FlyPast 06.2018

June 2018 FLYPAST 51

supply dumps increased in the face of
increasing opposition.
On the morning of the 4th, two
dozen Blenheims of 55 and 211
Squadrons with ten more from 113
prepared for an attack on Derna
airfield. Crewing one of 113’s older
Mk.Is, L8437 – appropriately
nicknamed ‘The Old Un’ – was Plt
Off John ‘Mouse’ Reynolds, with Sgt
Ian Blair as observer and LAC ‘Hank’
Hankinson as gunner.
The formation got airborne
around 08:15 in good weather and
the outbound sector at 19,000ft
(5,791m) was quiet. As they
approached the target, CR.42s of the
resident 92a Squadriglia, commanded
by Captitano Martino Zannier, were
on defensive patrol.
Their unit diary recorded that they
made four scrambles and met British
bombers – flying in pairs – twice.
Although the Blenheims damaged
aircraft on the ground, there were no
casualties among personnel.
Sottotenente Alfonso Notari

and Sergente Nadio Monti

intercepted two Blenheims

near Derna at about 09:20. Sgt

Blair described the encounter:

“I had just released my bombs

when there was a loud bang

on the port side, and when I

looked round in the direction

of the noise I saw the pilot

was slumped forward on the

controls. Out of the port

window I saw a CR.42 breaking

off as if he was preparing for

another attack.”

The Blenheim dived but Blair

grabbed the control column and

managed, with difficulty, to fly

it. The gunner, Hankinson, came

forward and removed the body of the

unfortunate Reynolds.

With Hankinson scanning the skies

from the turret, Blair set course for

base some 350 miles distant. He had

never piloted an aircraft before, let

alone landed one.

“I did a very wide circuit of the

landing ground. On the final

approach I kept at about 85mph;

knowing there would be a marked

change of attitude when the flaps

were lowered, I trimmed the aircraft

tail heavy.

“I throttled back, and because it was

tail heavy it flared out nicely and sat

on the ground. I kept the stick hard

backwards with all my strength and

eventually the aircraft came to a halt

in a cloud of dust.”

This was Blair’s last operation with

113 Squadron. He was awarded a

well-earned immediate DFM and

a place on a pilot’s course! He was

flying with 602 Squadron by 1944.

During the afternoon of the

4th, pairs of Blenheims from 211

Squadron set off against enemy

airfields. The aim was to keep the

Italians grounded while the carrier

HMS Illustrious sailed to Alexandria.

One pair headed for Derna – the

CO, Sqn Ldr Bax, piloting L8736

and Sgt Marpole in L8471. Sergente

Ernesto Pavan of 92a Squadriglia

engaged Bax, and the damage was

such that the CO had to set down in

the desert. For good measure, Pavan

strafed L8736 and Bax and his crew

survived to be taken prisoner.

Pavan then turned his attentions

to Marpole, who managed to make

two diving passes at the Italian before

his front gun failed. The Blenheim’s

starboard fuel tank and port oil tank

had been punctured, but despite the

damage Marpole flew back to make a

safe landing at Sidi Barrani.

Within days Flt Lt Gordon-

Finlayson was promoted to command

the squadron.

On September 9 the Italian 10th

Army began its offensive along the

coast road. The RAF responded

immediately, sending four Blenheim

units to strike at airfields, transport

and supply dumps. A long struggle

lay ahead, but the first phase of the

desert war had ended.

Left

Franco Lucchini of

90a Squadriglia shot

down a Blenheim If of

30 Squadron on July

28, 1940. GIOVANNI

MASSIMELLO

Left

The lack of facilities at

forward airstrips often

required ingenuity from

the armourers.

AUTHOR’S COLLECTION

Below

Blenheim I L1491 of

211 Squadron after

force-landing near El

Adem on July 15, 1940.

GIOVANNI MASSIMELLO