Pat Hughes
scored a hat trick on 4 September 1940. At 13.20 p.m., he
was leading 234 Squadron on a patrol of Tangmere and environs. He:
Saw about 50
110s approaching coast with about 15 110s circling south of Haslemere. Red,
Yellow and Green sections engaged the rear formation and Blue Section engaged
the fifteen. These aircraft immediately formed a circle and in a head-on attack
I fired two short bursts and the leading aircraft pulled up and I fired one
short burst into the fuselage. This aircraft caught fire and crashed just north
of Brighton. I attacked another 110 and from dead astern after two short bursts
this aircraft rolled on its back and dived vertically to the ground and blew
up, 10 miles north east of Tangmere. I was attacked by three 110s in a circle
whilst another circled round behind. I gave three short bursts to break up this
circle and dived away. I followed and emptied the rest of ammunition. One
engine appeared to catch fire and the aircraft turned slowly towards the coast heading
inland and both engines appeared to be on fire.
According to
Shores and Williams, his personal tally was now two third shares, one third
share unconfirmed, one 1/2 share, and 10 destroyed.
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