Prologue(Back)
On the 21st June 1940 almost three weeks after the evacuations from Dunkirk, Winston Churchill and the War Cabinet came to the conclusion that the Battle for France was lost, and the Battle of Britain was about to begin.
So orders were sent out; for the final evacuation of our forces from St Nazaire, and other French ports on the north atlantic coast.
The RAF had lost half of its number in France and over Dunkirk, and they were now scrambling to repair and regroup the remnants of their squadrons, to form a new front around the Kent coast, against the enemy which was five time their strength.
The Battle of Britain began twelve days later; only 618 fighters; mostly Hurricanes and Spitfire were operational. To defend the whole of the British Isles against the German Luftwaffe . This is the story about how those two planes came to be built.
March 6th 1936 was a dry clear day with high wispy cloud; a moderate wind blew across an airfield near Southampton.
There, with its nose pointing to the sky stood a sleek, dart like monoplane, with simple roundels painted on its sides. This newly built aerial thoroughbred was covered with an unpainted metal skin, its registration K5054 clearly written on the sides of its fuselage.
Standing beside this new experimental fighter plane, stood a small group of men whose long hours of dedication to the project was clearly written on their faces. R J Mitchell Chief Designer was talking to the Vickers Chief Test Pilot 'Mutt' Summers. He had just arrived at the airfield after delivering a prototype Vickers Bomber later called the Wellington, for its initial service trials at the RAF test establishment at Martlesham Heath.
The third man in the group, listening intently to the conversation, was Ken Scales the foreman who had been in charge of building the aeroplane. There too was Jeffrey Quill another test pilot, who would be testing this plane in the weeks ahead.
And so on that day after year's evolving, their time was nearly run. Few would have guessed their legacy, now poised for flight, would become the new sword escalabor, ready soon to be drawn for war, by Gallant Knights yet still at school. "These few", soon to be made men, would later write their own dramatic story of the battle fought.
Mutt Summers now swung himself on to the wing, clambered into the narrow cockpit. He fastened his parachute, and winked at the others as he started the engine. The Rolls Royce Merlin coughed, growled and roared into action, dragged along by its fixed fine pitch, wooden propeller, the plane moved slowly westward as its pilot tested the planes rudder, its flaps, and everything that could be moved. Then after an incredibly short run, it left the ground like a javelin and with wheels still locked in the down position it curved and thundered skywards almost lost from sight in seconds.
R J Mitchell and Ken Scales now started to walk back across the airfield to the workshops knowing they would learn details soon enough. Their minds now starting to remember the long trail of events that had brought them, and their warplane to this place.
Outside the workshops members of the design team had gathered; Alan Clifton, Beverley Shenstone, Alf Faddy, Ernest Mansbridge, 'Agony' Payn, and Stuart Scott-Hall, all anxious to see their drawings and calculations take to the skies. This day of all days would test all their skills.
R. J. Mitchell 1895-1937. The Schneider Trophy Years. (Back)
"Mitchell", Reginald Joseph Mitchell was born in 1895. In his teen years he studied engineering at the Wedgwood Institute in Burslem, where he won the Midland Counties Union Prize for mathematics. Later he became an apprentice to Kerr Stuart & Co, builders of steam locomotives.
In 1915 he volunteered for The Royal Flying Corp, having become fascinated with aeroplanes. But having a reserved occupation he was not accepted, so he did the next best thing and went to work at Pemberton Billing Ltd who had started to make aircraft, situated at the side of the floating bridge, in Southampton.
Noel Billing was a very colourful character, a Boer War veteran and Ships Chandler, and by the time Mitchell had joined them, their speciality was floatplanes. As well as acting as a repair shop for the Admiralty.
After Mitchell's arrival, Noel Billing joined the Royal Naval Air service, and ownership passed into the hands of Hubert Paine who changed the name of the company to Supermarine Aviation Works. Paine continued to produce seaplanes, and promoted Mitchell at the end of the war to Chief Designer.
After the war the aeronautical challenge of the Schneider Trophy Races caught the imagination of Hubert Paine. This was a flying circuit speed contest for floatplanes, run annually by the French International Aeronautique. The rules were that the first country to win the trophy three times in succession, or four times in total, could keep the coveted Trophy forever.
Paine thought Supermarine had a real chance of winning, and was able to interest the Air Ministry to consider funding a British entry. Mitchell was given the job of designing the new plane, which they unveiled in Naples in 1922.
All the other entries were biplanes, two wings, made of plywood, canvass, and wire strung. Supermarine's entry was a streamlined bullet shaped monoplane, powered by a Napier Lion Engine, which literally took everybody's breath away, winning easily at a record speed of 145.7mph.
The following year 1923 the race was held at Cowes, but this time was won by an American Navy Curtis plane.
By 1925 Supermarine had been working on a beautiful clean lined monoplane called the S4. During a solo flight in this country it beat the world speed record at a speed of 226mph. But during the run up to the Schneider Trophy Race in 1926 the plane developed wing flutter and crashed.
Fortunately the pilot escaped with his life. But the Schneider Trophy race held in Baltimore without the British, was again won by the Americans. Now they had to win it only once more to keep the trophy. Fortunately for us the Italians won with their new Macchi plane.
In 1927 Supermarine presented its brand new plane the S5 in Venice, piloted by Flight Lieutenant Webster of the Royal Air force. It won handsomely against everybody, at a record speed of 281.65 miles per hour, snatching back the initiative for the British.
The British won again in 1929 this time with the new S6, with a huge 12 cylinder Rolls Royce Engine, piloted by Flying Officer H R D Waghorn. He was a convincing winner with a new record speed of 328.63 miles per hour over the Spit-Head course. Now it was Britain's turn to need only one more win to take the hat trick, and win the Schneider Trophy outright.
But in 1929 the world economy suddenly lurched over the cliff. Wall street and the world-markets crashed; Germany was to the verge of revolution, the Deutchmark was becoming worthless. The Air Ministry were unable to fund another plane, neither could the Aircraft Industry. Bankruptcies and extreme politics were running amuck in the world.
Visitors to Germany were now seeing the growth of the National Socialist Party, whose leader was advocating the build up of their Armed Forces. Especially the Air force which the Allies, through the League of Nations, had dramatically restricted in growth since the First World War.
One of these visitors to Germany, was an English Aristocrat called Lady Lucy Houston, she had seen the Military changes there, and had written to Winston Churchill urging him to make England strong. She also decided to help, and donated £100,000 to build the new British entry for the next Schneider Trophy race.
This generous gift arrived only six months before the race. Leaving very little time for any radical engineering changes to Britain's previous winning model the S6. However Mitchell was able to change the cooling system, which allowed the new 12-cylinder engine to run at full throttle over the entire circuit.
By now this race had taken on international importance, It was to be a contest of National Politics. The very prestige of "The New Germany", "Il Duce' Italy", as well as America, and Britain were at stake.
So on this very exciting day in 1931, the British were desperate to win for the third consecutive time. The viewing stands were packed with people, all eager to catch a glimpse of the new entries. Flight Lieutenant George Stainforth was piloting the new Vickers Supermarine S6B for Britain.
His speed was amazing, winning the race for the third consecutive time. The Schneider Trophy now belonged to Britain for all time, with a world record speed of just under 400mph.
As you can imagine Supermarine's racing successes had brought them considerable fame and prestige. But for 1932 it brought them little in the way of new business. The whole range of these racing flying boats had generated only eight new orders. Small high-speed flying boats were not what the world wanted to buy in those years of serious depression.
Fortunately Supermarine's contract work for the Navy, and building the larger flying boats kept them in business.
Thomas Octavius Murdoch Sopwith. (Back)
Our second plane maker in this talk developed in a very different way, starting life as The Sopwith Aviation Company.
Thomas Octavius Murdock Sopwith was born in 1888, the eighth child of a well off North of England family. As a young man with an extremely large allowance, he was soon indulging himself in the novel pleasures of motor racing, competitive flying, and fast motorboats. In 1910 at the age of 22 he employed a man called Fred Sigrist as motor mechanic and odd job man.
Flying was obviously becoming Sopwith main hobby, and when he purchased a Wright Biplane, and Bleriot Monoplane Sigrist himself needed help. So Sopwith engaged a man called Kauper as the aeroplane mechanic. Soon the trio started to produce their own specialized planes, the world was becoming fascinated with aeroplanes.
Harry Hawker; joined the team in 1912, which had now housed itself on the spare land within the Brooklands Motor Racing circuit, where Sopwith had raced.
New flight sheds were built for the construction of wood framed biplanes, covered with fabric, and held together with wire. In 1912 they received their first Naval Order.
Sopwith taught Harry Hawker to fly in their new "Pilots Training School". The tuition must have been good, because soon after receiving his pilot's license, Harry Hawker won the British Air Speed Record. He was to become a well known figure in the flying world, much photographed before the First Wirld War wearing his flat cap back to front.
When war came in 1914, the Air Ministry started to purchased Sopwith fighter-biplanes, built at Brooklands, and also from their new factory at Kingston-on-Thames managed by Sigrist. Harry Hawker became chief test pilot and manager of the flight sheds at Brooklands.
During the First World War Sopwith Aviation produced over 18000 aircraft, of 16 different types. The Sopwith Tabloid, Sopwith Pup, The Triplane, and the world famous Sopwith Camel.
But in 1920 Sopwith Aviation finally ran out of steam, or to be more precise, ran out of Government orders. Unfortunitely they had no peacetime experience to fall back on. So Chairman Thomas Sopwith, who was still only thirty-two years of age, decided to put the company into voluntary liquidation, whilst he could still pay all his creditors.
It was an honorable thing to do, and many companies who had produced entirely for their Countries war needs, were following the same path. It was a sad end to such a wonderful chapter in the story of aviation.
But when times get tough, the tough get going. Of the original Sopwith team, it was Harry Hawker who was the first to stir himself to action. Two month after the liquidation, Harry bought himself a Motorcycle Engineering Plant, and formed a company called, H.G.Hawker Engineering. To manufacture motorcycles for the brave, new, post war world.
Of course news of this nature travels fast, and two of the old team, Thomas Sopwith and Fred Sigrist decided to call and see how Harry was going on. We may suppose it was a visit more in friendly mischief than of serious intention.
What was said we can only guess, but it was reported years later, that one of the group sitting round Harry Hawkers desk that morning, suddenly suggested, "Why don't we all make aeroplanes again".Those fateful words must still be echoing round the universe. With hindsight; the fate of the entire free world hung upon that casual suggestion. Because without it the Hawker Hurricane would never have flown in the Battle of Britain.
They all jumped at the chance; they decided Frank Spriggs the office boy at the old firm, would be promoted to be the new costing clerk and bookkeeper, and the new team of four was complete.
It was very apparent that new orders from the Air Ministry for bombers were more frequent than fighters. "Bombers alone could win any future war", said the Air Chiefs. So to bolster this side of the business, the Hawker Company in 1923, appointed a new senior draughtsman called Sidney Camm.
Sigrist, Hawker, Spriggs and Sopwith instinctively warmed to Sidney Camm, who was turning out to be an exceptional find, and was made Chief Designer of Hawkers.
From Sidney Camm's drawing board during the next eight years flowed such planes as the Hart Bomber, the Fury, Hornet, Audax, Hind and Hotspur. But now in those terrible days of early 30s Hawkers survival, again lay with their very next order.
Like Mitchell at Vickers Supermarine, Sidney Camm was a constant visitor to Adastral House in London, to see Major Buchanan the Deputy Director of research at the Air Ministry. Camm new that the Air Staff were disappointed by the inability of designers like himself, to increase the speed of biplane fighters, He was well aware that the present day biplanes, could not match the speed of Bomber. This had been clearly demonstrated during the Ministries own Air Exercises that year.
So Camm now started to re-design the Fury fighter biplane, as a monoplane, which later became known in the drawing office as the "Interceptor Monoplane" a long term project, financed by the Hawker Company as a private venture.
Then in 1931 the Air Ministry issued a general replacement specification requiring a new fighter to replace the ageing Bristol Bulldog. It did not specify type, (biplane or Monoplane) but two of its requirements were that it should have four machine guns, and be able to fly at a speed not less than 195 mph at 15000ft.
The effect was dramatic; it was like firing a starting pistol. With industry in the doldrums, every manufacturer desperately needed work; competition was intense, especially for the makers of fighter aircraft. Now at last was their chance, and no less than eight new designs were submitted.
Five of these were Biplanes from Bristol, Hawker, Westland, Blackburn, and the Gloster SS37. Three were Monoplanes, The Bristol 133, The Vickers Jockey, and the Vickers Supermarine Type 224.
This Supermarine entry Type.224 designed by Mitchell, was a low dihedral, cranked wing monoplane, of all metal construction. It was built with the Rolls Royce Goshawk engine, which at that time was the most powerful available, incorporating a pressurized evaporative cooling system. The undercarriage was fixed down, covered with streamlining metal trouser.
The plane was an unmitigated disaster; it was never free from problems, mostly caused by the cooling system, and the fixed trousered landing wheels made it look like a Bantam Hen, and imposed as much drag.
Hawker's played safe; and produced another biplane! the PV3. A two-seater which was described as a variant between Hawkers Hart Bomber and the fury fighter; It's speed however was only marginally superior to their own Hart Bomber, and to give you the bad news first, neither Hawkers nor Supermarine got the work.
The successful plane chosen by the Air Ministry was the Gloster SS 37. Which subsequently achieved a top speed of 253mph at 15000 feet, and became known the Gloster Gladiator. It will also be remembered as the very last of the biplanes to be ordered by the RAF.
In 1933 the Air Minister Lord Londonderry appointed Air Chief Marshal Sir Edward Ellington as Chief of the Air Staff. Ellington believed this country should not fear any threat from anywhere before 1942, and the bomber would remain the dominant weapon in the air. His Deputy Director of Plans, a certain Group Captain Arthur Harris who I am sure you have heard of, vigorously supported him.
The British Army thought differently, the Army General Staff thought Germany might well be in a position to wage a war by 1938. Sir Maurice Hankey reported the luftwaffe had already a minimum of 22 Fighter, and Bomber Sqadrons in service. This view was strengthened in 1933; when Adolf Hitler became the new Reich Chancellor of Germany on January 30th 1933, and withdrew his country from the Geneva disarmament conference and the League of Nations.
Now more people started to listen to Winston Churchill, who had constantly warned Parliament about the perils of German rearmament. But his views were dismissed as war mongering by the then Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald.
Squadron Leader Ralph Sorley. (Back)
Fortunately for Britain, research was also proceeding in flight armaments. A young and enthusiastic Squadron Leader called Ralph Sorley in the Operational Requirements Branch of the Air Ministry now appeared on the scene.
He believed that future monoplanes would produce speeds so fast, that the pilot would not be able to hold the enemy in his gun sights for longer than two seconds. Consequently the plane would need at least eight machine guns to achieve the required amount of firepower in such a short time.
Sorley acquired the help of Captain F W Hill, Senior ballistics officer at the "Aeroplane and Armaments Establishment" at Martlesham Heath in Suffolk. Hill agreed with Sorley about the future speeds of aircraft, and the need for concentrated firepower. So on July 19th 1934 they presented their findings at the Air Ministry conference on armaments, which was received very well.
After Sorley's success at the conference, he went to see Sidney Camm at the Hawker factory at Kingston. He knew Sidney's company was privately working on their Monoplane Interceptor, and convinced him that the strong Hawker wings still on the drawing board would provide an incomparable mounting for his eight Browning machine guns.
In 1934 Sidney had seventy draughtsman, all quietly working away on the new plane, leaving most of the world and their competitors, still believing that Hawkers were totally committed to they're tried and tested biplanes.
Meanwhile back at Supermarine the maiden flight of the type. 224 monoplanes had as expected revealed fundamental problems.
A poor response from the Air Ministry convinced Mitchell to ditch the Type. 224, and threw his energy into an improved design, which he called Type. 300. The wings were straightened and made thinner with box spars, and about seven feet was taken off the span. Then when he included the new Rolls Royce Merlin Engine with the agreement of the Vickers Board, the new design started to look really exciting.
The new engine was a third heavier in weight; so to compensate for the forward movement in the center of gravity, the sweep back of the leading edge of the wing was reduced. Whilst forming this new shape, the now famous elliptical wing was formed as the best shape, "when the induced drag whilst producing lift, was at its lowest".
Mitchell's own casual remark about the beauty of the elliptical wing, was that it was the best shape to cover the guns!
This very important decision of the Vickers Board, to combine Mitchell new airframe design, with the new Merlin Engine of Rolls Royce received immediate interest from the Air Ministry. On December 1st 1934 Vickers Supermarine received an Air Ministry contract providing £10,000 for the construction of one plane, a prototype No. K5054, to be ready by October 1935.
At Hawkers, designing was proceeding well, even after Sidney Camm had included Sorley's extra weight for eight machine-guns, his calculated speed at 15000 feet was 330mph. The Air Marshals were amazed; these new estimates exceeded all their expectations.
So on the February 21st 1935, it was Hawkers turn to receive funding and a firm order from the Air Ministry for just one prototype plane, to have the registration number K5083 to be delivered in October 1935. Now their private venture was at last in part being paid for, and a new spirit prevailed in the long room of the drawing office, and on the shop floor.
Air Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding. (Back)
We understand that Chief of Air Staff Ellington, had frustrated similar orders for fighter prototypes in the past. But this time they were sanctioned because of the personal insistence of the Air Member for Research and Development, the little known Air Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding. This was to be his first great service towards saving Britain from invasion in 1940.
Dowding's second service to this country, was by encouraging Robert Watson-Watt of the National Physical Laboratory researching into locating hostile aircraft, by Radio Direction Finding or RDF. He transmitted pulse waves by radio, and received their echo if there was a plane about. Dowding quickly grasped the importance of these experiments, and immediately put forward a case to the Treasury for £10.000, which helped to complete the research.
Later in 1935 the Government with a weather eye on Germany, and a report from the air parity sub committee chaired by Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister who as Viscount Swinton became Air Minister on June 7th, decided to slowly to increase the strength of the Royal Air Force to 70 Bomber, and 35 Fighter Squadrons to be completed by 1942.This preponderance of bombers, and the date, still shows the strong influence of Air Chief Marshal Sir Edward Ellington.
But at least the government recognized the need for a new, and separate Fighter Command, by appointing Air Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding to be its Air Officer Commander in Chief.
Hawkers now had the confidence to increase their capacity, and bought out the Gloster Aircraft Company at Brockworth. It brought no immediate production relief, because Gloster's was heavily committed producing the Gauntlet biplane, and the Gloster Gladiator planned to follow it.
But it was the perfect acquisition, the two companies were extremely compatible; they had produced very similar aircraft and operated in a similar manner. After the buy out was completed in June 1935, Frank Spriggs the original office boy at Sopwith was promoted to become its new Chairman.
The other members of the senior management to benefit were Sidney Camm Chief Designer, and Hawkers chief test pilot George Bulman, who were invited to join Hawker's main board. It was a great way to engender confidence, and build enthusiasm for the new monoplane.
Hawkers were the first to have all the parts of their prototype monoplane ready, So on October 23 1935 the fuselage and two wings were transported by lorry to Brooklands. The famous assembly airfield of the First World War, and also where Thomas Sopwith hired Harry Hawker in 1912.
George Bulman watched as the fabric-covered wings were slotted into the fuselage, and the hundreds of connections made and checked. He was reputed to put more hours into preparation on the ground than in the air, he was a methodical man leaving nothing to chance.
Then on November 6th 1935 wearing his Trilby Hat that was Bulman's usual headgear for maiden flights. He climbed into the cockpit and closed the newfangled greenhouse canopy over his head. He knew he would be piloting the fastest aircraft in the world.
Bulman finished his cockpit checks, started his engine, and taxied Hawker K5083 forward. Then pushing his engine into full throttle he took off banking over the rim of the Brooklands race track, and was gone.
After half an hour Bulman returned to tell Sidney Camm he was confident they had a winner. Later after a full briefing report and subsequent flights, the three main items for re-design work was the hood, the retractable undercarriage, and still further problems with the Merlin engine.
The RAF test pilots at Martlesham Heath were very anxious to test Hawker aircraft; they were relishing the novelty of the retractable undercarriage and newly calculated speed. Finally on February 7th 1936 after Rolls Royce had produced a new and modified engine, and all the other items attended to. Sidney Camm finally released the prototype.
The prototype did not stay long; the RAF pilots were well accustomed to the unknown. They were full of praise and reported the aircraft handled easily, attained a speed of 315mph at 16000 feet. But the engine continued to give trouble.
In March not-withstanding the unreliability of the Merlin Engine. The Hawker Main Board of Directors decided to go ahead with the production a 1000 Monoplane Interceptor K5083. Sopwith and Spriggs were confident, that if the Air Ministry didn't want them, their export customers would.
This bold move was duly rewarded because on June 3 1936, an order was received from the Air Ministry for 600 planes, Type. 5083. This was the largest order ever received in peacetime,and the Air Ministry also approved Camm's design specifications, and the company's choice of name "Hawker Hurricane".
On that exactly the same day June 3 1936, Vickers Supermarine also received their first order for 310 planes to be built to specification K5054, henceforth to be known as the Supermarine Spitfire. Total cost to the country £1,395,000 or £4,500 each, Eight weeks later the Air Ministry issued a list of changes to be made in production, different from the prototype.
The main items were, the wing to be made stiffer. The fuel tank to be increased to 84 gallons, and the flap travel, was to be increased from 57% to 85%. These changes increased the maximum limiting speed to 450mph, and the flap changes to sharpen the angle of turn.
Unfortunatly, earlier that year the Managing Director of Vickers, Sir Robert McLean had informed the Air Ministry, if they received an order for this plane, they would be able to commence production fifteen months, and deliver at a rate of five aircraft per week. Meaning aircraft would become available October 1937 onwards.
However, almost immediately after the receiving the Official Order, it was obvious this target could not be met. It was a complicated aircraft. Sir Robert McLean was not keen to sub-contract. Supermarine only had a staff of five hundred, all currently engaged in producing flying boats, and amphibians such as the walrus.
The Spitfire was unique, a world-beater, but the planning required to mass-produce the airframe, and especially the elliptical wings, had never been addressed by the management. It was to take many meetings, company reshuffles, and finally Government intervention, before a single Spitfire was delivered two years later.
By sharp contrast the Hawker Company had started to produce a thousand Hurricanes, before the Air Ministry's order for 600 Hurricanes arrived. Now they were desperate to concentrate on sales, and to use International Air Displays as a shop window for their export drive.
That summer Squadron Leader Anderson, who had assessed the Hurricane for the Air Ministry at Martlesham Heath, gave a dazzling performance at the Hendon Air Display. The visiting Luftwaffe pilots fraternized with the Royal Air force. The former had a tendency to show off and the latter were able to gain knowledge from it.
The following summer in 1937, Luftwaffe Generals Udet, Junek, and Schoenebeck a German Technical Triumvirate gave a standing ovation to the landing of their smart new Messerschmitt 108 at the Hendon display. But overseas customers were more impressed by the Hurricane.
The first RAF squadron to be equipped with Hurricane's was No.111 at Northolt near Stanmore, in December 1937, and shortly after No.3 Squadron at Kenley, and number 43 Squadron at Tangmere received theirs planes about the time of Munich 1938.
Export orders for Hurricanes were received from Yugoslavia and were delivered in December 1938. Orders were also obtained from South Africa, Belgium, and Canada.
By now Goverment tactical planning was also in progress. Soon after Chamberlains return from Munich, 22 Hawker Hurricanes were sent to re-equip No 1 Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force; together with two sets of production drawings on Microfilm to guarantee continuous production should war come. In fact 1,451 Hurricanes were eventually built in Canada. Forty of these were delivered in time for the Battle of Britain.
1938 was the eleventh hour in British history. The water shed of British Government thinking. Every pessimist, and warmonger was beginning to be proved right. The German Reich was planning to take over Europe, and the British Isles, unless we could resist them.
Production of the Hurricane was proceeding well. But not a single Spitfire had arrived in Squadron service. So in July 1938 the Government financed the construction of a large factory at Castle Bromwich near Birmingham for the urgent production of Spitfire Fighters. It was managed and equipped by Morris Motors Ltd, who played a very important roll in the production of the Spitfire throughout the war.
By Munich on the 29th September 1938, there were 93 eight-gun Hurricanes fighters in Squadron service, and just 3 Spitfires had been delivered to 19 Squadron at Duxford, commanded by Squadron leader Henry Cozens.
War, September 3, 1939. (Back)
When war broke out one year later on September 3 1939, these numbers had been increased equiping about 17 squadrons of Hurricanes, and 9 squadrons of Spitfires. We were to need every single one. Nine months later on the 10th May 1940 German Tank Brigades attacked through Holland and Belgium. The Allied line was broken at Sedan; and the their Armies started to fall back to the west-coast of France, and north to the Channel Ports.
The Dunkirk evacuation took place during the first three days of June, but the remaining Hurricane Squadrons continued fighting a rearguard action with the remainder of the BEF still fighting in the west of France. The final evacuation of those remaining British Forces took place from St Nazaire and other French harbours on June18th. The total evacuated from all French Ports in May/June was nearly half a million.
The fighting in France had cost the Royal Air Force 477 aircraft, 386 Hurricanes, and 91 Spitfires. Spitfires were never based in France, but had fought continually over the Channel.
On th 18th June Winston Churchill broadcasting to the nation said "what General Weygand called the battle of France is now over. I now expect the Battle of Britain is about to begin".
At 9.0am on 2nd July 1940, three RAF Fighter Groups, No.11, 12, and 13, now formed the new Front Line against the enemy, from the Solent to the Firth of Forth. They had just 618 serviceable Fighter Planes immediately available for combat, out-numbered by the Luftwaffer five to one
251 Spitfires. 272 Hurricanes 25 Defiants 70 Blenheims
By the 14th July, RAF No.10 Group had joined the line, completing the right flank defending the West Country, to the Welsh border.
No.11 Group Commanded by Air Vice Marshal Keith Park bore the brunt of the Battle of Britain. He constantly had to juggle his few fighter Squadrons to inflict the maximum damage on the enemy. Eleven Group had about 13 squadrons of Hurricanes. and six squadrons of Spitfires.
Radar by this time had become a great ally. On most occasions, much to the annoyance and surprise of the Germans, they found the RAF fighters waiting for them.
The Battle of Britain was fought mostly in daylight against the attacking German Bomber Squadrons and their defending Fighters. Between July 10th to October 31st 1940.
Then because of their heavy losses the Luftwaffe switched to bombing by night, so ending Germany's hopes of invading this country. The Battle of Britain extended over a period of four months, 2936 pilots took part and 544 lost their lives
Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding was retired on the November 24th 1940, having borne the full weight of responsibiliy for the defence of these islands and was replaced by Air Chief Marshal Sir Sholto Douglas. Air Vice Marshal Keith Park was also stood down from Command of eleven Group three weeks later. There is no doubt these two brave men were the architects of the victory of The Battle of Britain, Britain's gravest hour.
The Battle was won by the sheer courage and determination of the Royal Air Force, fighting and winning the battle with their Hurricane and the Spitfire fighter planes.
Geoffrey Cullern
