FlyPast 06.2018

June 2018 FLYPAST 47

“We are down to 10 or 15ft, streaking toward the sea with fi ghters

on our tail. And there is Basher burning in front of us”

down at Sidi Barrani with the loss

of Sgt Maurice Thurlow and his

crew.

Fg Off Finch’s aircraft staggered

away on one engine but eventually

force-landed near Buq Buq, an

armoured car patrol rescuing

the crew. Two more Blenheims

returned damaged in what had been

a torrid introduction to the war in

the region.

Six Fiat CR.32s scrambled and

intercepted the Blenheims as they

left El Adem, Capitano Franco

Lavelli of 94a Squadriglia claiming

to have shot down two.

While the El Adem raid was

taking place Sqn Ldr R A T Stowell

had been ordered to take 55

Squadron forward to Fuka where

it prepared for action, as did 113

at Ma’aten Bagush. In the early

evening, 18 Blenheims, drawn

equally from both units, set off to

El Adem shortly after 19:00 where

they bombed and strafed the two

hangars hit earlier in the day, as

well as parked aircraft, claiming

several destroyed.

As the attack began, CR.32s

of 93a Squadriglia intercepted a

‘vic’ of 113 Squadron. Tenente

Gioacchino Bissoli engaged the

last in the formation, L4823, and

shot it down. Pilot Flt Lt ‘Basher’

Beauclair, observer Sgt Owen and

gunner LAC Dobson survived

with burns and became the first

prisoners of war of the campaign.

Plt Off Michael Sheckleton

recalled the loss: “We are down to

10 or 15ft streaking toward the

sea with fighters on our tail. And

there is Basher burning in front of

us. Barney’s shouting ‘Join up! Join

up!’ as Basher’s going down.”

At Ismailia, on the Suez Canal,

30 Squadron began to remove

bomb racks from under the centre

sections of the Blenheims of ‘B’

and ‘C’ Flights, substituting a

four Browning machine gun

pack, in effect making the aircraft

Mk.Ifs. The unit became a long-

range fighter squadron overnight,

despite being untrained! ‘A’ Flight

meanwhile remained in the bomber

role.

HARBOUR RAID

After an intensive first day of

operations, June 12 opened with

113 Squadron flying a recce of

Tobruk harbour, reporting it full

of shipping – and, despite poor

weather, a night attack was ordered.

Nine Blenheim IVs of 113 were

to be joined by nine Mk.Is from

211, six from 45 and five from

Below

Blenheim Is of 113

Squadron over the

Pyramids.

KEY COLLECTION

WHEN WAR ERUPTED IN NORTH AFRICA, BLENHEIM CREWS WERE ENGAGED IN A BITTER STRUG GLE WITH ITALIAN FIGHTERS. ANDREW THOMAS DESCRIBES THE EARLY ENCOUNTERS

SEESAW WAR