying as Yellow 2, Pilot Officer K.R. Gillman (flying P3146) destroyed one Bf 109 on the Folkestone side of Dover:

  ‘Three Me 109s dived in front of the section to attack Red Section, and I followed No. 2 of the enemy formation, who dived gently to port, and fired three bursts of approximately fifty rounds per gun [firing three-second burst at 250 yards closing to 150 yards, 1,200 rounds fired], part of the aircraft was shot away, and it dived vertically towards the sea.

  ‘It was obviously out of control, but I had no time to follow it down, as I was attacked by another Me 109.’

  (signed) Plt Off K.R. Gillman.

  During the engagement Flight Sergeant Turner (flying P3144) was shot down in flames, his aircraft crashed and burnt out at Church Hougham at 1625 hours. He managed to bail out despite being badly burnt. Turner was admitted to Union Road Hospital, Dover. He was placed on the danger list, being transferred to Orpington Hospital. Here he made great improvement. Turner was later admitted to Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, for plastic surgery, where he became one of Sir Archie McIndoe’s guinea pigs.

  Meanwhile, Adolf Hitler made a speech before the Reichstag, blaming the war on England and France. He played to the pacifists on both sides of the Channel when he claimed to reason for peace:

  ‘In this hour I feel it to be my duty before my own conscience to appeal once more to reason and common sense – in Great Britain as much as elsewhere. I can see no more reason why this war must go on.

  ‘I am grieved to think of the sacrifices which it will claim. I should like to avert them, also for my own people.’

  Lord Halifax gave Great Britain’s reply to what he coined a ‘summons to capitulate’, in a broadcast made on 22 July, when he declared bluntly that, ‘We shall not stop fighting until freedom is secure.’

  Brothers’ second sortie of the day on 20 July was a flight strength offensive patrol. Red Section attacked three Bf 110s dive-bombing Dover Harbour from 8,000ft, before releasing their bombs at 2,000ft and diving to sea level and making their escape. Flight Lieutenant Crossley (flying N2461) and Pilot Officer John Ernest Proctor (flying N2458), shot down a Bf 110. He had earlier served with No. 501 Squadron in France, destroying a Bf 110 and Bf 109 on 12 May, two He 111s on 14 May, and a Bf 110 on 15 May. He was awarded the DFC, London Gazette, 18 March 1941.

  ‘A’ Flight’s Flight Lieutenant Crossley’s combat report was timed at 1330 hours:

  ‘Red Section gave chase and overtook him about twelve miles out [south-east of Dover]. When within about 800 yards he started to zig-zag slightly, increasing in intensity as I approached. At about 400–500 yards he tried a burst of tracer, to which I replied with a short burst. I then closed to about 250 and opened fire properly, getting some deflection shots as well as astern [five or six bursts, closing to 100 yards], as he continued zig-zagging he suddenly pulled sharply up to starboard for about fifty degrees. I swung away to port for the dual purpose of getting in a beam attack, and avoiding the attentions of another Jaguar [Bf 110] which was lining up on me from above. I pulled round to starboard in front of both E/A and as I did so I saw the first a/c go into the sea.’

  (signed) Fl Lt M. Crossley.

  Meanwhile, ten miles off Dover, Convoy Bosom was sailing eastward through the Kenley and Biggin Hill Sectors of the Channel, its location identified by the enemy. Two Spitfire and two Hurricane squadrons were ordered to maintain a standing patrol. No. 32 Squadron’s Green Section took up station at around 1700 hours. Not long into the patrol they spotted a formation of Stuka dive-bombers of II./St 1 approaching the convoy, escorted by fifty-plus Bf 109s and Bf 110s.

  Blue Section was scrambled from Hawkinge, while No. 615 Squadron’s Hurricanes also pitched in, along with nine Spitfires from No. 610 Squadron which had been patrolling at altitude to the west of the convoy. Having the advantage of altitude, the defending fighters came from out of the glare of the evening sun, penetrating the JG 51s Bf 109s, destroying one. Getting in amongst the Ju 87s and Bf 110s, they claimed two Ju87s, two making forced-landings at Lannion, France, with two damaged. Flying Officer A. Eyre and Flight Lieutenant L.M. Gaunce, both shot down Bf 109s. During the same engagement the Spitfires of No. 615 Squadron destroyed a Bf 109 of I./JG 27 and three of I./JG 51, including in their
haul the aircraft flown by Gruppenkommandereur Hauptman Helmut Riegel.

  Green 1, Squadron Leader Worrall (flying N 2532 ‘H’), led his Hurricanes straight through the Bf 109s and into the bombers, damaging two Ju 87s before fire from one of the Bf 110 escorts forced him to disengage. Worrall soon lost the fighter-bomber and was attacking another Stuka, when a Bf 109 of JG 51 raked his Hurricane with machine-gun and cannon fire, slightly wounding him:

  ‘At 1740 hours Sapper told me Blue Section was joining me, also E/A between 10,000 and 20,000 feet were approaching the convoy. Almost at once I spotted them and, ordering Green Section line astern, attacked the first Ju 87 just as he was starting his dive. Despite the fact that I had throttled right back I overtook him after a two second burst. I turned and took on another, but had to break off as I was attacked by a 110. I then lost the 110 and saw the Ju 87s bombing a destroyer, I attacked the nearest who started smoking. I had to break off as I was attacked by a 109. I could not find the 109 so attacked another 87 which was near. He started to smoke and again I was attacked by a 109. I broke away, I attacked a third 87 which also started to smoke. I was just about to fire another burst when I saw tracer going over my port wing. I immediately broke away and felt bullets entering the a/c from behind, which were stopped by armour-plating. Then two cannon shells hit, one in the engine and one in the gravity tank. I had to make a crash-landing in a small field half a mile to the east of the ‘drome. Almost immediately she went up in a slow fire, giving me half a minute to get out.’

  (signed) S/L Worrall.

  Flying as Red 1, Flight Lieutenant Crossley (flying N2461) claimed one Bf 109 destroyed (unconfirmed):

  ‘I took off with Red Section and joined Green and Blue at 10,000ft and immediately sighted about twelve 109s to the south, but my attention was diverted by a string of Ju 87s in the act of bombing. I turned towards them and fired a burst at one at close range as he went past, but did not observe the result as I saw an Me 109 coming round in front of me. I tacked one and got a deflection burst at close range [4–500 rounds fired in a three-second burst at 100 yards], at about 1,000ft up. He went straight down into the sea about one mile south of Dover Harbour.

  ‘During the engagement I observed a Ju 87 crash into the sea about two miles S.E. of Dover.’

  (signed) Flight Lieutenant M. Crossley.

  Red 2, Pilot Officer Proctor (flying N2458), was unable to make a claim, although he saved Crossley from a concerted attack, firing 1,200 rounds, with a one-second burst at 400 yards and a four-second burst at 150 yards:

  ‘Enemy sighted 8,000 feet, dived to floor and I gave chase behind Red 1. After ten miles got within range and gave one burst, E/A swung from side-to-side and suddenly rose to about 50 yards when I gave a further burst. I broke off attack to engage another Jaguar which was about to attack Red 1. I fired a short burst of three seconds but was overtaking so quickly I had to disengage.’

  (signed) Plt Off Proctor.

  A second, undated, combat report by Pilot Officer Proctor (flying N2458) records that he destroyed a Bf 109:

  ‘On sighting E/A approaching convoy, Red Section circled to gain height into the sun. Red 1 dived down to attack Ju 87s and I followed close astern. At about 4,000ft I spotted five Jaguars approaching convoy from the SE about 500ft below me. I rolled over and attacked the nearest one at 100 yards [five-second burst, firing remaining rounds at 200 yards], the E/A turned over onto its back and went straight into the sea. I followed it down, but could see no trace of survivors or wreckage.’

  (signed) J.E. Proctor.

  Flying as Red 3, Sergeant Bayley (flying P3481) followed his leader down towards the bombers and got onto the tail of a Bf 110 as it dived away from its attack, claiming one Bf 110 destroyed (unconfirmed):

  ‘I opened fire at 250 yds and closed to 100 yds, by which time we were about ten miles offshore and the Jaguar’s port engine was on fire. I then observed tracer coming past my port wing and attempted to get into position behind a second Me Jaguar which was on my tail, but he dived away.’

  (signed) E.A. Bayley.

  Flight Lieutenant Brothers (flying N2921) led Blue Section into the fray, destroying one Bf 109 of I./JG 51 ten miles off Dover:

  ‘At 1805 hours I was leading Blue Section when I saw a number of enemy bombers start to attack a convoy off Folkestone. I saw about thirty Me 109s doing guard, so I climbed to attack one Me 109 and set him on fire. As I got on the tail of a second, two, in line astern, attacked me head-on, a third was on my tail and a fourth firing a full deflection shot at me from my right. I attacked the first two head-on and as they went over my head, I turned steeply to the right and fired at the one on my right, afterwards trying to get on the tail of the one behind me. Unfortunately, I lost him and as I had finished all but about twenty rounds of my ammunition [in five-second bursts at 150 yards and closing], I circled round trying to get my section together. As I could neither find nor get in touch with them, I landed to refuel and rearm.’

  (signed) Fl Lt P.M. Brothers.

  Brothers would later tell his junior pilots the details of this encounter as a warning, ‘I looked around and saw five 109s in a ‘V’ formation, heading for home all on their own’.

  Brothers hoped to form up at the rear of the ‘vic’, where he would pick the Bf 109s off, one by one. But the pilot on the right of the formation spotted him and veered off. Brothers pursued him, ‘An almost fatal mistake. As I was about to open fire, he opened the throttle wide and started climbing rapidly. I pulled the stick back to follow him, and at that moment all hell broke loose.’

  Brothers had fallen for the oldest trick in the book, ‘the other four came in behind and they all had a go at me. I shot off fairly quickly and they all whizzed past, firing at me, and then they were gone. I didn’t get anything other than a severe fright, but I never did that again, I used to warn chaps about it.’

  Flying as Blue 2, Sergeant Pearce (flying N2524) claimed one Bf 109 as damaged:

  ‘I followed Blue 1 [Brothers] climbing to intercept Me 109 escort to bomber formation. After Blue 1 turned left to engage E/A, which appeared directly in front of and above me crossing left to right in steep climb. Opened fire [with a three-second burst at 200 yards] on which E/A turned sharply away and dived steeply. I followed him, firing two more bursts [of two and three-seconds at 200 yards] and while trail of petrol or glycol came from E/A.’

  (signed) L. Pearce.

  Green 3, Sergeant Higgins (flying P3679) claimed one Bf 110 destroyed (unconfirmed):

  ‘I singled out a Jaguar which had already commenced a dive attack on a destroyer. Approaching and overtaking in an astern attack I opened fire from about 300 yds, continuing to fire for fully seven seconds [firing 1,000 rounds] during which time smoke poured from the enemy machine. At approximately 1000ft from sea level I broke from the attack, the bomber crashing near the destroyer and sinking almost instantaneously.’

  (signed) Sgt W.B. Higgins.

  Flying Officer J.B.W. Humpherson (flying P3122) claimed one Ju 87 confirmed:

  ‘I eventually closed with a Ju 87. The enemy a/c was apparently returning to France and it was flying just above the surface of the water at about 30ft. I approached from behind and at the same height as the E/A. I closed to about 200 yds and opened fire. After a very short burst [130 rounds] the E/A dived straight into the sea and disappeared below the surface.’

  During the melee, Sub-Lieutenant Bulmer’s aircraft (N2670) was hit by a Bf 109 of JG 51, flown by Oberleutnant Priller while in combat over Dover. He was reported to have bailed out near North Foreland, but drowned. Sub-Lieutenant (A) Geoffrey Gordon Robson Bulmer, FAA, was the son of Leslie Thomas and Mabel Ada Bulmer, of Bradford, Yorkshire. Bulmer, 20-years-old, served with HMS Daedalus and had been seconded to No. 32 Squadron on 1 July. He is remembered on the Fleet Air Arm Memorial at Lee-on-Solent Memorial, Bay 1, Panel 3.

  Meanwhile, Sergeant Higgins was slightly wounded in the face by splinters from bullets which hit the seat armour, but ma
naged to limp back to Hawkinge. His Hurricane had been hit by Staffel Kaptain, Hauptman Horst Tietzen while destroying a Bf 110. Hauptman Tietzen, who had twenty victories, was shot down and killed on 18 August off Whitstable.

  Despite the squadron’s successes, a number of bombers had already got through and one destroyer was hit and sank the following day. Overall, the defence of the convoy cost eight fighters, with seven pilots killed. Four more fighters were damaged.

  Of the operation, Crossley recorded in the Squadron Diary:

  ‘The following tipped stuff into the drink: Hector, Pete B, Higgins, Humph and Red Knight. The Mandarin [Squadron Leader Worrall] converted three non-smoking Ju 87s into smoking 87s but earned the attention of at least four squadrons of 109s to such an extent that he just couldn’t make the ‘drome (fan stopped). He force-landed in a field, 2532 caught fire and burnt out. Mandarin jumped out with cuts and a string of language which did justice to his position.’

  Meanwhile, No. 610 Squadron’s haul was one Bf 109 damaged. They later intercepted a second formation between Ashford and Folkestone. Pilot Officer G. Keighley was wounded when his Spitfire (N3201 ‘S’) was shot down during combat with JG 51. He successfully bailed out and landed at Lydden, near Canterbury.

  During the defence of the convoy the RAF claimed a total of fifteen enemy aircraft of which thirteen are confirmed by German records.

  The following few days saw operational patrols and scrambles between dawn and dusk, but No. 32 Squadron’s pilots were unable to make any claims.

  By 24 July the Luftwaffe was being aided by radar operating from the cliffs at Wissant, opposite Folkestone. This meant that they were better able to monitor the progress of the convoys and to direct their own bomber and fighter forces, looking to outmanoeuvre the RAF’s response.