A Spitfire Pilot's Story: Pat Hughes: Battle of Britain Top Gun

by Dennis Newton

  Hermann Göring and his commanders had remained in conference for most of the day. At their meetings he demanded better bomber protection from his fighters, especially for the Stukas. He also suggested that there was not much value in continuing with attacks on the RDF sites because apparently none of them had been put out of action. This decision would prove to be a costly error.

  *

  It had all happened so suddenly. ‘We’re on the move again,’ Pat had said on the phone. ‘Lock up the house and get to the White Hart. Be there, now.’6

  Kay Hughes had driven from Cornwall to meet him at the cosy little White Hart Hotel at Andover, not far from Middle Wallop airfield. It had been sad to leave the quiet seaside house near St Eval where they were to have spent their honeymoon. Pat had not even slept there a single night. He had only managed twenty-four hours’ leave before he’d had to report to the squadron again. After they were married in the Bodmin Register Office at the beginning of August, they’d had their wedding night at a hotel in Newquay and then, for some reason, he’d had to go back.

  Pat had not even been able to have a meal there. For Kay it was a lonely time. On a few occasions he had phoned ahead that he was bringing some of ‘the boys’ over, ‘put the coffee on and get out a few beers.’7 There would be a precious hour or two of fun, but then he would be gone again.

  At least at the White Hart they could be together, but it had been a ‘Black Thursday’ for 234 Squadron too. Kay knew they had lost someone and could not hide her concern. ‘Don’t be so upset,’ Pat had pleaded, ‘it’ll never happen to me.’8

  10

  16 AUGUST 1940

  German air activity overnight was limited after Thursday’s maximum effort, but incendiary bombs were dropped close to Middle Wallop aerodrome near the camp of the 18th Infantry Brigade, Australian Striking Force. There was no damage.

  Troops of the Australian 6th Division, 2nd AIF, had been diverted to England from the third troop convoy from Australia bound for the Middle East. They had disembarked at Gourock on the Clyde on 17 June 1940. Three liners, the Queen Mary, Mauretania and Empress of Canada, carried around 8,000 officers and men, and three other vessels had transported a similar number of New Zealanders.

  The following day, Major-General H. D. Wynter was appointed to command the Australian force in Britain, to be known as Australforce, as advanced units began to reach Salisbury Plain in southern England where they were to establish a base camp. The troops were transported from Gourock overnight by train. By 4.00 a.m., they were travelling through the Midlands – to pinpoint exactly where they were was impossible because the station signs had been painted over. Sometimes other troop trains passed going in the opposite direction. When they halted beside one stationary train, the Australians leaned from the windows to question the Tommies on board. One man who had recently returned from Dunkirk said he had not even seen a German soldier, only endless dive-bombers. His words gave the Australians a great deal to think about.

  Wynter’s headquarters was set up in Amesbury Abbey and Australforce was initially allocated several responsibilities: protection of Middle Wallop and Andover aerodromes from attack by German paratroops; local protection of the Salisbury Plain area; and creation of a mobile striking column in case of invasion.

  On 13 July, just after 8 a.m., the Australians had their baptism of fire when a low-flying bomber, identified as a Dornier, strafed the 18th Infantry Brigade’s camp. There was little damage and just one casualty, Private Albert Webb of the 2/10th Battalion who was wounded. He was shot through the buttock and groin. From Prospect, South Australia, Webb survived with the dubious honour of being the AIF’s first battle casualty of the Second World War.

  Recently, Wynter had received clarification of Australforce’s role. The 18th Brigade, with artillery, the machine-gun battalion and other attached troops, would become the ‘Southern Command Striking Force’, should a mobile striking force be needed. His 25th Brigade would continue in the role of local protection in the Salisbury Plain area.1

  The morning weather on Friday 16 August was fine and sunny but the Luftwaffe delayed launching attacks until 11 a.m., taking time to build some of its units which had suffered casualties back to strength. Several light raids were despatched against airfields in Norfolk, Kent and Greater London. Of these, only an attack on West Mailing airfield achieved any success.

  In France, after spending the night at Cherbourg, Bush Parker was flown to Dulag Luft at Operursel. Here the Germans interrogated him and handed him false Red Cross forms to fill in. In accordance with the Geneva Convention, the Australian gave only his number, rank and name. He was then taken to the cells.

  He would remain a prisoner until the end of the war, winding up incarcerated in Colditz Castle because of his many attempted escapes. In his book, The Latter Days of Colditz, Patrick Reid wrote of Bush Parker:

  He might equally well have been called ‘Fingers’ Parker, for his wits and hands were as quick as lightning. He learned to handle locks with consummate skill. Bush was a colourful character … Colditz would not have been quite what it was if Bush had not been there.

  Colditz was the Australian’s home for three years almost to the day. Liberated after the war, he decided to remain in the RAF having been promoted to flight lieutenant while a POW. Sadly, while serving with No. 56 Operational Training Unit at RAF Millfield, he was killed in a flying accident when his Hawker Tempest crashed at Felkington Farm, Duddo, near Berwick-upon-Tweed on 29 January 1946.2

  *

  Around 12.25 p.m., three heavy attacks built up. The first, a raid of fifty aircraft consisting of twenty-four Dornier Do 17s plus escorting Messerschmitt 109s, headed for the Thames Estuary. The second, comprising 150 aircraft, appeared off Dover while a third, estimated at one hundred aircraft, built up over Cherbourg and set course for the Portsmouth–Southampton area.

  The first raid, apparently making for Hornchurch, was intercepted by Spitfires from 54 Squadron and turned back. The second raid crossed the coast near Dover and split up into several formations. To meet these widespread threats three squadrons of RAF fighters were scrambled. British tactics were for Hurricanes to engage the bombers while the Spitfires kept the escorts busy. The two Hurricane squadrons found several groups of Dorniers and charged in, using highly dangerous head-on attacks. For 111 Squadron it was a standard tactic to break enemy formations. The Hurricanes spread out in line abreast and charged, firing wildly. Several bombers were hit but there was a wrenching collision as a Hurricane and a Dornier met at a closing speed well over 500 mph! Both planes and their dead occupants crashed in flames.

  266 Squadron found themselves trapped by Me 109s and outnumbered two to one. Five Spitfires were shot down and a sixth crash-landed near Faversham, but the bombing by the Dorniers was scattered and inaccurate.

  The third raid consisted of over 100 Junkers Ju 87 Stukas and escorting Messerschmitt 109s followed by twelve Junkers Ju 88s and a Staffel of eighteen Me 110s. Over the Isle of Wight the Stukas split into four groups, the largest continuing on to Tangmere airfield while the others headed for Ventnor, Lees-on-Solent and Gosport. The Stukas approached Tangmere from the east and peeled off for a textbook attack but 601 Squadron was airborne and intercepted. The Hurricanes dived on them at well over 400 mph but serious damage was inflicted on Tangmere. Two hangars were destroyed and the other three were damaged. The station’s workshops received direct hits. Six Blenheims of the Fighter Interception Unit (FIU) were destroyed on the ground and seven Hurricanes and one Miles Magister were damaged. Bristol Beaufighter R2055 of the FIU was damaged. It was the first night fighter of this type to be delivered to the RAF. Forty motor vehicles were either destroyed or damaged, and twenty people killed.

  At the height of the attack a burning 601 Squadron Hurricane crash-landed on the aerodrome. Before the pilot could scramble out, the plane became an inferno. Courageous ground crewmen carried him to safety but his injuries were such that he died the next day.

  As the Ju
87s tried to escape they were made to pay dearly. Many were shot down by the defending fighters. The CH radar station at Ventnor was practically flattened. Barely recovered from an attack on the 12th, it would be out of action for seven more days.

  The last raid of Ju 88s and Me 110s headed for another naval airfield at Gosport. The force was met by three Hurricanes of 249 Squadron. The British fighters were overwhelmed by the escorting Messerschmitts.

  In the late afternoon Kesselring’s Luftflotte 2 and Sperrle’s Luftflotte 3 launched three major bombing raids combined with ‘free chases’ by Messerschmitt 109s.

  It was 65 Squadron’s turn to operate from Manston. Near Deal they sighted sixty Ju 88s in close lines of six abreast 2,000 feet higher up. Around these were an estimated 200 German fighters. Deciding that it was impossible to attack the bombers, 65 Squadron climbed to a favourable position to engage the fighters. A twisting dogfight developed but suddenly the radio warned that enemy aircraft were over Chatham so some Spitfires set off in that direction. The same large formation of enemy bombers was still pressing relentlessly.

  Eight Me 109s paid Manston yet another visit. They hurtled across the airfield, raking buildings and parked aircraft with cannon and machine-gun fire. One Spitfire and a 600 Squadron Blenheim night fighter were destroyed and a second Blenheim damaged.

  The Hurricanes of 32 Squadron were airborne for their fourth patrol and at 5.30 p.m., over Biggin Hill, they encountered over thirty Ju 88s escorted by Me 110s, all flying in the opposite direction. They sprayed as many bombers as they could with bullets until their ammunition was used up. After their four patrols the squadron was able to claim nine enemy aircraft destroyed.

  The twelve Spitfires of 234 Squadron were scrambled again at 5.25 p.m. and Pat was Cressy leader. At 6.15 p.m. they were patrolling south of the Isle of Wight when Pat spotted about fifty Me 109s circling 4,000 feet above. They were in a dangerous position. Ordering his sections into line astern, he led them up to attack. The 109s formed a circle. Pat fired a deflection shot at the nearest which was on the tail of another Spitfire. It immediately caught fire and blew up in front of them.

  Suddenly his plane was jolted and, reacting quickly, he threw it into a sharp turn to find a 109 on his tail. Pat chased after it as it tried to climb away right in front of him. This only succeeded in presenting the Australian with an easy target. His burst struck the 109 behind the cockpit and the German fighter burst into flames and crashed into the sea. Immediately afterwards Pat found four Ju 87s heading south and set off in pursuit. As he attacked, his Spitfire shuddered again as its tailplane was heavily damaged by cannon fire from yet another Messerschmitt. His Spitfire went into a dive and his attacker overshot. Pat was able to turn onto its tail and fire but after only a quarter of a second his machine guns fell silent. Out of ammunition! He broke away and fortunately his Spitfire was still flyable. He’d had a lucky escape.

  Back at Middle Wallop Pat was credited with two Me 109s destroyed. After inspection his plane, Spitfire R6896, was pronounced able to be repaired. The squadron claimed six destroyed altogether for the loss of two, but this time both of the pilots were safe. Credited with victories besides Pat were Bob Doe with an Me 109 and a stray Dornier Do 18 he’d encountered low over the Channel; Pat Horton (the New Zealander from Dunedin who had been partly educated at the Hutchings School in Hobart), one Me 109; and Zygmunt ‘Ziggy’ Klein, another of the new Polish pilots, one more Me 109. Dewhurst had bailed out over Gosport and landed safely near Widley, and Connor had parachuted over the sea during a dogfight with 109s off Portsmouth. He was rescued by a naval launch and taken to Haslar Naval Hospital. He would not be returning to the squadron as he would remain there in hospital for two months – but at least he was safe.3

  Nightfall brought much needed rest for both sides. After ‘Stand Down’ at Biggin Hill, the pilots on learning that two captured German aviators were being held prisoner in the guard room decided to entertain them. They were brought into the mess for a drink. At first one German remained aloof and somewhat angry because he, an officer, had been imprisoned under the command of a sergeant of the RAF police. After a few drinks he began to relax.

  The airmen of 266 Squadron at Hornchurch were not in the mood for celebration. They had lost five Spitfires and a sixth was badly damaged. The commanding officer and two others had been killed and two more injured.

  At Middle Wallop, although 234 Squadron had been shaken up by the events of the past two days, in the bar of the White Hart the pilots were tired but full of bravado: ‘Good show, Pat! How many did you get today?’4 Pat had been affected more than he showed. His plane had been shot up, and he had missed death by inches. That night privately to Kay he said as if joking, ‘In case of accidents make sure you marry again.’5

  Across the Channel, the Luftwaffe was licking its wounds too. Replacement aircraft and personnel were urgently needed. After the maximum effort and strenuous combat of the last few days, the crews needed rest. Because of this German night raids were greatly reduced.

  In contrast, RAF Bomber Command was very active overnight. One hundred and fifty bombers were dispatched to targets in Germany and Holland.

  11

  18 AUGUST 1940

  It was 1.59 p.m. when Poling RDF station near Littlehampton on the south coast picked up the first echoes. They were coming from north of Cherbourg. Soon a slow-moving formation estimated at a strength of ‘eighty plus’ was reported incoming – obviously the bombers. There were smaller groups of ‘twenty plus’, ‘twelve plus’ and ‘nine plus’ moving along with it. Another formation of ‘ten plus’ aircraft was plotted coming from Le Havre. The smaller ones had to be the escorting fighters. Altogether, the RDF operators estimated that the incoming raid was made up of about 150 aircraft. They were wrong. Within minutes these plots were passed through the Fighter Command filter room and then to the operations rooms of the commands defending England’s south coast: No. 10 Group at Box in Wiltshire and No. 11 Group at Uxbridge in Middlesex. It looked like the raiders might be moving towards the Solent to repeat the attack made on Tangmere airfield two days ago when the Stukas had caused so much damage.

  To meet the threat, the two fighter group controllers now sprang into action to deploy their squadrons. In the No. 10 Group area:

  152 Squadron from Warmwell with eleven Spitfires was ordered to patrol over Portsmouth and wait for instructions;

  From Exeter, 213 Squadron with twelve Hurricanes was ordered to move eighty miles to the east and patrol over St Catherine’s point; and 234 Squadron up from Middle Wallop with twelve Spitfires was directed to move south of the Isle of Wight to meet the incoming raiders.

  In addition, 609 Squadron’s twelve Spitfires were to remain on the ground in reserve at Middle Wallop, their pilots waiting impatiently for an order to scramble.

  In No. 11 Group’s area, eleven Hurricanes from 601 Squadron from Tangmere were already airborne on patrol over their home base. To reinforce them:

  Nine Hurricanes from 43 Squadron, which was also based at Tangmere, were scrambled and ordered to patrol over the Coastal Command airfield at Thorney Island and await instructions.

  602 Squadron with twelve Spitfires was instructed to patrol over its base at Westhampnett. After five days almost continuously at readiness for sixteen hours per day, this squadron had been released from operations for the afternoon, but just as the pilots were settling down to relax they were ordered to take off again as soon as possible! Now they too were waiting for the next instructions.

  *

  The weather that Sunday had been fine early on, but as the day progressed it clouded over. Fighter Command had already been busy although not in 10 Group’s area. At first, the Luftwaffe had sent over a few high-flying reconnaissance aircraft to check on conditions and discover which RAF forward airfields were still occupied by fighters. The real action had started just after midday in the south-east when Dover RDF reported a huge build-up of enemy aircraft.

  No. 11 Group brough
t every serviceable fighter to ‘Readiness’. Airfields to the south and south-east of London were being targeted. These included Kenley, Croydon, West Malling and Biggin Hill. The intention of the Luftwaffe was to deliver a one-two punch in their attacks. Trying to catch the defences by surprise, two groups of bombers, one flying at medium altitude and a smaller formation coming in fast and low, were to hit the targeted airfields almost simultaneously. Fighters still on the ground at Kenley were ordered off in a ‘survival scramble’. Aircraft able to fly but not fight were directed northwest to safety. Twelve Hurricanes from 111 Squadron already airborne from Croydon were ordered to assemble over Kenley and provide cover.

  The German plan miscued. Two raids of escorted Dornier Do 17s came in at 1.30 p.m., but the fifty bombers at medium altitude meant to strike first were late. 111 Squadron intercepted the low formation and a frantic full-throttle chase ensued. German and British aircraft all hurtled into the light flak and machine-gun fire from the airfield’s defences. One Hurricane was hit – return fire from Dornier gunners or flak, who could tell? It crashed. The other Hurricanes hastily broke away to clear the ground fire and sped to the northern side of the airfield to catch the bombers as they emerged. One Dornier attracted concentrated anti-aircraft crossfire and crashed. A second bomber fell too and most of the others suffered damage. When the Dorniers cleared the flak, 111 Squadron swept in again. A frenzied low-level chase began. More were shot down until, one by one, the British fighters ran out of ammunition and turned back. Three Hurricanes were lost.