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

by Nick Thomas

  A small number of Ju 88s, closely escorted by seven Bf 109s, pressed home their attack and bombed Luqa, damaging one Beaufort. The only casualty was Pilot Officer Johnson, who was taken to hospital with slight injuries.

  A number of other No. 249 Squadron aircraft suffered combat damage, as Beurling later revealed. Flying Officer John Smith (flying BR233) had tried to break through the strong fighter escort, which earned him their full attention. With several making to get a bead on him, Smith, ‘whipped around in a hurry and surprised the whole pack by dashing under them and streaking for home.’ In enticing the Bf 109s to give chase, Smith had broken up the pack. Meanwhile, Sergeant J.C. Gilbert and Pilot Officer J.W. Williams were engaged in their own personal struggles for survival, both suffering combat damage, ‘each came home with his ship riddled like a sieve.’ On the Spitfire’s armament, Beurling said:

  ‘Into thirty-six feet of space, wingtip to wingtip, are packed two cannon and four machine guns, usually harmonised to bring their most devastating fire to bear on a point 300 yards ahead, plus shells for the cannon in tension drums and ammunition for the Browning guns, in either belts or pans. Mostly your machine gun ammunition will alternate – incendiary, tracer, ball, and armour piercing; that for the cannon the same, without tracer.

  ‘The machine guns and cannons were fired using three buttons on the control column: Number One fired the machine guns only; Number Two fires both machine guns and cannons, and Number Three the cannon alone.’

  Beurling rarely fired except from the exact range from which his guns were harmonised for maximum concentration. If he fired from a shorter distance, thus encountering the possibility that the fire from his two wing-cannons might straddle his target, he made allowances and aimed off to one side so that one of his cannons would be certain of striking home. Meanwhile, he had his armourer remove the tracer rounds from his belts. The glowing orange arc of tracer aided the attacker with his aim, but by the same token was a warning to the enemy that they were under fire.

  The next raid came at around noon, when a total of twenty-three Spitfires were scrambled to intercept seven Ju 88s of II./KG 77, escorted by a dozen Bf 109s of II./JG 53 targeting Luqa.

  The Controller scrambled seven Spitfires from No. 249 Squadron, which were airborne by 1210 hours, and broke through the Bf 109s to attack the bombers. Pilot Officer J.W. Williams (flying TE111 T-M) damaged a Ju 88, which he pursued until it crashed in flames off Filfla. The combat was witnessed by Pilot Officer R.B. Hesselyn (flying 562 X-R), who destroyed a Ju 88, setting the engine on fire, damaging a second (3Z+GR flown by Oberleutnant Erich Behr, the Staffelkaptain of 7 Staffel who was lost). Pilot Officer C.B. MacLean (flying BR323 T-S) damaged a Bf 109, while Pilot Officer O.W.H. Berkeley-Hill (flying BR324 T-R) damaged a Ju 88. Sergeant Beurling (flying BR128 3-W) attacked a Ju 88, his rounds registering with the bomber, which was seen with flames issuing from its starboard engine:

  ‘I picked the one on the starboard flank and went down on him through the screen of fighters. As I came in on him, levelling off, I gave him the works on a deflection angle in the starboard engine, which burst into flames.’

  The combat had been witnessed by Flight Sergeant ‘Micky’ Butler, who saw the Ju 88 with one engine on fire and heading out to sea. Beurling was unable to administer the coup-de-grace, as five Bf 109s intervened, one of which he hit in the engine, ‘which took fire.’ It was last seen diving vertically near Filfla, three miles south of Malta. Beurling later commented that, ‘various people reported they could plainly see the spot where an aircraft had hit the sea.’ He then sighted a Bf 109 latching onto Pilot Officer J.W. Williams’ Spitfire as he chased a Ju 88. Beurling fired an accurate burst at his target as it filled his sight, and was able to damage the fighter, saving Williams further attention.

  During the same combat, Flight Sergeant B. Butler’s Spitfire was hit by Oberleutnant Michalski of IV./JG 53, while Pilot Officer C.B. MacLean (flying BR232 T-S) damaged a Bf 109.

  Flying Officer J. Smith9 (flying BR233 T-Q) and Sergeant J.C. Gilbert10 (flying BR227 T-T) made passing attacks at the bombers, but were themselves attacked by the Bf 109s. Smith’s Spitfire caught fire following the first pass, before being hit by two further Bf 109s, exploding before he had a chance to bail out. Gilbert’s Spitfire then received the same treatment. It rolled over onto its back and dived into the sea off Wied-iz-Zurrieq. No parachute was seen.

  Pilot Officer Williams attacked a Ju 88, which Beurling reported, ‘caught fire from the port gas tank,’ with Williams hanging around to watch his victim go down, an unwise move: ‘a flaming aircraft attracts attention all over the sky and brings all sorts of unwanted people around.’ In this instance, three Bf 109s were closing in, until Beurling made a head-on attack: ‘As I came whipping in they broke upwards. I didn’t get a chance to put a burst into any of them, they beat it so fast.’

  Back on the ground, Beurling was still reprimanding Pilot Officer Williams for hanging around and taking in the sights, when the pair heard about Pilot Officer Gilbert and Flying Officer Smith.

  At about 1950 hours, a formation of three Ju 88s and fifteen Bf 109s made a raid on Hal Far and Luqa. They were intercepted by Malta’s Spitfires. No. 185 Squadron’s Flight Sergeant W.G. Dodd (flying AB469) singled out a Bf 109, firing at 50 yards. It was later seen streaming glycol. Flying Officer J.W.Yarra (BR387 GL-W) fired on a Ju 88, but was hit by return fire.

  The enemy repeated the raid in the early morning, this time targeting Luqa and Hal Far. No. 185 Squadron scrambled eight Spitfires, but were unable to make an interception. In the hours before dawn on 9 July, six enemy aircraft made individual raids, dropping their bombs near Luqa and Takali.

  Later, at 0840 hours, No. 249 Squadron scrambled eight Spitfires with instructions to attack a formation of Bf 109s, which was acting as high cover. However, they were scrambled too late and were unable to gain sufficient altitude. Six Ju 88s dive-bombed Takali airfield, cratering the dispersal areas. One Ju 88 was claimed as destroyed, shared by two of No. 249 Squadron’s pilots. Meanwhile, eight of No. 603 Squadron’s Spitfires dived to attack the bombers. Flight Sergeant L.F. Webster damaging one, which he shared with No. 126 Squadron’s Sergeant A. Richardson.

  Once again, the enemy raided around noon, when eight of No. 249 Squadron’s Spitfires were scrambled and located six Ju 88s with their close escort of twenty German and Italian fighters, composed of Mc 202s of 20° Gruppo and Bf 109s of I./JG 77. The bombers targeted Laqa and Safi, destroying one Wellington and a Beaufort, and damaging two more. Flight Sergeant J.D. Rae (flying BR323 T-S) and Pilot Officer J.F. McElroy (flying BR301 UF-S) broke through the fighter-cover and shared a Ju 88 destroyed. Meanwhile, Pilot Officer J.R.H. Paradis (flying BR128 3-W) damaged another, before being hit by fire from an enemy fighter, but was unhurt (probably hit by Leutnant Köhler of III./JG 77). Flight Sergeant Rae then attacked an Mc 202, which he claimed as probably destroyed.

  Eight of No. 603 Squadron’s Spitfires were airborne and attacked the bombers, but were themselves intercepted by Bf 109 fighters. Pilot Officer Northcott probably destroyed a Bf 109, but Pilot Officer Guy Carlett11, Legion d’ Honneur, Croix de Guerre (France), RCAF (flying BP957), was bounced by Bf 109s and shot down. Carlett had recently been promoted, but the news had not yet reached the island.

  Meanwhile, No. 126 Squadron’s Pilot Officer R.F. Tilley destroyed a Bf 109 and Flight Sergeant K.W.S. Evans shot down the Mc 202 of Tenente Francesco Montagnani of 352a Squadriglia. The Squadron lost Pilot Officer J.L. Hicks.12

  No. 249 Squadron scrambled eight Spitfires at 1720 hours and was vectored onto a formation of bombers, but was unable to penetrate their fighter escort. The engagement proved inconclusive.

  Later, at 1950 hours, eight of No. 249 Squadrons Spitfires were vectored onto the Bf 109s of II./JG 53 and I./JG 77 shielding six Ju 88s, which were able to bomb Takali. Pilot Officer F.E. Jones (flying BR324 T-R) damaged a Bf 109. With the Messerschmitt 109s drawn off by No. 249 Squadron’s Spitfires, the oth
er Squadrons were able to get at the bombers. Already airborne were the Spitfires of Nos. 128, 185 and 603 Squadrons.

  No. 126 Squadron’s fighters made the most of the opportunity, with Pilot Officers J.G Mejor and R.F. Tilley, RCAF, both getting a Ju 88. Mejor reported: ‘Ju 88 destroyed. Fired from beam, passing quarter astern. It blew up and tail came off. Two burning chutes.’

  Another Ju 88 was targeted by four pilots: Flight Lieutenant A.C. Rowe, Pilot Officers M.A. Graves13, L.W. Miller and Sergeant N. Marshall. Pilot Officer G. Stenborg, RCAF (flying BR109), destroyed two Bf 109s, with another claimed by Flight Sergeant C.H. Parkinson (flying BR464 X-S), who finished off a damaged Ju 88. His combat report read:

  ‘I saw a Ju 88 underneath with black smoke pouring out of the centre of the fuselage. I rolled on my back and dived after it. At a range of about ten yards I opened fire. The 88 tried to gain height, but burst into flames and finally disintegrated. My machine flew right through the falling wreckage. The 88 was a definite goner before I attacked it.

  ‘I broke away up sun, and saw a 109 weaving in and out among a number of Spits. It was about to give one of them a burst but I got a burst in instead. The 109 continued weaving on its way. It evidently saw me and started to dive. I gave a long squirt and followed it down through light cloud to about 700ft and crashed right in.’

  Flight Sergeant K.W.S. Evans (BR244) damaged a Bf 109, while Flight Sergeant P.A. Schade (flying MK-N) claimed a brace of Messerschmitts:

  ‘Attacked two Me 109s off Filfla. Fired three-second burst at port Messerschmitt. Strikes [were seen] along fuselage. White smoke issued and it hit the sea. Attacked two more Messerschmitts north-west of Gozo. Strikes were seen along starboard wing. White smoke poured out from the E/A. Two Me 109s destroyed.’

  No. 603 Squadron also breached the fighter defences to take on the Junkers Ju 88s, but only as they withdrew. Flight Lieutenant R.A. Mitchell destroyed a Ju 88, while Pilot Officer H.W. McLeod probably destroyed a second, despite combat damage, which led to a forced-landing. Flight Sergeant R.H. Parkinson (flying BR464) got involved with Bf 109s that came in to defend the bombers, claiming a Bf 109. Meanwhile, Flight Sergeant J.H. Ballatyne (flying BR364) was shot down during this engagement and rescued by the crew of High Speed Launch 128.

  Operation Herkules, the invasion of Malta and Gozo by airborne forces launched from Sicily, was originally set for 10 July. The enemy was losing the air battle and in the previous ten days had lost 100 aircraft. It was, however, to be a ‘Red Letter Day’ for No. 249 Squadron for a very different reason.

  At 0700 hours on 10 July, No. 249 Squadron scrambled six Spitfires. Once in the air, they encountered elements of an enemy raid of thirteen Ju 88s with their escort of nineteen Mc 202s of 20° Gruppo and six of 155° Gruppo, along with Bf 109s of II./JG 53 and I./JG 77, targeting Takali.

  The first contact was made 20 miles off Malta; No. 249 Squadron intercepting the enemy later, south of Rabat. Pilot Officer C.H. Lattimer (flying BR128 3-W) destroyed the Mc 202 flown by Maresciallo Ennio Tarantola, whose aircraft was badly damaged but made base. Lattimer also damaged a Bf 109. Meanwhile, Capitano Doglio Niclot and Maresciallo Ennio Tarantola, flying as his leader’s No. 2, claimed a share in the destruction of a Spitfire.

  Beurling (flying BR323 T-S) destroyed a Bf 109, which he hit, ‘in the belly,’ killing the pilot (probably Leutnant Hans-Jürgen Frodien of Stab/JG 53, who had four ‘kills’ to his credit) as the aircraft dived straight into the sea near Rabat:

  ‘All I had to do was to dive on him quickly, pull up sharply and to starboard as I got under him, and put a burst into his belly. The ship didn’t catch fire. No bits and pieces flew off. I saw no oil or glycol smoke.’

  Beurling added:

  ‘the Luqa and Halfar lads picked up another probable bomber, and destroyed two fighters.’

  As Beurling had alluded to, Nos. 126 and 603 Squadron’s Spitfires had by now been scrambled and were engaging the enemy. No. 603 Squadron’s Pilot Officer E.S. Dick-Sherwood destroyed a Ju 88. Meanwhile, No. 126 Squadron’s pilots enjoyed more success, with Flight Lieutenant J.W. Slade claiming a Bf 109 (actually an Mc 202), and Flying Officer D.H. Smith (BR366) destroying a Ju 88 and damaging a Bf 109.

  At 1050 hours, four of No. 603 Squadron’s Spitfires were scrambled against six Ju 88s. Meanwhile, No. 249 Squadron’s Flight Lieutenant Eric Hetherington (recently transferred as a replacement for Flying Officer D.H. Smith), led six Spitfires on a scramble, along with eight Spitfires from No. 126 Squadron at 1115 hours. The Spitfires engaged the Bf 109s of I./JG 77 and a small number of Mc 202s of 20° Gruppo acting as escort to the Ju 88s.

  During the ensuing melee, Pilot Officer J.W. Williams (flying BR324 T-R) destroyed a Bf 109 and Flight Sergeant B. Butler (flying BR301 UF-S) damaged another (possibly the Bf 109 of I./JG 77 which crash-landed at Comiso). No. 126 Squadron’s pilots made claims, with Flight Sergeant R.A. Milner destroying a Bf 109, while Flying Officer R.O. Jones and Pilot Officer J.A. Smith, RCAF (flying AB465), each claimed a Ju 88. Flight Sergeant Sergeant C.F. Bush destroyed a Bf 109. For No. 603 Squadron, Flight Lieutenant R.A. Mitchell destroyed an Mc 202.

  Flight Sergeant Beurling (flying BR323 T-S) was also engaged, destroying an Mc 202.

  Beurling recalled how Hetherington dived through the Mc 202s, taking seven of the fighters with him: ‘I slung into a dive behind them, thinking Hether might be heading for trouble.’ Hetherington broke up the enemy’s formation. Meanwhile, Beurling continued to tail one, which twisted and turned trying to escape. The pair were locked in a prolonged chase, with Beurling only briefly managing to get a bead on the Macchi. But the Mc 202 pilot made a ‘fatal’ decision and went into a loop, Beurling waited until it levelled-out at the top before firing a two-second burst into the front of the fuselage. The Italian pilot, Sergente Maggiore Francesco Visentini of 378a Squadriglia, bailed out. Visentini had just shared in the destruction of BR244, the Spitfire of No. 126 Squadron flown by Flight Sergeant B.W. Reynolds14 (shared with Tenente Giovanni Ambrosio and Sergente Maggiore Giovanni Del Fabbro).

  Beurling circled over Visentini and, as he made his descent, made a quick mental note of the co-ordinates and called the Controller with a ‘May Day’, making sure it was clear he was an enemy pilot. Visentini was rescued by a Z506b floatplane. Another Mc 202, flown by Sergente Maggiore Mario Varacca, made it back to base with damage, the pilot suffering from minor wounds.

  At 1725 hours, No. 249 Squadron’s Spitfires made a flight strength scramble, joining No. 603 Squadron on an interception of twelve enemy aircraft. The enemy formation came to within 30 miles of the island before turning back.15

  At 0900 hours on 11 July, the Controller scrambled eight of No. 249 Squadron’s Spitfires with orders to attack a dozen Ju 88s escorted by twenty-three Mc 202s and two dozen Bf 109s. Squadron Leader P.B. Lucas (flying BR379 T-V) damaged a Ju 88, while Pilot Officer Yates, RAAF (flying BR301), and Warrant Officer C.B. Ramsey, RCAF (flying BR111), shared in the destruction of a Bf 109. Flight Lieutenant W.R. Daddo-Langlois (flying BR565 T-U) destroyed the Bf 109 of Stab II./JG 53 piloted by Leutnant Heinz Riedel, whose Bf 109 crashed near St Julians.

  Daddo-Langlois’ log book was annotated with the words:

  ‘Bounced fighters escorting twelve Ju 88s. Got a 109. Pilot bailed out on land.’

  The Controller ordered the Squadron to continue in their battle-climb, ready to meet a second wave composed of, ‘nine Jus and an escort of more than forty fighters.’ These were successfully engaged: ‘we chased them thirty miles out to sea. There I got a chance to pick a Macchi from above. I went down vertically, about 300 yards to his starboard side. He never saw me coming. Beurling gave him a one-second burst. The pilot bailed out and one of the lads from a neighbouring Squadron saw him drifting down in his chute, confirming him as destroyed.’

  Some of the bombers did get through and bombs fell on Takali, missing aircraft and infrastructure.

  A second raid was made at around 1430 hours. Ten of I./JG 77’s Ju 8
8s with an escort of eight or so Re 2001s from 2° Gruppo headed for the airfields. Squadron Leader J.P. Winfield led No. 126 Squadron up. One Ju 88 was shared by their CO and Pilot Officer J.G. Mejor (flying MK-P), Pilot Officer E.A. Crist damaging another. Flight Sergeant G.H.T. Farquharson destroyed an Re 2001, while a second was damaged by Sergeant A.W. Varey. During the general melee, a number of pilots fired but without being able to make any claims, while the Spitfires flown by Pilot Officer W.L. Miller and Flight Sergeant K.W.S. Evans received battle damage.

  At 1810 hours, eight of No. 249 Squadron’s Spitfires were scrambled and vectored onto twelve Ju 88s. Sixteen Mc 202s and two-dozen Bf 109s of I./JG 77 and Stab II./JG 53 were acting as escort. Scrambled too late, the Spitfires could not prevent the Ju 88s from their bombing run. Diving down to attack the Ju 88s, they got mixed up with fifteen Bf 109s. Pilot Officer F.E. Jones (flying BR324 T-R) destroyed a Bf 109 and damaged another. Both Flight Sergeant T. Parks (flying BR107 C-22) and Pilot Officer J.R.H. Paradis (flying BR110 X-C) damaged a Bf 109. Flight Sergeant L.G.C. de l’Ara’s Spitfire (flying BR347 T-Z) had been badly damaged in combat and was escorted back to Takali where he overshot the runway and crash-landed, slightly injured. The Canadian, Warrant Officer C.B. Ramsey (flying BR111 T-M) did not return, Beurling recalling:

  ‘Nobody saw what happened. When we all came home Chuck just wasn’t there.’

  The enemy over-claimed, with the Mc 202 pilots claiming two Spitfires destroyed, one destroyed by Capitano Doglio Niclot, another shared by him and other Italian pilots. The Bf 109 pilots were more ambitious and and were credited three ‘kills’: Oberleutnant Geisshardt of III./JG 77 claiming his 83rd; Unteroffizier Simon Pohlein of III./JG 77 his first; the third was attributed to Leutnant Karl-Heinz Preu of Stab/JG 53. Their victims were Warrant Officer Ramsey (flying BR111) and Flight Sergeant De l’Ara, while eight fighters from Nos. 126 and 185 Squadrons had also taken part in the general melee.