Victor Barbercane Flight Officer Yellow Section 17 Sqn B Flt Debden AF.
Aug 1940.
Broke up a raid this morning. The Sqn was on standing Patrol over the shipping lanes. Top Hat Control came on over the RT saying Trade for U East at Angles 12. Perfect setup Top Cover got into it with 2 Me 110.s as we engaged the Bombers. I may have Damaged one but he didnt go down. A bomber plunged pass me on fire then I joined with woody as he smoked an E/a. A Spitfire joined up with us. Off in the distance you could Me 109's fighting other Spits. We RTB. score: 2 Bombers Destroyed + 1 damaged. Losses: Bunny ( Red 3 ) took one in the leg wnd From a 110. , but got down ok.
Victor Barbercane Flight Officer Yellow Section 17 Sqn B Flt Debden AF.
Aug 1940.
On standard Patrol over the Coast Factories when A flight got bounced by 109's. Control had not reported any activity in area so it came as a surprise. B flight went to the rescue and my wing mate got a kill after I had shot at him. Then home and Tea. Score 1 to 1. We lost Leary, they took out his Hurri on the 1st pass.
Victor Barbercane Flight Officer Yellow Section 17 Sqn B Flt Debden AF.
Aug 1940.
A sticky wicked. B flight was on duty at 10 min Standby while A Flight had a standard Patrol. Ops scrambled our 6 a/c and Top Hat vectored us towards Dover. Boulder Dash ! As the thought of Invasion crossed my mine. We passed 46 Sqn at 10000 as they were returning from a fight 7 A/c in a very ragged formation with one smoking. The next I knew we were in a whirlwind of e/a I picked mine and shot off 3 Two sec bursts saw hits then another passed by close a Do 17. Switching to him, I fire off the rest of my ammo and Down it went. Swinging back to support the flight, I Heard and felt a series of bangs kinda like rocks on a trash can then my motor stopped. A rear gunner had done me kite in. Nothing left but to bail out. The flight scored 3 Kills Bombers. Losses 2 damaged and mine destroyed.
Victor Barbercane Flight Officer Yellow Section 17 Sqn B Flt Debden AF.
2 Kills.
15 Aug 1940.
Back in the fight. After 2 days of rest, I was post to B Flight as Leader. It seems, we lost a Lt to a Me 110 while I was off after being shot down. Our 5 a/c was launched as re-reinforcements Down to Southend on the Sea. and ran into the remains of a fight between bombers and 229 Sqn. ( I saw a 229 a/c go down a flamer ) My e/a passed low and was in a damaged condition ( flying kinda side ways ) I put 183 rds each gun into the e/a and she went down smoking Cashed near Margate ? My 2nd Kill.
Victor Barbercane Flight Officer Yellow Section 17 Sqn B Flt Debden AF.
16 Aug 1940.
I say, Wizard of a mix up over Southend on the Sea. A regular rubarb it was with 109's and a section of Spits and 17 Sqn. I got hits on a climbing 109 then he went over and was gone. The fight got so scattered I couldnt get near another one so RTB
Victor Barbercane Flight Officer Yellow Section 17 Sqn B Flt Debden AF.
17 Aug 1940
Bit browned off by the chain of events. B Flight was at cockpit readiness 2 min Standby and A flight was on a Picnic with Lady Wellington . She is touring the Sqn's in 11 Group boosting morale. I say, Boulder Dash ! Added to that I missed out on the Canteen truck's Tea and Biscuts. Talk about bad luck.
Victor Barbercane Flight Officer Yellow Section 17 Sqn B Flt Debden AF.
18 Aug 1940.
Well, they say third time is a charm.
1. Patrol Shipping lanes. No Joy 2. Patrol Brawsley ( Chain Home ) 3. Convoy Patrol. My a/c cooling system went u/s at 12000ft en route to target. Waited till the Temp gauge went off the clock then Jumped. I say, hit the ground with a wack and dislocated my knee. I was taken to a local Pub and given drinks til a lorry showed up.
Victor Barbercane Flight Officer Yellow Section 17 Sqn B Flt Hawkinge AF.
30 Aug 1940.
Returned from Medical leave and found the Sqn moved to the Forward Airfield at Hawkinge. Posted to Standing Patrol over Dunwich . No contact..
We have just fueled when the flair went off from Operations Scramble. B flight was 1st to get wheels up so I checked in with Top Hat. The controller said that Bandits 30+ Angels 18, Buster Heading for Dover . Climbing, we spotted swarms of the sods above and headed in land. as we neared, 109's hits from up Sun. They scattered the whole Sqn then circled for a one on one. Mine flew around in a wheel til my shots got close then he flipped over and dove away. Upon landing , I saw one of our a/c burning. Guess his engine over heated our fuel leaked from bullet holes ? He was toast as he rolled to a stop. Score ? I saw 2 splashes in the channel The Sqn is missing 3 a/c.
Victor Barbercane Flight Officer Yellow Section 17 Sqn B Flt Hawkinge AF.
Aug 31, 1940.
2 Kills 1 damaged.
I say its a wicked little game we play. Enemy a/c inbound to Gravesend angels 15, Our Sqn Leader led us up tp 18000 ft then we spotted the e/a. Blimey, There were so many, who do U attack 1st ?\\I fllow the leader and got some damage on a He 111 ( he had yellow spinners so he might have been a Gruppe leader. ) Then shot at a Ju 88 type flying in a second large group. As I pulled away to go around I had 2 109's shooting up my tail. I got off a few shots as one passed by. Then Flip turn split S Finally lost them. I Went to put down ,but short of the field at West Malling the motor stopped. Smacked down in a corn field and thru a Fence. Managed to flop out of the a/c and a passing motorcar gave me a lift to the hospital.
Flight Officer Yellow Section 17 Sqn B Flt Hawkinge AF.
2 Kills 1 damaged
Sept 2,, 1940.
Reported back into the Sqn after Medical release. The Sqn C.O. said " Dont unpack ur Kit We are on the move back to Debden. " One of our fitters told me why. The Sqn was down to 10 machines out of 16 sent down to Hawkinge. Plus there was a bombing while the a/c were being refuel frightful mess 4 dead and 12 wnd among the ground crew and a fuel Browser.
Flight Officer Yellow Section 17 Sqn B Flt Hawkinge AF.
2 Kills 1 damaged
3 Sept 1940.
A little mix it up over Eastchurch. Our 2 flights of 5 a/c were cover the forward airfield when vectored to a 10+ raid. B flight was led so it was go straight for it, No Escort about. My Victim swrung towards Margate and Dover so went under and came up on his tail Gave him 3 four sec bursts and parts and oil was flying off. Zoomed then lost sight of the bloke. Jolly Good. We had one crash + 2 damaged. We knocked down 4 for sure + mine ?. On the - side swingford a forward AF took a few bombs as we tagged the e/a after their Run.