Albert Lewis and John Gillan Mark I Hurricanes
Hawker
Hurricane
Albert
Lewis and John Gillan Mark I Hurricanes
from: http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol016dt.html
Albert Gerald Lewis, born in
On
9th May, 1940, Albert Lewis flew Hurricane VY-D on an offensive patrol,
and on 12th, flying VY-E, he shot down a Messerschmitt Me 109E and a
Heinkel He 111. On 19th, flying AK-A (an aircraft still bearing No.213
Squadron's marking), he got five confirmed in one day (he was to surpass
even this later), two Me 109s on the first patrol in the morning, and
three more on the evening patrol, this fight having been witnessed by his
CO and the Squadron. He wrote me describing the event: "I was jumped by a
patrol of 3 Me 109s as I was about to return to base, troubled by a loose
gun panel; became aware of attack as tracer streamed by. Turned in to
attack and found the leader coming straight at me. Somehow his cannon
shots missed and he rolled into a steep turn almost on his back, and
pulled away. Suddenly there was his belly at point blank range. I rammed
the nose of the Hurricane down, my head hitting the top of the cockpit
glasshouse, and pressed the gun button; fuel spewed out from the L-shaped
tank which the pilot sat on, and with fuel streaming behind him, the pilot
flew straight down into the deck and exploded. By the way he handled his
plane, I imagined the pilot to be experienced, possibly an instructor,
with two greenies or fledglings, as the other two made half-hearted
attacks, formed up together and headed home, towards
"The fight had occurred in the Rubaix area on the Franco-Belgian border. My first inclination was to leave well alone, but realising we had the extra boost in the Hurricane if we needed it for short duration, I pulled out the boost control, and followed the two. I don't think they were aware of me following them as I was able to position myself slightly below and behind. They were sitting ducks; short bursts into each and they plummeted straight down into the deck at a steep angle. I was able to pinpoint the wreckages and submitted my report. The ack ack guns confirmed, and 'Bob' Martin, MC, our Intelligence Officer, had a look at the wreckages. They were fairly close together, in wooded country. The events happened in less time than it takes to tell it.
"On landing at Seclin my ground crew met me with grins and thumbs up signs. Doggie Oliver came over to me and said, 'We have just witnessed a wonderful scrap between one of our lads and three Messerschmitts.' I told him that I had just had three SIc's jump me, and had managed to bag all three. He was delighted as he realised he had witnessed, with the ground crews, the action I had been involved in. 'I'm recommending you for the DFC,' he said with a grin."
A.G. Lewis (on the right) with his very close friend from 85 Squadron,
Richard Hugh Anthony "Dickie" Lee [KIA 18Aug40]. Taken during the battle
of France, Lee would not survive much longer.