3 September 1940

 

The first few days of September 1940 were busy for Des Sheen and 72 Squadron. Compounding the exhaustion of constant readiness and repeated sorties (with some success) was the nuisance and turmoil of shifting base as over the next few days the squadron relocated from Croydon to Hawkinge, and then back to Croydon again where they remained until 14 September before returning to Biggin Hill.

 Des Sheen provides a good example of the mistakes than can about from hectic flying and no time to sit down and fill in the paperwork. Des told his parents that after baling out on 1 September ‘I was up flying again the next day and a couple of days later after a couple more scraps’. His flying log supports this, indicating that he flew six sorties between 1 and 5 September: The one on 1 September when he was shot down; one on 3 September where he intercepted 20 Me 110s and 20 Ju 86s, shooting down one probable (he later records this probable as occurring on 3 September in two letters); a patrol later that day, two on 4 September and an interception on 5 September but he admitted later that the details were sketchy. When he wrote to his parents to tell them of these days it was clear his sense of timing was confused:

 

So much has happened the last week I’ll not be able to tell you the half of it. It seems ages since we came south but actually its only about five or six days ago. Within half an hour of arriving we were fighting and have been ever since flying darn nearly all day every day. We were just in time for a new ‘blitz’.

In comparison to Des’s recollections, the squadron’s operational record book records him as only flying one operation a day on 1 and 5 September and records his probable as happening on 4 September. This is supported by victory tallies such as Shores and Williams’ ‘Aces High’. So, researcher beware! Double check everything. Record keeping in times of stress and high activity is usually not accurate. It probably doesn’t happen when it should and by the time either the squadron adjutant or the owner of a log book picks up a pen, well, some days may have passed and events may have something of a blur about them!

 These days might have been a bit hazy for Des Sheen but there was one thing he remembered clearly. His promotion to Flight Lieutenant, effective from 3 September, had come through. He had been expecting it as he announced to his parents: ‘Have got my second stripe at last’!