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Statistical summary, Week 11:
- Total Fighter Command Establishment: 1662 planes
- Strength: 1509 planes
- Balance: understrength 153 planes
- Losses: 12 Hurricanes, 7 Spitfires (+9 damaged), 7 unidentified to date
- Aircraft Production: 4 Beaufighters, 6 Defiants, 57 Hurricanes, 40 Spitfires
Having sung the praises of our continental allies of 1940, let us turn now to the many who came from the Dominions, in what was, in those days long past called the Empire. What the RAF had done before the war was send out a recruiting team to offer the young men of the day the chance to fly for the RAF, on short service commissions. It was a brilliant idea. The RAF managed to recruit over 200 volunteers this way, who became pilots. The RAF certainly got some star performers by casting its net so far and wide.
For instance, from New Zealand, its recruits included Alan Deere who managed more than half a dozen extraordinary hairy incidents and in the process became an outstanding ace. Then there was “Sailor” Malan from South Africa who got an amazing reputation as the best shot in Fighter Command. Both of these men were real leaders. “Sailor” Malan became an early CO of 54 Squadron.
It wasn’t just the capacity of these recruits from New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and Canada to fly and fight, they had real powers of leadership. They instilled confidence in other members of their squadrons. They didn’t want to add only to their number of kills, they minded about their compatriots and the reputation of their squadrons.
What complemented the eagerness of these young men from the Dominions, was what the RAF offered. It gave them the opportunity of flying. The Hurricane and the Spitfire were both British models of the front line fighter of the day. It was the single seater monoplane fighter, capable of 300 miles per hour plus, which became every schoolboy’s dream to fly. Coming of age, no wonder they wanted to grasp that opportunity. Furthermore, war was coming. They had all known that. They had heard from their parents what it had been like last time. Not for them a heroic death on the Somme. Not for them, all that stuff about King and Country. They were opting for a cleaner way to fight. One in which they could pit skill against skill. If you had to go, it was better to go this way than suffer all that mud and blood in the trenches. This is what attracted them.
Weather: hazy and cloudy
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours:
- Blenheim – 58
- Spitfire – 233
- Hurricane – 380
- Defiant – 19
- Gladiator – 8
- Total – 698
Potentially the most dangerous raid this day was on the Spitfire works near Southampton. Nearly 100 Supermarine workers were killed when their shelter was hit.
11 German aircraft were shot down at the loss of 4 RAF aircraft.
That night The Times offices and Blackfriars Station were hit.
73 Squadron Operational Record Book – 24 September
In the evening a dance organised for the Squadron took place in the village hall of Steeple Bumpstead at 20.00 hours. All the officers and pilot sergeants attended as did most of the other non commissioned officers. About 120 men also attended. For our enjoyment approximately 50 WAAFs from Debden were invited together with a number of local ladies and the WAAF officers from Debden. A bar was run and so popular was it that everything except beer had been sold long before 23.00 hours the time at which the dance finished. It was voted a great success but was spoilt a little by the crowded state of the room. It has been decided to hold any subsequent dance in a hut on the camp.
17 Squadron Operational Record Book – 24 September
The Squadron took off at 08:30 hours and joined 73 Squadron over base. 30 bombers were sighted over the Thames Estuary approaching London with masses of fighters above them. 17 Squadron acting as rear guard were attacked by the fighters and in the dog fight which followed FO Bird-Wilson was shot down and baled out. FO Czernin, PO Stevens and Sgt Griffiths circled over him until they saw him picked up safely by a boat off Chatham. Later it was reported that FO Bird-Wilson had been taken to the Royal Naval Hospital, Chatham, suffering from burns about the legs and face, but he is not on the danger list. PO Wissler’s a/c was hit by cannon shell and he was slightly wounded in the arm. His a/c crashed on landing at Debden. He is not seriously hurt. 10 aircraft landed safely at Debden at 09:30 hours, FO Czernin having probably destroyed 1 Me109 over the sea off Foreness and PO Pittman having damaged another.
PO D.H. Wissler Diary – 24 September
We were attacked by Me109s and having made one attack on a 109 I was making a second at four who were well above when I realised that I should stall so I levelled off. Suddenly there was a blinding flash on my port wing and I felt a hell of a blow on my left arm, and then blood running down. I went into a hell of a dive and came back to Debden. A cannon shell had hit my wing and a bit of it hit me just above the elbow and behind. The shell had blown away most of the port flap so I tried to land without flaps. I could not stop and crashed into a pile of stones just off the field, hitting my face and cutting it in two places. I was taken to Saffron Walden General Hospital. They operated but had to leave small pieces as it had penetrated the muscle.
Reported Casualties (RAF Campaign Diary 24th September 1940):
* Enemy: 7 confirmed, 8 probable, 13 damaged
* Own: Five aircraft with two pilots killed or missing.
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