Germans take big losses in furious week
Sunday, September 15 We saw a German bomber coming towards us from London. About 12 Spitfires and Hurricanes were flying all around it like a lot of flies.
It went straight for a short while and turned as if it would bring itself down at Ditton or Aylesford. When it got about as far as Bradbourne, it turned round and flew back towards the aerodrome.
Smoke was pouring from one engine and its tail, then some burst of machine-gun fire made the other engine catch fire. When it was safe to go, Ron and I decided to catch a glimpse of the aeroplane.
When we got near the aerodrome we found the road barred, but a kind RAF man took us into the woods and showed us the crashed machine.
It was a Heinkel bomber, hardly damaged except for the undercarriage and holes in the side. We got within 200 yards.
The man told us the plane was still full of bombs and had a crew of five.
The pilot was badly injured, with bullets in the head and chest. He had passed out after landing. Two more men in it were saved, but the other two were killed.
There were iron crosses on the wings and a large H on the side, but there was no Swastika on the tail. Instead there were three yellow squares, which are thought to have indicated that this aircraft had shot down three of our own.
After this plane crashed, we saw at least 30 more making for home.
The fourth warning of the day went at 8.26pm. Intense fire was heard all around. At least three bombs were dropped. The guns were going all night.
The Germans lost 185 planes today, while we lost 25, with 14 pilots saved. This is the highest number of enemy planes shot down in a single day. monday, September 16 There were four warnings today. During the third one in the afternoon, some bombs were dropped on Malling Aerodrome. tueSday, September 17 During the third warning today I saw about 20 enemy planes at great height overhead.
A number of Hurricanes were flying all over the sky.
During the sixth warning, which sounded at 8.25pm, a bomber crashed at Barming, about 400 yards from Miss Beakbane’s house. The Germans lost 12 planes today. We lost three. WedneSday, September 18 At 12.35pm, the sky was full of trails of smoke from the exhausts of planes.
We saw one parachute coming down towards Maidstone and another at Yalding. There were five warnings sounded today and intense AA fire all night. thurSday, September 19 A bomber in this morning’s raid escaped from our AA guns straight into the clasp of a Spitfire, which machine-gunned it.
It exploded in the air, with the wreckage falling on Detling. A bomb was also dropped by Aylesford bridge this morning.