May 2015 FLYPAST 39Bofors,
heavy
AA and
machine gun.
No casualties
were sustained by
the formation.”DAWN RAIDS
As a bright dawn
broke on
Monday, May
27, Operation
Dynamo
began. Over
the next eight days it led to
the evacuation of almost
340,000 Allied troops
from Dunkirk.
Despite its gallant stand, the
Calais garrison had finally been
overwhelmed late the previous
evening. The news had not reached
England so further resupply
missions were ordered, which were
to be supported by Hectors and
Fleet Air Arm Fairey Swordfishes.
At 04:40 the Lysanders of 613
took off from Hawkinge on the first
supply sortie and after approachingCalais at 200 to 300ft, dropped
their containers successfully. All
returned to Hawkinge 40 minutes
later having experienced little anti-
aircraft fire.
By then the Hectors had arrived
at Hawkinge, each loaded with
two 120lb GPs. Plt Off Rowland
recalled: “This was my baptism
of fire and I must admit I felt a
little apprehensive, but bolstered
my hopes by realising that all had
returned safely the previous day. On
arrival at Hawkinge we found an
aerodrome teeming with activity.”Bofors,
heavy
AA and
machine gun.
No casualties
were sustained by
the formation.”DAWN RAIDS
As a bright dawn
broke on
Monday, May
27, Operation
Dynamo
began. Over
the next eight days it led to
the evacuation of almost
340,000 Allied troops
from Dunkirk.Calais garrison had finally been
overwhelmed late the previous
evening. The news had not reached
England so further resupply
missions were ordered, which were missions were ordered, which were
to be supported by Hectors and
Fleet Air Arm Fairey Swordfishes. Fleet Air Arm Fairey Swordfishes.His other bomb had fallen off the took off from Hawkinge on the first took off from Hawkinge on the first
aircraft en route to the target.
Having observed fighter battles
going on above, Plt Off Barthropp
recalled: “On the way back from
Calais I decided to inflict severe
casualties with my machine gun
on some ‘pongoes’ [soldiers] I had
spotted on the quayside. My air
gunner had developed a stoppage
on his Lewis gun in the rear
cockpit and, in disgust, threw it
over the side in the direction of the
Germans. On our return he was
threatened with a court martial
for deliberately losing one of His
Majesty’s guns!”After landing, Sqn Ldr Anderson
wrote in his report: “I saw bursts
from my own bombs,
one dropping within the
coppice detailed as the
target and one in open
country 150 yards south of
it. The gun positions were
difficult to identify owing
to camouflage, but in my
opinion they were in the
open, south of the coppice.
“Heavy AA fire was
encountered by No.2
section and lighter intensity
by No.1 section. Fire
apparently consisted ofCalais at 200 to 300ft, dropped Calais at 200 to 300ft, dropped
their containers successfully. All their containers successfully. All their containers successfully. Allcountry 150 yards south of country 150 yards south of
it. The gun positions were
difficult to identify owingopen, south of the coppice.section and lighter intensitytheir containers successfully. All
returned to Hawkinge 40 minutes
later having experienced little anti-later having experienced little anti-
aircraft fire.Calais at 200 to 300ft, dropped
their containers successfully. AllLeft
Sqn Ldr Anderson’s
handwritten report of the
Hector’s fi rst operation
over Calais on May 26.Above
Hector K8116 ‘ZR-X’ was
hit by ground fi re on May
27 and crashed at Dover,
killing the gunner and
injuring the pilot. J BEEDLELeft
Hector K9731 ‘ZR-N’ of 613
Squadron having suffered
an engine problem on
take-off from Odiham on
February 15, 1940.
A CRAWFORD36-40_Blitzkrieg_fpSBB.indd 39 13/03/2015 10:42