AAR - BrisWingsofGlory WGS Campaign 1, Mission 26 - Polish Air Force 1939-45
Britain 1940 Mission 26 Defensive Patrol Gravesend 15/09/1940
After the massive raids of the morning of 15 September 1940 the Poles along with the other squadrons of RAF Fighter Command's 10 and 11 Groups were hoping for a chance to rest and regather their strength. It was not to be however as by 1400hrs radar stations were reporting more large formations of Luftwaffe aircraft massing over the Channel.
With F/O Tadeusz Nowak (RF-R) and his wingman F/Sgt. Władysław Chciuk (RF-T) back from the depot with two new Hurricanes joining F/O Władysław Gnyś (RF-E) and Sgt. Tadeusz Arabski (RF-F), No.303 Squadron's 'B' Flight could field four aircraft for the mission as No.303 Squadron was scrambled at 1445 hours.
The squadron was vectored towards an enemy formation approaching Gravesend, 'B' Flight was joined by a pair of Spitfires from No.610 Squadron RAF flown by P/O Peter Litchfield (DW-M) and Sgt. Bernard Gardner (DW-T).
From the combat report completed later that evening -
“We reached 18,000 ft somewhere near Gravesend, we sighted about 400 enemy aircraft coming straight towards us from East South East. The bombers were in Vics of 3 sections in line astern stretching for several miles. There were Me 110’s in Squadron formation between the bomber squadrons, and guarding the flanks. Above and stepped up to 25,000ft were many formations of Me 109’s of various sizes.”
The teams for today's mission - from left to right Mike, Paul and Rod (forum member Rodders) flying for the RAF and Liam, Ned and Charlie (forum member provost 121) for the Luftwaffe.
Flying above and to port of the bomber stream a pair of 9.JG26 109's (Ned's Rotte) flown by Ltn. Wolfgang Ludewig (Yellow 9) and Fw. Otto Jaros (Yellow 10) observed the approaching RAF fighters and call the familiar warning over the R/T - "Achtung Spitfeuer!"
Flying above and behind the Heinkels of KG53 (Charlie's bombers), a Rotte of 1.JG77 (Liam's boys) consisting of Ltn. Hans von Strelow (White 1) and Uffz. Fritz Geisshardt (White 2) acknowledged the report.
Below their escorts KG53 was already being engaged by anti-aircraft batteries located along the southern coast of the Thames Estuary. The lead Heinkel He 111H-3 (A1+DA) piloted by Hauptmann Werner Tronicke was peppered with shrapnel from a 3.7in shell, damaging a fuel line and sending a steady stream of white vapour trailing after the aircraft.
Closest to the Thames Estuary F/O Nowak and F/Sgt. Chciuk close on two Messerschmitt Bf 110C-4 twin engine fighters of II./ZG76 (controlled by yours truly). The 110's bank to port expecting the Hurricanes to attack the bombers, but instead Nowak gives orders to engages the fighters. He and Chciuk having climbed to meet the enemy open fire at close range. Their excellent marksmanship sees Messerschmitt 110 (M8+NP) riddled with bullets, damaging control surfaces but more importantly peppering the rear cockpit and wounding the gunner Uffz. Egon Aichler. (Both pilots used their ace skills - Chciuk has Sniper and Nowak Perfect Aim, with the additional A damage chit put to good use knocking out the 110's gunner).
On the other side of the bomber formation F/O Gnyś and Sgt. Arabski line up for a front quarter attack on the bombers while the 610 Squadron Spitfires (Mike's pair) make for the escorts.
As the Hurricanes and Spitfires engage the enemy's right flank …..
….. on the other side Nowak and Chciuk flash past the 110's, safe from return fire as the wounded gunner Uffz. Aichler is unable to employ his machine gun in defence of the aircraft.
Gnyś and Arabski open fire on the bombers, their bursts striking the Heinkels without damaging any critical systems.
The II.KG76 Rottenführer Ltn. Paul Gildner brings his pair of 110's about in a split S to engage the Hurricanes as the 1.JG77 Messerschmitt 109's pass over the Heinkel Kette.
Watching the approach of the heavy fighters on his five o'clock, F/O Nowak also reverses course …..
….. coming in from above the Messerschmitts. He and Chciuk again target the damaged 110. Chciuk's burst sees the German plane belch smoke but it is Nowak's fire that knocks out one of the DB601 engines and sends the enemy aircraft tumbling from the sky. The wounded Uffz. Aichler and his pilot Ltn. Heinz Bergel are fortunate to escape their doomed machine, parachuting down to captivity as the 110 crashes into the shallows of the Thames Estuary. Nowak calls in Polish "Take that Nazi bastards!" as he claims his sixth victory.
As the Heinkels continue north west toward London the Messerschmitt 109 escorts engage the Hurricanes of No.303 and Spitfires of No.610 …..
….. with the Luftwaffe and RAF fighters exchanging bursts as the flights come together. Both sides take hits, the Spitfires bearing the brunt of the German fire and Ltn. Ludewig's Emil sustaining damage to its Daimler Benz engine.
Messerschmitt Bf 110C-4 (M8+GP) passes Nowak and Chciuk, heading back out over the Thames Estuary.
The Hurricanes of F/O Gnyś and Sgt. Arabski with the two Spitfires punch through the screening Messerschmitts to pursue the Heinkel formation.
More than aware his Zerstörer is no match for two Hurricanes, Ltn. Gildner breaks off the battle. Using the 110's superior speed he points his nose towards France and opens the throttle. Ltn. Paul Gildner and his gunner Fw. Wilhelm Gänsler return to their base without damage to their aircraft.
Leading the charge on the bombers Sgt Gardner's Spitfire closes to firing range .....
…. as the Heinkel Kette takes evasive action.
Even as the Poles and their English allies press their attacks on the Heinkels Fw. Otto Jaros of I.JG77 is forced to break off from combat. The German NCO pilot nurses his damaged engine all the way back across the Scheisskanal, the Jadgflieger term for that stretch of water that had claimed the lives of so many of their Kameraden.
As Gardner continued his attack on the Heinkels he was caught in a crossfire by several of the Luftwaffe gunners, their MG15's scoring hit after hit on the Spitfire (DW-T). Already badly damaged in the skirmish with the 109's Sgt. Gardner's machine is finally downed by Uffz. Gottfried Leske, a dorsal gunner in the right most He 111. Bernard Gardner manages to bail out without injury before his Spit crashes into the English countryside.
P/O Peter Litchfield has little time to contemplate Gardner's fate as his own Spitfire is hit by fire. On the British pilot's six o'clock, Ltn. Ludewig sends a long burst after the British fighter. The Spitfire is rocked by explosions as cannon shells strike the wings and fuselage. Immediately Litchfield breaks right to escape the onslaught.
Ltn. Ludewig curses as he overshoots his jinking quarry! Behind him however Ltn. Hans von Strelow fires off a long range deflection shot at the Spitfire as it crosses the German's nose. 20mm cannon shells smash into the Spit destroying what little structural integrity it had left. "Horrido!" cries von Strelow as he bags his third Britischer. Peter Litchfield hauls back the canopy and releases his harness before taking to his parachute. Unfortunately as he hauls himself from the cockpit he is caught in the slipstream, which drags him back along the fuselage. His right leg is fractured as it strikes the vertical stabiliser, an injury made worse by a heavy landing. P/O Litchfield's wounds will keep him grounded for the next five weeks.
No.303 Squadron continues to pursue the Heinkels …..
….. with Nowak and Chciuk finally getting into range just as the Luftwaffe bombers slip away into dense cloud. Ltn. Ludewig is considering engaging the Hurricanes when a glance at his fuel gauge reveals his tanks barely contain enough to get him home.
The Heinkels managed to evade destruction at the hands of the Tommy fighters and flak gunners. All three had taken some damage, with the starboard Heinkel particularly hard hit.
Running low on fuel, Ltn. Ludewig just managed to get back across the Channel ending up at tree top height running on fumes. He landed at an emergency airfield on the Pas de Calais, his aircraft making it through the action unscathed.
Similarly Ltn. von Strelow and Uffz. Geisshardt of 1.JG77 were lucky to make it back. Both their aircraft were hit by flak as they passed over the English coast at low level and landed in France with dry tanks.
No.303 Squadron's 'B' Flight headed for home, with all four pilots making it back to Northolt. The Hurricanes had all taken some hits, but even the most badly damaged machine was made airworthy within 48 hours. That evening at the mess the squadron celebrated Flying Officer Tadeusz Nowak's fifth confirmed victory in the defence of Britain. That evening No.11 Group forwarded a recommendation to RAF Fighter Command HQ that Nowak be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in recognition of the achievement.
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Originally Posted by mikeemagnus
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