Pilots 1 Squadron 17 June 1940

[MarkRS]

According to Norman Hancock there were six 1 Squadron pilots in action over the Lancastria on 17 June 1940.
I have Hancock, Berry and Goodman. Can anyone confirm the other 3?

Mark.

[timothy]

Strange that no book that I have notes more than 3 pilots - & only the names of two??

Norman Hancock............not Patrick??

= Tim

[MarkRS]

Hi Tim,
Actually his full name seems to be: Norman Patrick Watkins Hancock.
He did an interview for the Imperial War Museum which you can find here: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80009900
In it he mentions that there were 6 pilots patrolling.
Brian Cull gave me the other 3 names:
Peter Boot, Peter Matthews, and Bob Rutter.
They would have been in 2 groups of 3, Berry leading one of them. I have no idea who was leading the other, or how the other pilots were distributed.

Mark

[Chris Goss]

N P W Hancock was always known as Pat. He was Sec of the BofB Fighter Association. Thoroughly nice chap long gone & sadly missed.

[timothy]

He & Pete were my best friends.

So strange no mention in books.

= Tim

[MarkRS]

I guess he liked Pat better than Norm. Someone should enlighten the IWM.
Chris , I envy you meeting him, he sounds like a nice guy on the interview.
Tim, great pictures. Can you name everyone in the first one? I can get some of them by comparison with the second one. BTW, from which book is the second picture and what date is the first?

Mark

[timothy]

Names - all in the 2nd photo? Ignoring Kuttelwasher & Novak.Here's a better one.

Book. No 1 Squadron by Michael Shaw. But here it is from sqn archives.

Pat - a nice photo of him plus a fly past by us & 226.

= Tim

PS 17th October, 1940 at Wittering.

OK??

PPS - oh, note Bill Berry in the text - has to be Fred??

[MarkRS]

563426 Flight Sergeant Frederick George Berry


While checking this detail I found another reference to a downed German at the time of the Lancastria:

Public Record Air 2/9456

This NCO has been with the squadron since the beginning of the war in September 1939 and has taken part in many of the combats of the squadron. Since the middle of May 1940, when the experienced members of the squadron were replaced by newcomers, he has led Sections on many occasions and often led his Flight on patrols and in combats against the enemy. On 17th June 1940, whilst leading a Section on patrol over St. Nazaire to cover the embarkation of the BEF, he attacked and shot down an enemy bomber which was about to attack one of the troop ships. Another member of his Section also forced down another bomber from the same formation.

Mark

[timothy]

Amazing what perseverance can produce?

[MarkRS]

There are now three strong references to a JU88 being forced down, not shot down. Air 2/9456, Neil Campbell, and George Goodman who did the forcing. There are other, less credible references as well. The question is, why is there no corresponding German loss?

Mark