Wing Commanders in the Battle of Britain

[Brian]

Hi Allan

You may be able to answer my "30 June 1940" post, where I enquire if W/C Embry led the Blenheim raid, as suggested, or was he on his way back from France?

Cheers
Brian

[Allan125]

Hi Brian

In the chapter "Home Again" he writes "Between the beginning of May and the end of July, I had witnessed at pretty close quarters the fall of France" and from the information below it would cornfirm that he was not on the 30 June 1940 raid (I had not seen your question ref. that date) as he apparently took about 2 months to get home from being shot down on 27 May 1940.

27 May 1940

107 Squadron
Blenheim IV L9391

Failed to return from a bombing sortie to St.Omer, the aircraft was shot down near the target.

W/C B Embry and P/O T Whiting baled out and were captured. Cpl. G Lang was killed.

W/C Embry escaped v Spain and Gibraltar, leaving for the UK on 27 July 1940 arriving Plymouth 28 July 1940 on HMS Vidette. 'RAF Evaders' - by Oliver Clutton-Brock, gives the same RN vessel, but states 2 August, so still way off of your 30 June request!

Strangely enough the CWGC website shows Lang as a F/Sgt http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/ca...FFREY%20EDWARD and his date of death as 28 May, but Embry writes "The idea of abandoning the aeroplane with him still in it, even although dead, was contrary to all my instincts, but what was to be done?"

"Mission Completed" is finally dedicated to "and Corporal Lang"

see also http://www.fontainebleauveteransasso.../embry-bio.htm

Allan

[Brian]

Excellent, Alan

Many thanks
Brian