There is more to this -General Sir Frank Pile visited the Nettlestone guns on the Isle of Wight in October 1943 and was photographed with them, and also with the fuselage cross of the 109 destroyed that day. I also believe the gun crew received awards at about the same time. The guns were 5.25 inch calibre (c 130mm) and thus substantial range. The battery had been provided with radar predictors earlier that year, and according to a surviving member it was used to stunning effect that evening. Weather that day was wonderful and visibility unlimited. Thousands saw the three Messerschmitts. There is quite a lot about it on the Internet. Perhaps the most immediately relevant is the website of an artist who saw the incident as a very young child (but remembered it), and whose brother, aged c 17, sought out and found the wings which were torn off at the roots, otherwise unmarked. Enough of me -look for
www.warbirdart.demon.co.uk, and then on the left panel seek 'The Nettlestone Guns incredible seven mile shot' and also, in the section 'Echoes of the Home Front' in the same panel, the stories indexed as Jonzonline 8, and Jonzonline 11. Interestingly the webmaster (John Howard Worsley), notes of the day 'I have discovered press reports of that evening which mention another enemy aircraft which was intercepted by british fighters and fell into the sea off Portsmouth...' Frustratingly he does not cite chapter and verse, but they are probably local and thus could be sought in the Newspaper Lib rary at Colindale.
Pile would not have been involved if the gunners claim had been doubtful. This and the reference to a further GAF loss that day does, I think, strengthen the case of the Nettlestone Gunners and unless there is pretty good direct
contemporary evidence to the contray they should have it.
Best
Chris Going