Australia's Few. 8 August 1940

Stuart Walch and 238 Squadron carried out convoy duties during the first week of August. Just after mid day on 8 August, Stuart led the squadron into action a few miles south of the Isle of White. They intercepted a large formation over the ‘Peewit’ convoy, which had been under attack for a number of hours. Stukas with their wailing sirens were dive bombing the ships, aeroplanes were all over the sky, and Stuart and his men flung themselves into the swirling mass. A ‘confused dog-fight occurred’.

 

The squadron claimed ‘nine enemy aircraft falling to 238’s guns’. Unfortunately, the cost was high. The A Flight commander, Flight Lieutenant Eric Turner—who had impressed his new friends with his keenness, energy and good humour—was lost, as was one of Stuart’s B Flight charges, 24-year-old Flying Officer Derek MacCaw who was renowned on the squadron for his ‘slightly dreamy, dignified personality’.

 

Making things worse, Squadron Leader Jim Fenton went out to look for Turner. He spotted a German seaplane and attacked it but as it was going so slow, he overshot and copped a blast from the seaplane’s gunner. Shortly afterwards, his engine seized. He had to bale as he had no height, banging his head on the way out. Dazed, he bobbed in the water for some time until a trawler picked him up. He required seventeen stitches in his forehead and three weeks sick leave from the squadron. At this point, Stuart was the senior man, operationally speaking, on the squadron.