Mission Date: 19th July 1940
Name: Grey
Rank: Uofr.
Unit: 5./JG26
Aircraft: 109E3
Markings: Black 1 / ace of spades
Aerodrome: Marquise
Pilot Status: OK
Aircraft Status: Lost
Victory Claims:
14:03 Pas de Calais/ Defiant / confirmed by Zap
14:06 Pas de Calais/ Defiant / confirmed by Zap
14:19 Manston / Hurricane/ no confirmation
14:20 Manston / Hurricane/ no confirmation
14:25 East of Manston/Spitfire/ confirmed by Need
This was going to be an quiet day, fighter sweep over the channel, I didn’t even knew the Tommie’s had any birds left according to Goering.
The mighty 5th staffel took off as last attachment for the 26th, but as soon we hit the sky, it looked like Berlin during rush hour. We as 2nd swarm couldn’t find our way through the traffic jam, it looked like Goering had send an armada up there to keep the channel clear. Lucky for us we had our schwarm fuhrer who’s a condor legion veteran and he took care of the situation, like an eagle looking over her baby chicks!
The first attack order came in; Interceptors on their way to our Europe without any real fighter escort. Our vet went in first, suddenly I saw black smoke and a flash and lost contact over our schwarm fuhrer, not sure what happened. But the war must go on, so the rest of us went in and finished them off, Zap and myself got 2 Tommies burning, 4 in total. After this event I saw no more contacts. The others must‘ve ditched, even my swarm had split, no answer over the comms neither, except a bloke from Beieren who was with us on his first mission. Not sure where to go, I decided we should rendezvous at Cap-gris-nez at 4k. so we did. We changed our R/T to the next channel and found out that 1 schwarm was fighting over Manston, so back in business! The chap from Beieren and me were on our way, but we lost each other due to the heavy radio chatter on the channel of the scharm 1… once over Manston I picked up 2 Tommies who were flying like they were in a JU-52 at around 4k making a right hand turn. So, I got cocky and picked on the wingman, fired until all sorts of fluids where leaking, fired some rounds on the leader, got him too and I dived to the deck before they called in the cavalry! Once on the deck I found a 109 being chased by a Spit, I had the advantage of energy and went in. first I got his radiator so he turned around, (since we were over sea and he had to land) so I followed and I gave him some more candy’s until his engine stalled. By this time he called for his mommy and she came down at me with her broom until my engine popped as well… I ditched right next to my prey. Lucky me I only took a nasty bullet to my head, (I eat them for breakfast these days) so I was able to swim to a German S-boat who was nearby, what are the odds to that?! I saw the fella who I brought down swimming to his people, he looked back and I saluted him with what was left of my arm! Next time pilgrim I yelled, next time… He yelled something back, but his voice faded away in the the engine roar of the S-boat. The boat took me back to France and for now I’m in the sick bay looking for a butcher to take one or more .303 rounds out of my body.
After combat report at Marquise