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

by Nick Thomas

  ‘In August 1940, this officer was leading his flight on an offensive patrol when twenty Junkers 88s were sighted. Flight Lieutenant Norris ordered his flight to attack them but were themselves attacked in turn by twenty Messerschmitt 109s. It became necessary to abandon the attack on the enemy bombers, and to engage the enemy fighters. During the combat Flight Lieutenant Norris destroyed one Messerschmitt 109. This officer has personally destroyed six enemy aircraft and damaged a further two. He has displayed outstanding determination and skill as a leader.’

  Sergeant H.H. Chandler, was awarded the DFM, London Gazette, 22 October 1940:

  ‘Sergeant Horatio Herbert Chandler (810021), AAF

  ‘This airman has been continuously engaged in operations against the enemy since April 1940, and has destroyed six of their aircraft. He has displayed courage, skill and determination.’

  Pilot Officer C.O.J. Pegge, was awarded the DFC, London Gazette, 22 October 1940:

  ‘Pilot Officer Constantine Oliver Joseph PEGGE (4I3I7).

  ‘Since July 1940, this officer has destroyed seven enemy aircraft. His great skill and initiative in air combat were particularly shown on one occasion when, although wounded in the eye, his aircraft damaged and the windscreen rendered opaque by bullets, he brought his aircraft back to base and made a successful landing. He has proved a fearless fighter when attacking superior numbers of enemy aircraft.’

  During the period from the end of the so-called Phoney War to the end of August 1940 a number of squadrons operated out of Biggin Hill, sharing the famous Fighter Command station with Pete’s No. 32 Squadron. The following table provides a summary.

  Fighter squadrons serving at Biggin Hill 10 May 1940–28 August 1940

  No. 213 Squadron (‘A’ Flight)

  18.5.40

  23.5.40

  No. 242 Squadron

  25.5.40

  8.6.40

  No. 229 Squadron

  27.5.40

  5.6.40

  No. 213 Squadron

  9.6.40

  18.6.40

  No. 141 Squadron HQ

  10.7.40

  21.7.40

  No. 266 Squadron

  17.8.40

  22.8.40

  No. 79 Squadron

  25.8.40

  8.9.40

  (NB: Dates vary according to different sources and the best approximations have been adopted.)

  Chapter 10

  No. 257 Squadron

  Formed under Squadron Leader D.W. Bayne on 17 May 1940, No. 257 (Burma) Squadron became operational on 4 July, Squadron Leader Hill Harkness assuming command eighteen days later. Many COs limited their own operational flying, relying heavily on their flight commanders and other seasoned pilots of all ranks. Despite his senior years for a fighter pilot, Harkness elected to fly operationally whenever he could.

  Through necessity, No. 257 Squadron had been thrown into the battle before they were ready. Heavily engaged, and with few pre-war pilots amongst their ranks, they inevitably lost a number of men killed, wounded or badly burnt. Squadron Leader Harkness frequently led his men in Park’s preferred method of attack; head-on and at closing speeds of over 500 mph. This took supreme courage, as a moment’s hesitation could spell disaster, but led to the desired break-up of the bomber formations. In late August Harkness narrowly survived a direct hit on the slit trench in which he was sheltering. Despite being shaken by these events, he was quickly back in the air leading his pilots into action.

  For all of his courage, Harkness appeared to have lacked flexibility in combat and was perhaps slow to reject the RAF’s pre-war No. 1–6 attacks. He had flown during a period of intense operations and was now tour expired and in need of a rest.

  Operating out of Martlesham Heath on 7 September, Squadron Leader Harkness (Yellow 1) led the squadron against an enemy formation of fifty-plus enemy aircraft heading up the Thames estuary. Scrambled late, there was no possibility of getting up-sun. Squadron Leader Harkness led a head-on attack against the bombers, as a consequence the squadron was bounced by their escorting Bf 109s. Flight Lieutenant Beresford (Red 1) may have been shot down at this time as it is thought that Flight Lieutenant (37150) Hugh Richard Aden Beresford, RAF, was bounced and shot down over the Thames estuary. He crashed at Elmley, Spitend Point, Sheppey. His Hurricane was not recovered until 1979, when Beresford’s body was exhumed and on 16 November 1979 was buried with full military honours at Brookwood Military Cemetery, Section C24, Row D, Grave 14.

  As the combat developed, Sergeant Fraser (Red 2) attacked a formation of about thirty enemy bombers, escorted by many fighters, making quarter deflection attacks from above on two Do 215s on the left of the formation. He gave two bursts of about four seconds from 250 yards, emptying all his ammunition without registering any results.

  Meanwhile, Flying Officer (70469) Lancelot Robert George Mitchell, RAF, (Green 1), ‘B’ Flight Commander (flying V7254), was lost in combat over the Thames estuary. He was the son of Robert George and Elizabeth Sinclair Mitchell, of Keith, Banffshire. He is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial, Panel 6. Mitchell was 24-years-old.

  An explosive cannon shell hit Sergeant Hulbert’s wing, damaging the mainplane and puncturing his petrol tank. Hulbert (Green 3) dive-turned and made a successful landing in an obstructed stubble field at Bashford Barn Lane, Breddown, near Sittingbourne.

  During the same attack Pilot Officer Cochrane (Blue 1) claimed a Do 215 or 17:

  ‘I climbed up into sun and delivered a diving ‘very steep’ attack – opened fire at about 400 yards, brushing close at about 50 yards. I broke off the attack and climbed up again ready for another. Just when I was about to open fire, white smoke appeared from the Do’s fuselage and almost immediately three parachutes opened. The plane did a half circle and dived into the sea. The crew landed about two or three miles away. A boat picked them up after an hour, during which time I had circled around them and directed it to them.’

  On the following day, 8 September, the squadron flew two patrols. The second of these was led by Squadron Leader Harkness, who also commanded two uneventful interception patrols made on 9 September, the same day that Brothers reported for duty. Brothers was posted to replace Beresford as ‘A’ Flight’s new commander. By then the squadron had already lost a number of seasoned pilots killed or wounded and, of the remainder, only two were pre-war airmen, the others had little air experience and were fresh from OTUs. Compared to the morale at his old squadron, 257 must have seemed at a low ebb: ‘I got a lift in a Blenheim down to Martlesham Heath, walked in, to see all these glum looking chaps; having lost both flight commanders on the same day obviously the young chaps thought, “well, if the flight commanders can get shot down, what chance have we got?”’

  According to the Squadron ORB and the logbooks of both Tuck and Brothers, neither man flew with Squadron Leader Hill Harkness, who Brothers felt was: ‘[Too] old for the game. He was probably thirty or thirty-five and he was past it from our point of view – too cautious after the heavy losses – possibly had relied on the tactical abilities of his two flight commanders.’

  This opinion was confirmed by Sergeant Tucker who later said that his former CO: ‘Would merely follow all instructions without question.’

  In fairness to Harkness, the ORB noted that a signal had been received from No. 11 Group informing his predecessor, Squadron Leader Bayne, that No. 257 Squadron was to be ready for operations on 1 July. The entry continued: ‘We were also asked by signal to estimate a date we will have twelve pilots operationally fit; to which we replied on 15 August.’ Therefore at Group level it was known that the squadron had been thrown into the battle too early. Under the circumstances, Harkness, his flight commanders and pilots, had fought well and hard, and were more than worthy recipients of the Battle of Britain Clasp.

  In Tuck’s biography Fly for Your Life by Larry Forrester, published after Harkness’death, it was inferred that Harkness avoided combat, sticking instead to a vector rather than asking the controller for
permission to divert onto another raid. This was supposed to have occurred on several occasions while Tuck was acting as flight commander and he is said to have requested permission to deflect from the squadron’s original vector. There is no corroborating evidence of this. The squadron ORB and Tuck’s logbook confirm that they never flew together. While Harkness was no longer best suited to the role he was in, it was perhaps because fighter tactics had been revolutionized and he was too slow to discard the RAF’s own manuals. To Harkness the controller’s orders were sacrosanct and not open to interpretation. Tuck’s reported opinion of him seems unsympathetic and ignores his earlier record. Harkness had repeatedly flown operationally knowing that his own flying reactions were slower than his potential assailants and therefore that he was more likely to be shot down – Tuck flew knowing that with more hours than most on modern fighters, and with youth on his side, he was the match of any adversary.

  While Squadron Leader Harkness’ abilities as a tactician and marksman might have been in doubt, his courage should not be questioned. He led from the front and despite only having a half kill to his credit, had continued to fly combat operations whenever possible. Even a cursory glance at the ORBs of other squadrons at this time reveals that many COs let their flight commanders bear the greater burden in the air and were content to fly only occasional sorties.

  As if a reminder was needed of the fight that the squadron had already been through, on 10 September 1940, the squadron received a visit from Pilot Officer Henderson who had just been discharged from Brightlingsea Naval Hospital. Henderson had suffered from burns and minor wounds received in combat on 31 August.

  Two operational patrols were flown on the following day, the second, made between 1545 and 1710 hours, was Harkness’ last sortie with the squadron before taking up a posting to Boscombe Down on 13 September, Tuck having arrived earlier that day to assume command. Nos. 249 and 257 Squadrons were scrambled with orders to intercept a force of He 111s of KG 1 and II./KG 26, with their Bf 110 and Bf 109 escorts, which by then was heading up the Thames estuary. Fifteen minutes into the patrol the Hurricanes intercepted thirty He 111s of KG 1, flying in the London Docks area, most of their fighter escort having already been drawn into combat.

  During the general air battle, Victor Beamish claimed an He 111 probably destroyed south-east of London, while Sergeant W.L. Davis of No. 249 Squadron (flying V 6682) bailed out over Benenden, Kent, wounded, his Hurricane hit by return fire from an He 111.

  Meanwhile, No. 257 Squadron’s Sergeant Fraser crash-landed back at base, probably as a result of combat damage.

  It had been a costly raid in terms of casualties on the ground. One bomb fell on a public shelter in Lewisham High Street causing 100 casualties, while another hit Deptford Central Hall, burying fifty-plus in the rubble.

  Of these raids on the capital, Churchill wrote:

  ‘These cruel, wanton, indiscriminate bombings of London are, of course, a part of Hitler’s invasion plan. He hopes, by killing large number of civilians, women and children, that he will terrorize and cow the people of this mighty Imperial city and make them a burden and anxiety for the government; little does he know the spirit of the British nation.’

  Tuck’s recollection of his first few days as CO are at odds with the ORB. He claimed that he put the whole squadron through an intense three-day programme of battle climbs and mock combats, flying from dawn to dusk. With no time to rest, it was said that the pilots had to grab their meals at dispersals out of ‘hot boxes’, their only breathers coming between flights, while the ‘erks’ were busy refuelling the Hurricanes and checking them over. The ORB makes no mention of the programme, while the squadron continued to be operational throughout the period in question.

  In his biography of Tuck, Larry Forrester explained how in order to help some of the less experienced pilots Tuck would send them up in pairs with instructions to patrol. He’d take off a little after them, flying on a shadowing flight path before bouncing them, diving down out of the sun.

  One of the ways in which the squadron’s pilots showed their general inexperience in combat was noted by Tuck: ‘I found that as soon as they got excited they would overuse the r/t and forget all the set procedures – just as 92 had done back in the first May battles. The other great mistake was that they opened up miles out of range’.

  Tuck and Brothers got on well from the very beginning, both respecting each other’s flying abilities and exceptional record as tacticians. Tuck was quoted in his biography as saying, ‘Pete Brothers turned out a corker. He was highly intelligent and devoted to his job – an excellent flight commander.’

  Referring back to the training up of the squadron, Tuck added, ‘He picked up everything first time and helped me get it across to the others. Every now and again we’d take half the squadron apiece and have a ding-dong battle’.

  Robert Roland Stanford Tuck was an extrovert. Tall and slim, he had jet-black hair, which he kept Brylcreemed back. Contrary to ‘King’s Regulations’, Tuck wore a thin moustache, which complemented a ‘dueling’ type scar, the result of striking a flying wire while in the process of bailing out of a Gloster Gladiator following a mid-air collision during formation acrobatics with No. 65 Squadron. It was while still with No. 65 Squadron that he converted to Spitfires in late 1938. On 1 May 1940, he was transferred to No. 92 Squadron based at Croydon. As a flight commander he played a prominent role in the Dunkirk air operations and was made CO following the loss of Roger Bushell. Tuck received the DFC (London Gazette, 11 June 1940) by the hands of the King at a special ceremony held at Hornchurch on 28 June 1940. The citation read:

  ‘During May 1940, this officer led his flight, in company with his squadron, on two offensive patrols over Northern France. As a result of one of these patrols in which the squadron engaged a formation of some sixty enemy aircraft, the Squadron Commander was later reported missing, and the flight commander wounded and in hospital. Flight Lieutenant Tuck assumed command, and on the following day led the squadron, consisting of only eight aircraft, on a further patrol engaging an enemy formation of fifty aircraft. During these engagements the squadron has shot down ten enemy aircraft and possibly another twenty-four. Throughout the combats this officer has displayed great dash and gallantry.’

  In June 1940, Tuck flew a captured Bf 109 against a Spitfire Mk II at Farnborough. One of the most experienced pilots on the new monoplanes, Tuck had 1,000 hours on Spitfires by the time he was posted away from No. 92 Squadron.

  Many years later Brothers wrote of his posting: ‘Thus began my long friendship with him [Tuck] and Douglas Bader, with whom I briefly shared a mess bedroom’.

  While not flying Brothers and Tuck passed on their combat experience, giving lectures on the different speeds, engine revs and throttle settings for each type of attack. Good marksmanship was another key to survival and they passed on tips on deflection gunnery. They used models of German aircraft to help demonstrate their blind spots and to discuss tactics.

  Brothers remembered giving lectures to the pilots in his flight:

  ‘Better to attack a lone fighter from ninety-five degrees starboard and not from directly from astern as most pilots look to port. Most enemy fly in pairs or pairs of pairs, you must always look for the wingman; always fly with a bit of rudder trim on so that the aircraft was crabbing slightly. If you were jumped and you saw tracer rounds flying past you, always turn into them rather than away.’

  Tuck made his first operational sorties with No. 257 Squadron on 12 September, the squadron flying several patrols. During one of these, Pilot Officer Hon. D. Coke’s Hurricane (3776 ‘P’) was badly damaged in combat over Portsmouth. Coke crash-landed slightly wounded and was admitted to the Royal Naval Hospital, Haslar, returning to the squadron on 27 September.

  During the next day the Luftwaffe launched a number of smaller raids. During one, a lone bomber targeted Buckingham Palace, which received a direct hit. There had been no time for The Royal Family to take to the shelters and one bom
b detonated eighty yards from the King and Queen. Miraculously they were unhurt.

  Although Brothers had known about the award for over a fortnight, his Distinguished Flying Cross was promulgated in the London Gazette of 13 September:

  ‘During an offensive patrol in August 1940, this officer’s flight encountered about one hundred enemy aircraft. He led the flight in attack against them, but before this could be pressed home, he was himself attacked by a number of Messerschmitt 110s. Turning to meet them, he found himself in a stalled position; he spun out of it and immediately sighted and engaged a Dornier 215 which he shot down. Later in the day he destroyed a Messerschmitt 109. Altogether Flight Lieutenant Brothers has destroyed seven enemy aircraft. He has at all times displayed great courage and initiative.’

  The squadron was at Readiness from before dawn on 14 September; Brothers made two uneventful patrols (flying V7254 and L1706).

  Meanwhile, in Berlin, Adolf Hitler met with his High Command, further postponing the invasion. Goering had insisted that all he needed to destroy Fighter Command was five consecutive days of bombing. He had grossly underestimated the British resolve and that of Dowding’s ‘Fighter Boys’.

  Brothers led Blue and Yellow Sections on a scramble at 1126 hours on 15 September. Once airborne the fighters rendezvoused with No. 504 Squadron over North Weald. A little before noon, while flying in the direction of the capital, Flight Lieutenant Brothers (Blue 1) spotted a formation of twenty-five Do 215s and Do 17s, escorted by Bf 109s and Bf 110s. Calling the controller for permission to attack, Brothers gave the ‘Tally-Ho!’ Pilot Officers Hedges and Sergeant Robinson followed Brothers in a quarter-attack from the starboard developing into astern. They concentrated their fire on the middle back line Do 17. The Dornier’s port engine and the rear of the fuselage caught fire, forcing the crew to bail out. Crossfire from all of the rear-gunners, meanwhile, was focused on Brothers’ Hurricane (V7254 ‘L’) which suffered slight damage.