Global Aviator December/January 2017/8 / Vol. 9 / No. 12 69
Force oppose the Italian invasion.
Initially based at an aerodrome
north of Athens the squadron was
moved to the Albanian-Greek border
town of Trikkala just hours later.
Here Pattle was to enjoy significant
success. On 19 November 1940, Pattle
with eight other pilots from 80 Squadron,
attacked Fiat CR.42s and Fiat G.50bs
near the Italian airfield at Korçë. The
RAF claimed nine and two probably
destroyed with the lose of one Gladiator.
Pattle claimed two CR.42s in the
battle but yet once again his guns let
him down by jamming during the battle.
Between 27–29 November Pattle made
four claims when flying as escort for
Bristol Blenheims, he engaged three
SM.79s and shared two destroyed with
11 other pilots. On 29 November he
shared two damaged with another pilot.
On 2 December he claimed two
victories and on 4 December 1940, the
RAF claimed nine Fiat CR.42s destroyed
and two probables. Pattle - whose own
aircraft was hit in the main fuel tank and
a wing strut—claimed three CR.42s plus
another and a Fiat CR.42 as probable
victories having seen his victims bail out.
Pattle achieved further success
on 20 December 1940. Covering the
withdrawal of Blenheims from 211
Squadron over the Kelcyre sector he
missed the rendezvous. Instead he opted
to fly a patrol between Tepelene and
Kelcyre where he intercepted a flight
of escorted SM.79s and attacked them
before the escort could react, downing
one via a head-on attack. He spotted
another formation of much slower
Savoia-Marchetti SM.81. Expending
all his ammunition he watched the
Italian pilot attempt a crash-landing,
only for the bomber to hit a tree and
disintegrate 15 miles north of Kelcyre.
On 21 December he downed a
CR.42, but his unit suffered the loss
of Squadron Leader Hickey who was
shot in his parachute after bailing out
of his damaged aircraft. Pattle's 15th
and last victory in the Gladiator was
claimed on 9 February 1941. In-between
these dates, on 28 January 1941 he
took a third share in the destruction of
a CANT Z.1007 and a half-share in a
Fiat BR.20. In view of his actions, Pattle
was awarded the Distinguished Flying
Cross (DFC) on 11 February 1941.
The squadron was equipped with
newer model Hawker Hurricane Mk I's
on 20 February 1941. That same day,
Pattle was leading a group of six
Hurricanes escorting 16 Blenheims light
Above: A JG 77 Bf 109: believed to be Pattle's 47th victim. Unteroffizier Fritz Borchert was captured.Top: No. 80 Squadron first flew Gloster Gladiator's while based in Egypt. Fifteen of Pattle's
victories were downed with the Gladiator. This is the prototype Gloster Gladiator in flight.Centre: A crashed Fiat CR42 f the Italian Air Force in Libya, 1940.