No 1 Squadron combat. 05/06/1940

[Bernard]

Good afternoon,

Here is a combat report from S/Ldr Pemberton C.O No 1 Squadron to 67 Fighter Wing Servicing Unit HQ:

DAILY OPERATIONAL SUMMARY. 5/6/40.

The 11 aircraft wich remained at THELMA overnight took off at 05.50 hours to patrol on a line west of ROUEN at 15,000 feet. At 06.00 hours, before reaching patrol height, large formations of Enemy Bombers were seen at 12,000 feet ( approximately 60 escorted by a large number of M.E.110s, above and behind to the sun.

‘B’ Flight ( 6 a/c ) remarks._
‘ B’ Flight made an echelon attack on 2 formations of Heinkels 111. One enemy aircraft turned on it’s back and dropped. One own aircraft ( F/O. Hillcoat ) force landed with bullet through radiator, this aircraft caught fire but pilot was not prevented from force landing. One own aircraft ( Sgt. Arbuthnot ) force landed with radiator shot away. One own aircraft ( P/O. Lindsell ) force landed near DEAUVILLE and returned to THELMA. The other three aircraft landed at THELMA, one with petrol and oil tank
Shot through, another crashed on landing, the other landed OK.

‘A’ Flight ( 5 a/c ) remarks._
‘A’ Flight separated from ‘B’ when attack commenced. When about to attack bombers, they were themselves attacked by about 20 M.E 110s ; the formation broke up and a series of dog fights ensued. Enemy fighters were avoided and our pilots looked for straggling bombers. F/Lt Brown eventually attacked a D.O.17 over AMIENS, followed enemy aircraft from 20,000 to 5,000 feet, then broke off attack after rear gunner had ceased firing and each engine had been fired at until white smoke and oil came from them. P/O Shepherd reported to have crashed in flames. P/O Browne fired at 2 Heinkels , result not known, but tracer seen to find target. F/O Matthews climbed into the sun and attacked single straggling Heinkel at about 19,000 feet. Enemy aircraft dived and Matthews followed down to 14,000 feet , when both engines of enemy aircraft had stopped and rear gunner had ceased firing. The enemy aircraft being crippled and
obviously forced to land, Matthews broke away and then attacked another straggler at 8,000 feet, wich had only one engine working, fired two short bursts with deflection shots and saw bullets enter target, the rear gunner did not fire at all, he then broke away.
P/O Boot looked round for stragglers and found a Heinkel and did No 1 attack on it, disabling rear gunner and putting one engine out of action ; afterwards climbed and put a burst into other engine. The enemy aircraft was obviously disabled and started to glide down. He then broke away and attacked D.O.17 and disabled it’ s starboard engine, then made an attack on a second D.O.17 but through lack of ammunition was unable to complete the attack. He then dived down and overlooked the Heinkel wich was making a force landing in a field between THELMA and ROUEN ( 5 miles east of ROUEN ; two occupants only were seen to leave the a/c on the ground ).

5 a/c ( 1 of ‘B’ Flight, 4 of ‘A’ Flight ) later returned to base.

Source. NA AIR 50/1 p 244.

THELMA was the code name for ROUEN-BOOS.

Could anyone identify the concerned Luftwaffe units and let me know about their actual losses ?

Many thanks.

Bernard.