My channel campaign has not started well. We six of 151 vectored from Manston on to Ju87s and 109s over a convoy just as they were preparing to dive-bomb. It was just our luck to find the 109s first and at the same height. I hit two but got hammered in return while Blue section got wiped out. Somehow we bagged four 109s between us and the 87s got away after causing light damage to the ships.
I nursed my kite back to base while it tried to turn right all the time. Something to do with some large holes in the starboard wing. On the approach I was all over the place and only just managed to clear the boundary hedge as I piled on some extra power. Then I was floating too high and running out of airfield, so in desperation chopped the throttle and came down quickly with just enough speed to flare out for a heavy landing.
Rather terse and matter-of-fact, but war is hell.
Must go now. I have a few letters to write...and a bottle of Jack Daniels to empty.
'Find your enemy and shoot him down - everything else is unimportant.'
