The Second World War resulted in the deaths of around 85 million people. Additionally, tens of millions more people were displaced. However, amid all the carnage people demonstrated remarkable courage, fortitude, compassion, mercy and sacrifice. We would like to honour and celebrate all of those people. In the War Years Blog, we examine the extraordinary experiences of individual service personnel. We also review military history books, events, and museums. And we look at the history of unique World War Two artefacts, medals, and anything else of interest.
Spitfire September
In this post, we review a Spitfire September. First, we take a look at the new Spitfire documentary film. Next, the Battle of Britain Air Show at IWM Duxford, and finally, John Nichol’s book, Spitfire: a Very British Love Story. Tally-Ho!
The 15th of September is Battle of Britain day. It commemorates a turning point in the struggle for aerial supremacy in the skies over Britain fought by the RAF and German Luftwaffe during the summer and autumn of 1940. German daylight raids would eventually cease by the end of October, and Operation Sealion, the German codename for the amphibious invasion of southern England, would be cancelled. It was Nazi Germany’s first significant defeat. A victory won by a handful of daring pilots from across the globe and two iconic aircraft: the Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire. However, one aircraft would go on to capture the hearts and imagination of the nation. Since 1940, the Spitfire has become an enduring symbol of courage, fortitude, ingenuity and Britishness.
Spitfire – Inspiration of a Nation
My own little September love affair with the Spitfire started with the release of the documentary film Spitfire – Inspiration of a Nation, directed by David Fairhead and Ant Palmer. Narrated by Charles Dance, the film is a biography of both the aircraft and the men and women who flew it. The original music score by composer Chris Roe and mesmerising aerial photography by director John Dibbs work beautifully together. The film was the last onscreen interview given by Battle of Britain fighter pilot and author Geoffrey Wellum, DFC. The film is also the last testament of Mary Ellis, who flew 76 different types of aircraft during the war as part of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA). Ferrying aircraft between factories and operational squadrons, the ATA played a vital support role. During her career, Mary delivered over 400 Spitfires safely to their destinations. The film also features a sound recording of aero engineer and chief designer of the Spitfire, R.J. Mitchell, who died of cancer before his creation went into service. Spitfire is a great piece of documentary film-making, and definitely worth the purchase price.
Battle of Britain Air Show
The last event to mark the centenary of the RAF’s first 100 years, the Battle of Britain Air Show was held at the IWM Duxford on the 22nd and 23rd of September, 2018. Unfortunately, the weather on Saturday was extremely challenging with heavy, persistent rain all afternoon. Nevertheless, the event organisers, aircraft owners and pilots did an excellent job. The show told the history of the RAF from its founding at the end of World War One to the modern day. Highlights of the display included two de Havilland Vampire jets, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster), a 617 Squadron flypast (Tornado GR4, new F-35 Lightning II and Avro Lancaster) and the Red Arrows. The show closed with a formation of 18 Spitfires. We also got to see iconic warbirds such as the P-51D Mustang, Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, Catalina seaplane, Westland Lysander and Soviet Yak 3. Sadly, the MiG-15 was not able to fly due to adverse weather conditions. The Battle of Britain Air Show was a very impressive event, and one I would highly recommend. There’s nothing like seeing 18 Spitfires take to the sky, and listening to the combined roar of all those Merlin and Griffon engines.
Spitfire: a Very British Love Story
Finally, I finished my Spitfire September by reading John Nichol’s book Spitfire: a Very British Love Story. A former RAF pilot, John Nichol knows a thing or two about aerial combat. During the 1991 Gulf War, he was shot down, captured and tortured by Iraqi forces. His book examines the Spitfire’s origins and continued development during the war years when the threat from new enemy aircraft demanded constant innovation. When the Spitfire was finally retired from RAF service in 1957 there had been 47 variants including the Fleet Air Arm’s Seafires. However, the book is really a collection of stories about the different roles the Spitfire played in the lives of frontline pilots such as Allan Scott and Hugh ‘Cocky’ Dundas, and ATA pilots like Diana Barnato Walker. Sadly, unlike the beloved Spitfire, the veterans of the conflict do not endure. John Nichol interviewed around 40 veterans over a three-year period of research and writing his book. By the time it was published only three were still with us. Soon the “greatest generation” will be gone forever, but while Spitfires continue to fly, let us hope they will never be forgotten.
Fragments of Triumph and Tragedy
In this blog, we look at two fragments of World War Two aviation history, one a German Luftwaffe Bf-109E-3 and the other a Royal Air Force Spitfire Mk.Vb. We learn how one pilot was to survive a short, brutal dogfight and how the other was to die and only receive a proper burial 70 years later.
Britain stands alone
After the invasion and occupation of France by Nazi Germany between May and June 1940, Britain stands alone. In July 1940, the struggle for air supremacy over the British Isles begins. The Battle of Britain will last three and a half months. Initially, the German Luftwaffe (air force) attacks dockyards and British shipping in the English Channel. The Royal Air Force (RAF), equipped with fewer fighters, seems hopelessly outmatched. However, the RAF does have some advantages. Thanks to Hugh Dowding, head of Fighter Command, Britain possesses the world’s first truly integrated air defence system including radar technology. As well as knowing when and where the enemy will strike, Dowding ensures Fighter Command is equipped with Hurricanes and Spitfires to intercept them. The RAF also enjoys home advantage while German aircraft operate at the extreme of their range.
The last flight of Lt. Albert Striberny
On 8 July 1940, just as the Battle of Britain is about to begin, Leutnant Albert Striberny, 3/LG2 (3 Staffel/Lehrgeschwader2), is sitting in his Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3 (work no. 2964). It’s early evening, and Lt. Striberny thinks he’s done for the day. Instead, his Staffel is ordered to escort a Dornier 17 (Do 17) on a reconnaissance mission over Dover. Once over the target, the Spitfires of 54 Squadron jump the Staffel.
Striberny manoeuvres his Bf 109 behind a Spitfire only to discover another one is on his tail. It isn’t much of a fight. He hears a sound like someone throwing peas against a metal sheet and the cockpit fills with black smoke. Covered in aviation fuel, Striberny prepares to bail out, but he’s worried about hitting the tailplane when he makes his escape. Finally, he slides open the cockpit canopy, flips the plane over, releases his straps and drops out. The parachute opens; he floats gently to earth and is immediately taken, prisoner. His Bf 109 doesn’t do so well. It crashes, disintegrating on impact, at Buckland Farm, Sandwich, Kent. One of the few recognisable pieces is the tail section with the unit’s Micky Mouse insignia. 78 years later, almost to the day, I picked up a piece of that Bf 109E-3 at Flying Legends.
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Tragic accident
Spitfire AR403 was an Mk Vb built by Westland Aircraft under licence. The aircraft was fitted with the signature Merlin 45 engine and armed with two 20mm cannons and four .303 machine guns. On 11 April 1942, she was delivered to the 38 maintenance unit and then joined the 131 Squadron. She then went to 165 Squadron based at Llanbede. In August, the squadron moved south to Gravesend and started operational sweeps against the Luftwaffe over Northern France. Next, she was transferred to the 65 Squadron. On 16 January 1943 AR403 piloted by New Zealander Sgt. Malcolm Robertson was on a training flight over southern Scotland. The exercise was to practice climbing and aerobatic manoeuvres. However, during one of these manoeuvres, the Spitfire was reported to have dived vertically out of the cloud. It crashed into the grounds of Wedderlie House, catching fire on impact.
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A final resting place for Sgt. Robertson
Sadly, Sgt. Malcolm Robertson was killed in the crash. He was laid to rest at Craigton Cemetery, Glasgow. However, in 2012, following an expert anthropological examination, further human remains were found at the crash site. These remains were positively identified as belonging to Sgt. Robertson. These remains were reinterred during a ceremony with “the honour and dignity” befitting a pilot at Sgt. Robertson's grave in 2013. An initial crash inspection in 1943 recovered parts of a uniform, dog tags and a single flight boot, which were interred at Craigton Cemetery in Glasgow, following a wartime board of inquiry. Sgt. Robertson was just 21 years old. An exhibition of artefacts from Spitfire AR403 was held near Edinburgh to help raise funds for a memorial to Sgt. Robertson.
Sources: www.deadlinenews.co.uk, www.iwm.org.uk/collections/photographs