At
Stapleford Tawney, John Crossman, in Hurricane N2599, and 46 Squadron carried
out a joint patrol of Chelmsford at 15,000 with 504 Squadron from 10.45 a.m. to
12.30 p.m. on 20 September 1940. Despite it being ‘an absolutely marvellous day’, ‘strangely enough
we haven’t had a Jerry up all day near us’. But for once, other than his usual
annoyance at ‘sitting down here waiting’, John was not too worried about the
lack of aerial activity as he had something else to focus on.
‘A new aeroplane
arrived in the flight today. So I grabbed it for myself. My last aeroplane was
written off when I went on leave Wednesday. One of the chaps took it up and was
shot down’.
This was Sergeant George William Jefferys who
baled out and died when his parachute failed to open.
John ‘had my
mechanics working on my new kite all day and generally getting things ship
shape’.
No doubt he was looking forward to flying V6748
into battle.
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