Happy to oblige...


September 26, S-tag +4, 1230 hrs GMT: Breakout from Denton

Elements of the 10th Panzer and Liebstandarte SS Adolf Hitler have fought their way out of the Denton Pocket. Rather than retreating South toward the main German force at Folkestone, they have taken British forces by surprise and escaped north toward Canterbury. The 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions were in the process of reinforcing their southern front, and German armour was able to drive through a gap in British lines at Gorsely Wood. Panzer IIs and IIIs of the 10th Panzer and Stugs of the Leibstandarte SSAH, backed by motorised troops of the XXXXI Army Corps, have radioed to Berlin that they have reached the Canterbury train station and are pushing on the center of the city. They are however, totally cut off from German supply lines. In an act of bluff and bravado, Adolf Hitler broadcasts to the British people, "Germany wants peace with Britain," he thunders, "But your leaders have brought war to the high streets of English villages and cities, and the German flag now flies from the spires of Canterbury Cathedral! London is next! The nations of Britain and Germany are not natural enemies. I call on Britain to surrender and avoid an inevitable and terrible fate!" After a conference with Churchill, Dowding orders all remaining 11 Group squadrons withdrawn north to preserve them for the defence of London. Churchill convenes an emergency session of the War Cabinet.

Outside Canterbury

The Stugs of the Leibstandarte SS emerge from woods into the outskirts of the city, their barrels covering the famous Cathedral.




A mile away, the Panzers of 10th Panzer grind onwards, their engines now running on fumes, diesel fuel almost exhausted.



While on a nearby hilltop, a motorised SS flak batteri watches the skies



The panicked defenders of Canterbury cower behind sandbags, barrels pointed in all directions, knowing an attack is coming, but from where?




At the train station, troops frantically load fuel and ammunition, trying to move it out before the German attack begins.




Then, through the trees, an AT position sees movement



His 2 pounder barks, and a German scout erupts in flame



Before the Panzer IIIs fire in answer



And the battle is joined in earnest, with the British heavy guns now engaging



Overhead, 109s from JG26 arrive. Having flown from France, they have only ten minutes fuel in their tanks, and begin immediately searching the sky for RAF




While below them, 4 Bf110C7s of Erpro 210 out of Hawkinge appear: their objective, to knock out enemy AT and AAA positions.



Flak begins to erupt around them immediately



And one of the precious 110s is hit



His wingman settles his sights on the city, scouring the ground for the deadly AAA emplacements



Ahead he sees Panzers engaging British ground troops and drops on a wing to get a better view



But the British are in light vehicles and poor cover, not worth wasting his bombs on them...



Then he sees what he is looking for. An AT position in the grass of a field below, probably concealed from the Panzers, but sticking out like a beacon to him.




He extends away to build up speed to climb and attack, as a flak burst shakes his machine.



He checks his controls and instruments...all normal. Diving on the AT position he opens fire with his MGFF, the heavy rounds slamming into the ground around the gun and crew.



As he pulls away, he sees ammunition go up. No need for his bombs here either!



Then in a field outside the city, he sees the source of the flak. A Bofors, cleverly sited among some destroyed vehicles.



The wrecks of the trucks will give it cover. He needs to be sure of this one. He arms his two HE bombs.



As he drops down toward the target, he thumbs the bomb release, waiting for jump of the machine as the weight of the bombs falls away...but...NOTHING



The bomb mechanism must be jammed! Apparently that flak hit wasn't as benign as it seemed...



He checks his forward guns with a tentative 2 second burst, but they are also dry. Verdammt! He has no option but to return to Hawkinge, and land with two armed bombs aboard. Not a prospect he is looking forward to.

Below, the 10 Panzer and Leibstandarte SS advance



The overwhelmed defenders of Canterbury powerless to stop them



At the train station is enough fuel and food for a Division, and if they can capture some British guns, ammunition as well.

**************

These AARs and screenies are taken from the Sealion Mission Pack, Luftwaffe campaign, available for free download here:

http://bobgamehub.blogspot.com/p/cliffs-of-dover-missions.html

**************

Sept 26, S-tag +4 evening: Black Death

In today's fighting so far, the RAF has lost 32 aircraft and the Luftwafe/Axis forces 27. RAF 41, 501 and 72 Squadrons are so depleted they are effectively non operational and have been moved north for a rest. The commander of Lehrgeschwader 2 has requested his pilots and aircraft be withdrawn to Calais for rest and to refit, but this has been denied. At Denton, 15,000 German troops dig in for the night, under heavy artillery fire. They have no armour, no armed vehicles, and precious little food or ammunition. Leibstandarte SS, 10th Panzer and troops of XXXXI Corps have succeeded in capturing Canterbury train station and the area around the Cathedral. They have fortified their positions and captured British supplies, ammunition, AT guns and AAA. A stronghold has been established on the main island in the River Stour east of the Cathedral. The 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions have attacked north in the wake of the German armoured push on Canterbury and established a line just south of the city to prevent a further breakout South by German forces. In the west and north, troops of the British 29th Infantry Brigade have established positions on the opposite bank of the Stour, while reinforcements are being moved up, to pen the German troops into the eastern part of the city.

Hitler has ordered his troops in Canterbury to hold the city, 'to the last man, tank and grenade'.

At Manston

Manston cannot be readied for full squadron operations due to damage to unexploded bombs which will take days to clear, and with enemy forces now at Canterbury, it has been determined to once again abandon the field. 64 Squadrons reluctant new CO, Flt Lt James Rankin, takes the 4 available machines on a final patrol to cover the area between Dover and Folkestone.




The Royal Navy is due to begin an all night bombardment of Folkestone port from 1730 hrs and 64 Squadron is to provide cover. From tomorrow, 64 Squadron will have to fly out of Biggin Hill.

Above Canterbury

The Beaufighters of 29 Squadron spread into line abreast formation as they close on Canterbury. They have already been named Der schwarze Tod (Black Death) by the invading troops, because of their night black camouflage and ability to rain destruction from above.



Taking off from nearby Canterbury field, two Hurricanes from 111 Squadron are intended to cover the Beaufighters while they hunt.



But the pilots of LG2, flying CAP over Canterbury, have other ideas...



They spot the Hurricanes as they rise out of the clutter of the ground below, and drop on them.




One of the 109s overshoots, opening himself to a volley from a Hurricane.



He zooms high, the Hurricane following him, hammering him again



But a second 109 is shadowing and his 20mm cannon punches through the Hurricane's wing, severing vital control wires.




The Hurricane pilot leaps, as the second Hurricane flees, leaving the Beaufighters on their own...




At Folkestone

Flt Lt Rankin watches as three RN destroyers stand off Folkestone and pound the port with impunity.




Suddenly he sees some dark specks over the Channel. But he has not been notified of an incoming raid by Sector Control. While he checks with the ground controller, he sends his tail end Charlie to investigate.



As the pilot nears, the specks resolve themselves, into...



"Stukas, dozens of 'em!" he calls.



But his CO has problems of his own. Over Folkestone he sees Bf110s of Erpro 210, also closing on the navy ships.



"Do what you can Torrid 4," he calls, "We're going to be busy down here."



It takes the Spitfire pilot precious minutes to get to altitude, and close with the Stukas, and as he opens fire on the lead element, they invert and dive on the ships below.



He can only follow them down, watching helplessly as their bombs pepper the water around the warships



As they pull out, low and slow, he pounces.



Watching gratefully as his victim falls into the waves below



Meanwhile, the 110s of Erpro 210 let fly with their AP bombs.



He watches in horror as they strike home, this time sending flame belching from the decks of two of the destroyers



Rankin closes behind one of the Zerstorers



He fires, blasting away the tailplane and rudder, and the 110 rears up abruptly, slowing so dramatically it catches him by surprise.



The pilot of the 110 drops his nose, and rakes the Spitfire with MG and cannon, driving Rankin to take evasive action.



Then he flees for the relative safety of the invasion zone...



But he underestimates the grit of the British AAA gunners on the burning destroyers. Undaunted, they open fire on the 110 as it passes abeam...




Setting the starboard engine ablaze. He checks his instruments, and sees the revs and pressure dropping fatally



With one good engine he could probably get home, but with only half an aileron and rudder, he has little hope. He warns his gunner to ready to bail out, and reaches for the canopy release




As the doomed Zerstorer reaches the port, he pulls it into a zooming climb, turning the last energy of its engine into precious altitude for their jump



He leaps, followed soon after by his gunner





Over Canterbury

LG2 has found the Beaufighters too. And the first ever dogfight between cannon armed aircraft has begun.



But to call it a dogfight is unfair. The 16,000lb Beaufighters are ungainly and slow. They are designed for night fighting against bombers, or pounding ground units with their cannon, not for mixing it with the mostly deadly air to air fighter in the world. The 109s easily turn inside them.



It is slaughter.






As they continue their patrol over Canterbury, the 109 pilots see flames and smoke rising from German and British positions alike.

Panzers in the streets of Canterbury! The front line is now only 60 miles from London.

Suddenly anything seems possible again!


**************

These AARs and screenies are taken from the Sealion Mission Pack, Luftwaffe campaign, available for free download here:

http://bobgamehub.blogspot.com/p/cliffs-of-dover-missions.html

**************

Oooooooh, goody, goody, goody!


(Also, it's "Der schwarze Tod". ;))

Thanks! Duly corrected!

Now, before I proceed I would like to remind our dear readers of a true event in May of 1940 called the 'War Cabinet Crisis'.

You can read all about it here...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_1940_War_Cabinet_Crisis

But in brief:

In May 1940, the fate of the world, the future of an empire, and the destiny of a nation rested with two men; Winston S. Churchill, the newly appointed British Prime Minister and Edward Wood 3rd Viscount Halifax, the British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Both of these men passionately believed in saving Britain from the military nightmare they been placed in by Nazi Germany. However their approaches to achieving this were radically different. Halifax believed that it might be possible to secure a peace treaty with Germany that would safeguard British independence as well as its imperial interests. On the other hand, Churchill believed that German dictator Adolf Hitler would only honour such a treaty whilst it served his own interests. Instead Churchill favoured a continuation of the conflict at all costs until final victory was secured.

I would also point out that in Sept 1940, in this timeline, when Germany invades Britain, Halifax was/is still in the War Cabinet.

OK, that is all I need to say at this point...

Sept 27 1940: s-tag +5, morning

Like the refugee choked streets of London, the British war cabinet is paralysed. A former Lord of the Admiralty, the now Prime Minister Winston Churchill, backed by his Deputy Prime Minister Atlee, argues that the intervention of the navy has meant the German invasion is close to collapse due to lack of supplies and reinforcements. But Conservatives Lord Halifax and the Lord Council Neville Chamberlain argue that with an estimated 150,000 German troops ashore in England (the actual number is closer to 90,000), naval successes are irrelevant. Canterbury is in the hands of German forces, Dover could fall any moment, and the RAF has lost or been forced to abandon key 11 Group airfields in the South East - Hawkinge, Lympne and Manston.

The Prime Minister says that under no conditions would he contemplate any course except fighting to the finish, "Even should every gentleman in Whitehall be required to take up arms and paint the bridges of the Thames in their own blood!". Churchill cuts the meeting short, and announces he will discuss the issues with the 25 ministers of his Outer Cabinet.

Halifax by this point is incensed. He sees the opportunity to sue for peace slipping away. He informs Chamberlain that he wishes to open a dialogue with Germany, and if satisfied that matters vital to the independence of Britain are unaffected, communicate to Germany Britain would be prepared to discuss terms. Unknown to Churchill, Halifax the previous evening had sent an emissary to the Swiss Ambassador, requesting he approach the German government to 'gain an understanding of their reaction should Britain offer Germany terms for a cessation of hostilities'.

Emboldened by his approach, Hitler orders Reichmarschall Goering to redouble attacks on London, and on British forces on the Western bank of the River Stour at Canterbury. The 16th Army is ordered to shorten its Western front and move forces north to try to lift the encirclement of XXXXI Army Corps at Denton. Hitler says to Goering and Army Group A commander Generalfeldmarschall von Rundstedt, "Give me Canterbury for two more days, and I will give you England!"

At Canterbury

The troops of the Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers and 7th Armoured tank regiment had met Panzers before. And as they watched through their glasses, the troops of the 10th Panzer and Leibstandarte SS prepare their defensive positions, it was with a particular and personal hatred.

In the mess at the Fusiliers staff quarters at Warwick, was a plaque dedicated to the troops and officers of the 2nd Battalion, executed by the SS after being taken prisoner during the battle of Arras in France. Provoked by reports that the British had executed German officers, the prisioners had been stripped and herded into a milking shed. The SS troops threw in grenades and opened fire with machine guns, leaving the wounded to die. The survivors of the massacre had been taken prisoner a few days later by the regular German army, and news of the atrocity had found its way back to England. The commander of the Fusiliers, Major General R C Macdonald, had personally requested his troops be moved ino the line, when it was learned that it was the SS which had penetrated to Canterbury.

The 7th Armoured also had bitter experience against the SS tanks. At the Battle of Arras it had been the 7th Armoured, together with the 4th, which threw back Rommel's troops in a counterattack that had halted the German advance on Dunkirk. Only the arrival of the SS tanks, and the deployment of Flak 88 guns by Rommel as anti tank weapons, had stopped the British from breaking the German advance entirely. Instead, they had suffered the ignominy of being rescued by French armour from the 3rd Light Mechanised Division.

It was not with impassionate eyes they surveyed the German positions either.

0730 GMT North of River Stour

The British were preparing a simultaneous push on Canterbury from the North of the Stour to take the German positions on the island before they could be better fortified, and from the South and East through the city center to displace the troops at the train station and Cathedral. Armour and towed AT guns were being moved into the line.

However the German commander at Canterbury, SS-Hauptsturmführer Wilhelm Mohnke, did not intend to allow the British the luxury of a set piece attack. In the pre-dawn hours, he had moved a company of Stugs from the SS and Panzer IIIs and Pumas of the 10th Panzer, over a German held bridge to the north bank of the Stour for a spoiling attack. They moved into cover and shut down their engines to conserve fuel. And waited.



The first inkling the troops of the Fusiliers and 7th Armoured received of the attack was the throaty growl of diesel engines starting in the early morning silence. When informed by a runner that German tanks had been heard in front of the line, the Fusiliers intelligence officer had assumed they were south of the river and being moved to hull down defensive positions. He sent a communique to staff HQ: "German armour repositioning on Stour south bank."

At 0730, with the sun in the East directly behind them, the German panzers broke from cover and charged the British lines. On the right flank, the faster Panzer IIIs and Pumas sped up the hill toward British troops running frantically for their AT guns.



While on the left flank, where scouts had indicated the 7th Armoured had brought up a company of Valentine tanks, the SS Stugs crept forward like a swarm of armoured cockroaches.



At a distance of less than 500 yards, battle was joined, with the British 2 lb AT guns barely able to dent the heavy armour of the Panzers.



In Blitzkrieg fashion, the fighter bombers of Erpro 210 arrived overhead with deadly precision as the attack got underway...



Adding the scream of their engines, the rattle of their cannon fire, and the crump of their bombs to the general mayhem.




But it was the Pumas that caused the first significant damage, their speed and agility allowing them to get right up amongst the British lines and attack AT guns from their flanks before British infantry with AP charges were able to disable them.



The Panzer IIIs had to stop to fire, and the concentrated efforts of several of the Fusiliers AT guns, combined with a handful of hastily brought up Cruisers from the 7th Armoured, began to slow the German onrush.





The lines were in chaos, as one lucky Panzer shell hit an ammunition cache, blowing a hole in the British defences through which the Stugs were able to flood.




It seemed now that little could stop the SS tanks overrunning the 7th Armoured staff headquarters in the village above the Stour. But they had still not found the company of Valentines their scouts had assured them were held in reserve on this flank, and their advance was more cautious than it might have been as a result.



Their low profile and heavy 50mm frontal armour made them almost impossible to stop with normal British AT and tank calibre rounds, but they feared a flank or rear attack, where a lucky round could disable a track, penetrate side armour, or knock out the engine. But then the Stug commander spotted Valentine tanks in the line directly in front of him. He counted three. This must be the feared British armoured reserve! He confidently ordered his spearhead forward.



On the right flank, the British began to consolidate their line, and the Panzer IIIs were forced to stop and seek cover in declines, as more Cruisers joined the line.




But cover was hard to find, and the combined defensive fire of tank and AT guns began to take a toll on the German attack.



On the left flank, the British 7th Armoured finally mobilised its reserve company of Valentines. It wasn't strategic planning that had held them back, but the mere fact their crews were billetted in front line tents which had come under heavy fire in the first minutes of the attack. Precious time had been lost assembling and doubling through the village under heavy fire to reach their machines.

To call it a company too, was a glorification. It comprised a paltry 4 Valentines, but they swung into action without hesitation, emerging from their camouflaged positions behind the village in loose formation and at breakneck speed.




The scene that met the tank commander was one of horror. Stug fire was raking the British front line from a range of less than 200 feet! Most of the Fuslier's AT guns on this part of the line had been destroyed, and only two stationary Valentines sheltering behind the burning hulks of their comrades, were still returning fire.



But this meant the Stug's flanks were fully exposed. The Valentines charged forward.



They swung down hill, then spun on their tracks and caught the Stugs on their left rear quarter. They knew from the experience of fighting the Stugs at Arras, that they needed to concentrate their fire to have any effect, and the commander calmly called the targets, sending 8 lbs of HE downrange at a single German tank with every salvo.



From that moment, the Stug's doom was assured. If they spun to face the flanking threat, they exposed themselves to a broadside from the Valentines in the British front line. Within minutes, several were brewing up.



The German attack had been halted. The surviving Panzers backed away firing, returning to their positions across the Stour.



But it had succeeded in its aim. The planned British attack on the Stour island positions was delayed, while the British regrouped and attended to the damage and wounded.

Incorrectly, the British revised upward their estimate of the strength of the German force now quartered in Canterbury to the equivalent of two battalions, where it was in fact, little more than a half that size.

Mohnke had bought Hitler some of the precious time he had sought.


**************

These AARs and screenies are taken from the Sealion Mission Pack, Luftwaffe campaign, available for free download here:

http://bobgamehub.blogspot.com/p/cliffs-of-dover-missions.html

**************

Well done.

Either I'm witnessing one of the few instances where Seelöwe yields a german victory in the end (not a military one though) or you've got something up your sleeve for the Tommys (Churchill going Terminator on Jerry?).

Wow, just wow.

Sept 27, afternoon: Condor Legion

RAF Fighter command has now been reduced to 434 aircraft, with eight 11 Group squadrons now non-operational due to fatigue and losses. However in the combat of early part of the day, Luftwaffe Luftflotte 2 and 3 lost 43 aircraft, and Reichmarschall Goering has been advised that the Luftwaffe is no longer able to mount a credible threat to Royal Navy operations in the Channel, nor maintain air supremacy over the invasion beach-head. Lehrgeschwader 2 and Erpro 210, based at Hawkinge in England, have been reduced to just 13 Bf109s and 8 Bf110s in total, but have been denied permission to withdraw to France. Fitters have placed damaged and fake airframes around the airfield to deceive British recon into believing the airfield is still operating at full strength.

Encouraged by the support of his Outer Cabinet, and the success in throwing back the German counterstroke by the Fusiliers and 7th Armoured, Churchill broadcasts on the BBC the speech that will become known as his 'Last Dawn' speech.

"...Herr Hitler claims that the German flag is flying over Canterbury and suggests we capitulate! To Herr Hitler I say, there is only one set of terms we will discuss with him. And that is the final, irrevocable, and unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany. Until the day arrives that he is willing to discuss those terms, we remain at war. To the German troops in Canterbury and Folkestone I say this. You are surrounded on all sides, whether by sea, by land or by air. Your ships can no longer supply you. Your generals have deserted you. You have until sunset tonight to lay down your arms. For if you do not, the sunrise you look upon tomorrow will be your last dawn."

The British PM orders ground forces to hold their positions around Canterbury and Denton in preparation for a full scale attack on the German strongholds in the morning. Bomber Command and the Royal Artillery Regiments are to 'destroy utterly, the enemy's will to resist'.

Hitler still holds onto a hope that the reports he has received of dissent in the War Cabinet will bear fruit. He orders supplies of ammunition and food dropped to the 10th Panzer and Leibstandarte SS in Canterbury. Nevertheless, Admiral Raeder directs his staff to draw up plans to evacuate the 16th Army Corps from Folkestone by night. The evacuation is planned for the night of 29 September, two days hence.

111 Squadron, combat patrol, Canterbury

P/O W.G.G. Duncan-Smith got his fighter pilot wings in Sept 1940. He had come a long way from Madras, India, the son of an officer in the Indian civil service. In Scotland he'd joined his school's OTC, then returned to India in 1933, but in 1936 returned to the UK to join the RAF.

Today he was flying as wingman to Flt Lt Ken Lee, a Battle of Britain veteran and ace with 7 kills to his record.



Their objective was to clear the skies over Canterbury to allow simultaneous raids by Bomber Command to hit German positions in the city. 64, 54 and 92 Squadrons were also en route. It was shaping up to be a serious show.





Over the Channel

Meanwhile, mid-Channel, Bf110Cs of ZG2 are escorting an air train of FW200 Condor heavy transports into the Folkestone-Canterbury corridor. Bf109s of JG26 and LG2 are expected to sweep the corridor clear, while ZG2 stays with the transports, protecting them and their vital cargo - ammunition for the tanks and armoured cars of the 10th Panzer and Leibstandarte SS.



Of the ten FWs which took off, one has already turned back with 'engine problems' - more likely a pilot with Kanalkrankheit (Channel Sickness), brought on by the thought of flying through hell with 2 tonnes of HE and AP tank rounds in parachute containers in the bomb bay.



Denton

The LG2 pilot wipes his weary face, and continues to scan the sky. Below he can see the fires of earlier shelling and bombing around the German positions at Denton, and feels pride at the strength and determination of the German troops below not to succumb.



Suddenly to port he sees the unmistakeable shape of RAF bombers, probably Wellingtons. By their heading, they are bound for the Denton pocket.



It takes all his willpower to leave them alone, but they are not his targets today. This is no frie jagd. His flight's job is to hunt down RAF fighters and drive them away so the incoming air train can get through. He banks away from the bombers and continues his patrol south. God help the men below.

The first of the Wellington squadrons reaches the bomb release point and its deadly cargo falls away.



The crew note with satisfaction as their bombs land slap across the top of the hillside where the troops have chosen to dig deep holes in the open field atop the hill, rather than risk being shredded by flying splintered trees and stones in the midst of the woods.




LG2 rendezvous now with the incoming transport aircraft, and just in time, as a flight of Hurricanes appears from both below




and above



The tactic, concocted by the British ace, Lee, is intended to split the escorting 110s and 109s and draw them down and away from the transports. He knows any fighter pilot with a survival instinct will choose to attack a target below him, rather than a target above, so that he has an energy advantage.

Sure enough, the LG2 and ZG2 pilots go after the low element.



The Hurricanes try to gain more height, but the German fighters have the speed advantage



Lee sends two of his four Hurricanes to the aid of the embattled 111 Sq pilots he used as bait, while he gets into position to attack the Condors. Stuck to Lee's wing as they climb even higher above the melee, Duncan-Smith sees the cold despatch of one of his fellow pilots by a workmanlike German flyer who catches the Hurricane hanging at the stop of stall climb.




The cannon rounds of his MGFF sawing the Hurricane's wing off at the root...



Duncan-Smith feels his left leg on the rudder pedal begin to tremble uncontrollably. His big hulking Hurricane seems suddenly so fragile.

Over Canterbury

The second wave of Wellingtons goes in now, this time aiming for the troops fortifying their position on the island in the Stour west of the city itself.



They have chosen the island deliberately, knowing that if they can hold the only two bridges onto and off the island, any attack the British attempt has to come by fording the River Stour, a natural barrier more valuable than the deepest tank trap. But communication with their troops at the train station and cathedral is sporadic, and at risk of being cut off. About half of the available fuel and ammunition supplies have been moved to the island, Hauptsturmführer Mohnke is reluctant to commit everything to the island gambit, and directs his troops to move as much food, fuel and ammunition as they can into the Cathedral itself, believing this is the last thing the British will bomb.

Above him, the Wellingtons release their bombs. High altitude bombing is never precise, but the Wellingtons have orders not to hit the city itself, where thousands of civilians are still cowering in their cellars or trying to flee the fighting.

The first of the squadron's bombs fall wide and right, on the west bank of the Stour, but thankfully short of the town.



But the main salvo lands square on the island, and a huge ball of fire rises immediately from the epicenter.






The toll among the troops in their dugouts and trenches is minimal. The loss of fuel and vehicles however...

Near Denton

"Spitfires coming in," Lee observes over the R/T, "Looks like 64 Squadron, we'll let them have the first crack at the Condors. Stay with me, and keep your eyes open back there!"

His decoy ploy has drawn the enemy fighters away, leaving himself, Duncan-Smith and some Johnny Come Latelies from 64 Sq to take on the Condors.




The flight of Spitfires makes a slashing front quarter attack, and the Condors seem to panic. The break untidily.




A short burst from one of the Spitfires is enough to send the leading Condor up in a ball of flame.



"My goodness," Lee remarks quietly, "What do you have on board those things Jerry?"

The Spitfires hit again, and again, as the Condors nerve breaks, and they turn away from Canterbury and put their noses down to head for France







One of the Spitfires in particular seems determined to get close for his attack. His Brownings scissor into the Condor ahead of him, and it too explodes violently



However the wing of the Condor is blown back in its slipstream, and straight at the Spitfire!




It misses his machine by bare inches...



The Spitfire flight leader, no doubt shaken, if not singed, pulls away and calls his machines to regroup.



"111 Squadron Red flight, this is 64 Squadron Greyhound flight, there are still three of the blighters left...would you like to have the ball?"

"Very good Greyhound, we'll have a bowl," Lee replies, then to Duncan-Smith, "Turning to attack now," he says, "Stick tight Smithy."




They have a few thousand feet of altitude over the Condors, and are already flying at full throttle. Duncan-Smith expects Lee to chop his throttle back for a measured merge with the target, but he continues flying flat out. Nervously, Duncan-Smith watches his airspeed indicator climb, watching the needle go through 220, then 260 mph...



...then 280, 300, 320...

As they close on the Condors, they are close to their maximum speed of 340 mph. Holding tight to the stick of his shaking machine, he tries to remember at what speed the wings will rip off.



But Lee makes a raking pass at the lead Condor and pulls up sharply, and Duncan-Smith stays with him



It seems to fly on unperturbed, so they settle in behind the tail end charlie, and Lee gives it a long burst. It starts smoking and drops away




Without faltering, Lee continues, ignoring the return fire, closing now on the next machine in line, and hammering it too with his MGs



Debris flies back from the Condor, a piece of fuselage, a hatch door...



They slam into the Hurricane, but Lee keeps control of his machine, and the Condor banks away right, both wings blazing




Lee falls back now, and Duncan-Smith forms on his wing, watching as he checks his controls and instruments carefully.

"It's no use Red 2, I think I've chewed up my prop, I can feel she isn't pulling enough sky," Lee says resignedly, "I'll have to make for Lympne. Finish off that last one, will you? The sky is clear of Jerry."

"Yes, Sir!" Duncan-Smith says, nervously, and across the crackling wireless, Lee appears to hear his fear.

"Get some height boy, then drop on him like a hound of hell," Lee says, "Just don't linger in front of him - that 20mm nose cannon has a nasty sting."

"Sir."

Duncan-Smith doesn't wait for any more advice. Fighting down the bile in his throat, he pulls his Hurricane up and over, back toward the last Condor.




At 250 feet he lets fly with a long hosepipe burst. With satisfaction he sees the left tailplane fall away and ducks underneath the behemoth at the last second




He can see it is mortally wounded. In the cockpit of the beast, he sees a frightened face, a young man his own age, no more, staring grimly up at him.



As he drops back behind the Condor for the kill, a strange feeling comes over him. He has trained 4 years for this kill, and now that it is his, he cannot make it.



He pulls up alongside the Condor, and watches it intently



Below and behind them is the invasion beach head. Where hundreds, no, thousands have died in the long days since the landing. Anger rises in him at the thought, but it isn't enough. Not for today anyway...



He banks away, leaving the Condor crew to focus on getting their crippled machine back to France.



Then he notices his nausea is gone, his leg no longer trembles...



He realises he has crossed the Styx now, and that this one small act of mercy will be his last.

(P/O "Smithy" Duncan-Smith went on to become Group Captain Wilfrid George Gerald Duncan Smith, DSO and Bar, DFC and 2 Bars, and finished the war with a total of 17 kills.)


**************

These AARs and screenies are taken from the Sealion Mission Pack, Luftwaffe campaign, available for free download here:

http://bobgamehub.blogspot.com/p/cliffs-of-dover-missions.html

**************

awesome stuff