Re: Adlerangriff. Mission 28: 15th August
Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 11:01 am
Squadron: No. 501 "County of Gloucester" Squadron
Squadron Code: TP
Pilot Name: Wing Co Prickman. Callsign "Osprey"
Date: 15th Aug 1940
Base: Gravesend
Type: Hawker Hurricane Ia 100 Oct
Marking: P for Pip
Serial: V6620
"Send them in Audrey" I said to my secretary. I was leaning forwards with elbows on the mahogony desk fiddling with a fountain pen as the enlisted men were marched in by an armed RAF Regiment sergeant. A thud as they stood to attention and grabbed their caps sharply looking dead ahead. The LAC looked at me briefly, I winced as he was caught by the Sergeant who yelled in his ear, his voice cracking from volume "Attention in front of the Wing Commander means ATTENTION!". He shuddered. "Thank you sergeant, that will be all". "Sar" he drill marched over to the door. I stood up and leaned toward the pair and paused, then my outburst "What the bloody hell do you think you are playing at?". "We have a war, a WAR, with Germany and you pair of clots are larking about on RAF equipment. I had a whole squadron waiting for an incoming raid and you are clowning around. Not to mention that you destroyed one of His Majesty's latest fighters but you allowed just one more Jerry bomber through into this fine country to drop his bombs onto our people". "The Hurricane was built to take cannons from Jerry's but not bloody trucks from our own bloody forces." I sat down and pondered on what to do with them, reminding them of the severity of their actions, "Court martial would have you in irons for some time, but there's a war on and we need young men. I haven't the time to go through the military court, you are lucky that this is a satellite station and I can keep things hush hush". I called in Audrey, "Would you see to it that these men are to be barracked without any leave and an increase in their shift of an additional 2 hours per day until the end of October, and they are on report to their duty officer. Put it in the record as an incident which doesn't require a Court Martial would you please. Oh and I want to see their reports afterwards". Turning to the delinquents I sternly said "I hope that this incident will have a positive effect on you both. Any blot on this record will see you retrained in an ack ack unit on the front line. Now get out." The sergeant took over, shouting loudly, "You heard the Wing Commander, attention, leeeeft tun, lift, roight, lift roight...." as they marched out. Then I telephoned Kenley to speak to Spud "I need you to lead No.615 today old bean, if Jerry wakes up today and you have a couple of my chaps there just get them into action from your fitters there would you. Carry on."
I walked out onto the aerodrome, a lovely afternoon. "I say, Mauf, pop over to Kenley with somebody would you, I lost a navigation bet with the chaps from No.64 and owe them 4 crates of Badgers Bollocks. Pop them in the back and wing it over please, and bring back some of that single malt they have there too, there's a good chap". Mauf was clearly annoyed by this, not that I'd sent him to do the chore, but because he would have to face the brylcreem boys for himself and take the flak for a bet I lost. A tough bugger though, would definitely be able to hand it back to them.
At 1700 the day was spoiled as Uxbridge called the whole wing to readiness. Ground crews scrurried about, I saw the two I'd just torn a strip off busting their guts carrying oil cans to Dave's crate whilst being shouted at by Chiefy. Good show, that'll teach the clots I thought to myself. Shortly we were on the strip all warmed up and ready to roll having been ordered on patrols across the whole Kent and Sussex coasts. Hundreds of Jerry's coming in, I had to spread No.64 thin and assign a section to each flight of Hurricanes in Kenley Wing. Mandrel would cover the east coast, Panta the south to Rye. We didn't get to patrol, the enemy was on us by the time we hit Dover but I had us a few thousand feet above the rotters. "Tally Ho! Head on attack" I called on the RT as I led A flight into the bastards. Lining up the port of the formation I fired a good squirt into a jackbooted dive bomber observing strikes from his engine to canopy, it shattered as the brownings rattled and found their mark. I climbed and looked over me shoulder and he was sporting a new oil and fluid leak with a small fire wheeling down and right away from the formation. As his dive steepened I knew I had killed the crew outright "Two more portions of sausage at their mess tent" I exclaimed on the RT, "Good shooting red leader" said PO Sabre. I claim this Stuka as destroyed The large group headed up toward Manston accompanied by Bf109's and a huge fight broke out. I caught a 109 who had missed his mark and zoom climbed, but the fantastic Hurricane was designed for just such a situation and with my first class RAF training I closed the gap on him rapidly letting loose a full squirt into the Hun scoundrel. His machine rocked as I struck the invader hard rendering his machine useless for further warfare and he made his desperate attempt to get back home "He'll never make it" I muttered to myself. I claim this Me109 as probable. I fought off 3 Me109's at angels 15 over Manston alone, they had red numbers, these where the Huns of II./JG26, the 6th staffel, and fast gaining reputation in the RAF. I must've struck one of their pals and now they wanted me. Not gaining advantage I seperated from them by losing height and got away to the west before climbing again over Margate. Coming back into the action I spotted Manston guns firing at raiders below, heading west. I dived in and saw another Hurricane chasing. Bf-110's. "Cheeky sods" I said. I had a lot of speed and caught up easily, firing on one of them rupturing his starboard engine "Not so fast Fritz" I said. I began to work with the other Hurricane, I had to break sharply as the monster sized raider fired, deadly cannons from the nose whipped past me, I was scratched a little but the Hurricane was designed for this very kind of fight and I soon turned the tables shooting out his engine before running out of ammunition and breaking away. Meanwhile I witnessed the other Hurricane deal the ace of spades to his comrade and both had their engines give up well away from safety where they both went in. I claim 2 shared Bf-110's with the other Hurricane.
I set for Gravesend and put in on 3 points before walking straight into the bar to warn the staff that a fire engine may be needed for tonight as No.501 had hit Jerry for six and we were keen to burn a few pianos.
Claims
Destroyed
1/2 Bf110
1/2 Bf110
1 Stuka
Probable
1 Bf109
AC and pilot in fine form.
Squadron Code: TP
Pilot Name: Wing Co Prickman. Callsign "Osprey"
Date: 15th Aug 1940
Base: Gravesend
Type: Hawker Hurricane Ia 100 Oct
Marking: P for Pip
Serial: V6620
"Send them in Audrey" I said to my secretary. I was leaning forwards with elbows on the mahogony desk fiddling with a fountain pen as the enlisted men were marched in by an armed RAF Regiment sergeant. A thud as they stood to attention and grabbed their caps sharply looking dead ahead. The LAC looked at me briefly, I winced as he was caught by the Sergeant who yelled in his ear, his voice cracking from volume "Attention in front of the Wing Commander means ATTENTION!". He shuddered. "Thank you sergeant, that will be all". "Sar" he drill marched over to the door. I stood up and leaned toward the pair and paused, then my outburst "What the bloody hell do you think you are playing at?". "We have a war, a WAR, with Germany and you pair of clots are larking about on RAF equipment. I had a whole squadron waiting for an incoming raid and you are clowning around. Not to mention that you destroyed one of His Majesty's latest fighters but you allowed just one more Jerry bomber through into this fine country to drop his bombs onto our people". "The Hurricane was built to take cannons from Jerry's but not bloody trucks from our own bloody forces." I sat down and pondered on what to do with them, reminding them of the severity of their actions, "Court martial would have you in irons for some time, but there's a war on and we need young men. I haven't the time to go through the military court, you are lucky that this is a satellite station and I can keep things hush hush". I called in Audrey, "Would you see to it that these men are to be barracked without any leave and an increase in their shift of an additional 2 hours per day until the end of October, and they are on report to their duty officer. Put it in the record as an incident which doesn't require a Court Martial would you please. Oh and I want to see their reports afterwards". Turning to the delinquents I sternly said "I hope that this incident will have a positive effect on you both. Any blot on this record will see you retrained in an ack ack unit on the front line. Now get out." The sergeant took over, shouting loudly, "You heard the Wing Commander, attention, leeeeft tun, lift, roight, lift roight...." as they marched out. Then I telephoned Kenley to speak to Spud "I need you to lead No.615 today old bean, if Jerry wakes up today and you have a couple of my chaps there just get them into action from your fitters there would you. Carry on."
I walked out onto the aerodrome, a lovely afternoon. "I say, Mauf, pop over to Kenley with somebody would you, I lost a navigation bet with the chaps from No.64 and owe them 4 crates of Badgers Bollocks. Pop them in the back and wing it over please, and bring back some of that single malt they have there too, there's a good chap". Mauf was clearly annoyed by this, not that I'd sent him to do the chore, but because he would have to face the brylcreem boys for himself and take the flak for a bet I lost. A tough bugger though, would definitely be able to hand it back to them.
At 1700 the day was spoiled as Uxbridge called the whole wing to readiness. Ground crews scrurried about, I saw the two I'd just torn a strip off busting their guts carrying oil cans to Dave's crate whilst being shouted at by Chiefy. Good show, that'll teach the clots I thought to myself. Shortly we were on the strip all warmed up and ready to roll having been ordered on patrols across the whole Kent and Sussex coasts. Hundreds of Jerry's coming in, I had to spread No.64 thin and assign a section to each flight of Hurricanes in Kenley Wing. Mandrel would cover the east coast, Panta the south to Rye. We didn't get to patrol, the enemy was on us by the time we hit Dover but I had us a few thousand feet above the rotters. "Tally Ho! Head on attack" I called on the RT as I led A flight into the bastards. Lining up the port of the formation I fired a good squirt into a jackbooted dive bomber observing strikes from his engine to canopy, it shattered as the brownings rattled and found their mark. I climbed and looked over me shoulder and he was sporting a new oil and fluid leak with a small fire wheeling down and right away from the formation. As his dive steepened I knew I had killed the crew outright "Two more portions of sausage at their mess tent" I exclaimed on the RT, "Good shooting red leader" said PO Sabre. I claim this Stuka as destroyed The large group headed up toward Manston accompanied by Bf109's and a huge fight broke out. I caught a 109 who had missed his mark and zoom climbed, but the fantastic Hurricane was designed for just such a situation and with my first class RAF training I closed the gap on him rapidly letting loose a full squirt into the Hun scoundrel. His machine rocked as I struck the invader hard rendering his machine useless for further warfare and he made his desperate attempt to get back home "He'll never make it" I muttered to myself. I claim this Me109 as probable. I fought off 3 Me109's at angels 15 over Manston alone, they had red numbers, these where the Huns of II./JG26, the 6th staffel, and fast gaining reputation in the RAF. I must've struck one of their pals and now they wanted me. Not gaining advantage I seperated from them by losing height and got away to the west before climbing again over Margate. Coming back into the action I spotted Manston guns firing at raiders below, heading west. I dived in and saw another Hurricane chasing. Bf-110's. "Cheeky sods" I said. I had a lot of speed and caught up easily, firing on one of them rupturing his starboard engine "Not so fast Fritz" I said. I began to work with the other Hurricane, I had to break sharply as the monster sized raider fired, deadly cannons from the nose whipped past me, I was scratched a little but the Hurricane was designed for this very kind of fight and I soon turned the tables shooting out his engine before running out of ammunition and breaking away. Meanwhile I witnessed the other Hurricane deal the ace of spades to his comrade and both had their engines give up well away from safety where they both went in. I claim 2 shared Bf-110's with the other Hurricane.
I set for Gravesend and put in on 3 points before walking straight into the bar to warn the staff that a fire engine may be needed for tonight as No.501 had hit Jerry for six and we were keen to burn a few pianos.
Claims
Destroyed
1/2 Bf110
1/2 Bf110
1 Stuka
Probable
1 Bf109
AC and pilot in fine form.