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Re: 23rd May 1940
Part 2a,
To recap some salient points in the AE article.
Peter Hearn the author states that Strange was sent to Merville with a party of airmen. They found, as Alex has mentioned already, 15 unserviceable Hurricanes and proceeded to make flyable at least two. The German Army was quite near the airfield.
That day - whatever day it was - P/O Linney was shot down by Bf 109s 'immediately over their heads'. He baled out and landed safely on the airfield, was given one of the now-flyable Hurricanes and departed quickly.
That afternoon with the German Army only 500 yards from the airfield Strange sent his party off with a retreating British army unit. He then took off in another flyable Hurricane. It is clear from the article that only TWO Hurricanes were flown out of Merville. The first by Linney and the second by Strange. If this is correct it probably explains why the name of the third pilot cannot be found.
Martin.
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