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Re: Sgt. Zygmunt Klein, 234 Sqn., 15 August 1940
Hallo Mark,
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Got it ! I don't know how but it appears the circumstances around the losses of both Klein and Cleaver's aircraft have become mixed up. Thanks to you mainly, especially for the Christchurch ORB and Cleaver inputs, I believe we can solve this puzzle.
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It seems clear now from the Christchurch and 49 MU ORBs that P9363 was force-landed in a damaged state by Klein on Christchurch airfield. Also that he was then flown from there to rejoin his unit later that day at their new base at Middle Wallop and that P9363 was salvaged on the 18th by 49 MU. So far so good, but Twyford is a problem as you suggest.
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Your reference to Cleaver made me look at his loss. Indeed he seems to have been the only pilot to bale out successfully in that area of southern England on August 15th. All four locations given for his bale out and loss of his Hurricane P3232 are 8 miles apart at most. Winchester where the combat took place, Durley and Bishops Waltham over which locations he abandoned the Hurricane, and Lower Upham where he landed by parachute. All are a minimum of 25 miles from Christchurch (town).
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I then found a note about Cleaver referring to an item about him in the February 2000 issue of 'AEROPLANE (Monthly)', page 79. In the regular Aviation Art section, this time dealing with a painting by John Howard Worsley of the instant when Cleaver's perspex canopy was shattered and just before his bale out. What happened to him after that was most interesting and not in my copies of 'MEN of the BATTLE of BRITAIN' (1989 and 1993). Hence the reason I noted it. But the real gem was the line "He landed near Twyford village."
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Twyford is between Winchester and the other three locations mentioned above, actually about 2 miles south of the former. So for reasons unknown Cleaver's parachute landing site became mixed up with Klein's forced landing at Christchurch airfield.
Where exactly did Cleaver's P3232 crash I wonder ? That would be most interesting to learn ! Still another part of the puzzle to solve.
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Likewise the exact history of Klein's P9363 after 15.8.1940 is still unclear. Part of the 'AEROMILITARIA' entry seems incorrect (the 50 MU and 92 Squadron references at least).
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Many thanks Mark for helping to sort out what happened to P9363 on 15 August 1940. Great working with you !
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Regards,
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Martin.
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