Australia's Few. 16 July 1940

A quiet day for the Australian pilots of Fighter Command.

 

At Exeter, 87 Squadron's Dick Glyde led Sergeant Culverwell on a two man base patrol at 11.10 a.m. Des Sheen was recovering from a tiring but exciting month-long trip after escaping from France with the photoreconnaissance unit. Pat Hughes of 234 Squadron and Stuart Walch of 238 Squadron were rostered off and, at Acklington, Bill Millington and 79 Squadron were two days into a five days session of non-operational flying training.

 

Meanwhile, the weather at Biggin Hill was bad and John Crossman did not get a chance to fly. The Hurricane was still denied him. Perhaps it was just as well as he was tired from staying up half the night as duty pilot, and when he could sleep it was uncomfortable in the watch office: ‘I thought I could sleep on anything but that bed there was one too many for me.’ He didn’t get much sleep that night as there was a ‘do’ on at the dispersal hut ‘that was quite a show’.