Australia's Few. 23 September 1940

46 and 249 Squadrons were ordered to carry out another Wing interception on the morning of 23 September. John Crossman at Stapleford Tawney, flying V6748, took off at 9.25 a.m. 46 Squadron met up with 249 Squadron, including Bill Millington in Hurricane V6622, who took off minutes later, over North Weald at 20,000 feet.

John noted that there were ‘plenty of fighters around which made off as soon as they saw us’. In the distance, he ‘saw a dog fight over Dover’. It was too far away and he made no attempt to join in. He watched as ‘three kites went down in flames but [was] too far to see whether they were ours or Jerry’s.’

During their patrol, John ‘went up as high as 25,000 feet and, despite the mild autumn weather on the ground, his ‘hands were frozen almost stiff’. He was looking forward to a hand knitted pullover that was on its way from Australia because ‘as we do most of our patrols in the vicinity of 20,000 feet we aren’t generally too warm in the air in spite of a lot of clothes’.

 There appeared to be plenty of ‘Jerries’ in the distance, and John even saw some ‘coming over from France but they turned back as soon as they saw us’. But, as there was no enemy within fighting cooee, the Wing patrol was abandoned after about 90 minutes. 249 Squadron’s verdict? It was nothing but a ‘quiet day, nothing to report’.

 

 

Australia's Few. 20 September 1940

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.

 

 

Australia's Few. 18 September 1940

46 Squadron at Stapleford Tawney were very busy on 18 September 1940. They carried out four patrols, each one as a wing with 249 Squadron, which was based at North Weald. John only flew on one of these patrols, a morning interception. Flying Hurricane V7442, he was in the air for one hour and 20 minutes.

‘We saw several formations of enemy fighters but no bombers. The fighters left tout suite when they saw us but we didn’t follow as we were looking for bombers. Didn’t see any so went home’.

Later that day, 24 hour leave pass in hand and car freshly filled with petrol, John headed to London with Billy Pattullo. ‘They ‘went [to] numerous places. Met four Aussie officers and started a sing song at Regent Palace, then onto several night clubs. Had a whoopee time’.

 

 

Australia's Few. 15 September 1940

Sunday 15 September saw the Luftwaffe launch a concentrated attack against London: the goal was to bring the RAF to its knees. It was a long, arduous day for Fighter Command. 11 Group was totally committed, 12 Group’s Duxford Wing was involved and 10 Group squadrons were called to protect the south west.

Fighter Command was were pitted against the Luftwaffe in a series of battles and defensive actions that lasted from about 9.30 a.m. to dusk. One of those defenders was John Crossman.

John Crossman and 46 Squadron were ‘ordered off just before lunch’. It wasn’t long before they:

‘Ran into hundreds of Jerry kites at about 19,000 feet. Three of us were going round to do head on attacks on some Dornier Do 215s. I lost speed, spun down 6000 feet came out near 20 more Dos 215 escorted by about 60 Me 109s. Three of the 109s came after me. I evaded then come round did a stern attack on the 215s. Put all my shots into one of them, set his port engine on fire and saw him go down. Cleared off then to re-arm. Wasn’t going to stay round on my own with 60 MEs 109 around.’

Yet again, John was ‘scared stiff in action’. But again, he put his fear aside and was clear headed in his attack. It paid off. He was credited with a probable Dornier Do 215. But he had no chance to rest on his laurels. He was up in the air again: ‘We were sent up twice more today. I chased a 215 into the clouds and lost him, otherwise wasn’t able to get near anything. They ran too fast’.

 

 

Australia's Few. 14 September 1940

46 Squadron was ordered to rendezvous with 504 Squadron and proceed to Maidstone. John, newly allocated to B Flight, was one of the eleven who took off at 18.00 p.m. and before long, was ‘in action for first time today.’

Near Biggin Hill, a formation of Me 109s was sighted heading west.

‘We attacked a formation of about 60 ME 109s at 20,000. I got one decent burst into a 109 but was unable to see if I got him as had to get out of the way of a few more. Jerries turned tail and we came home.’
 
Despite being so anxious for so long to get into combat, this first experience was not an easy one for John. He confessed that he ‘was scared sick and panicky’. There is a true courage in admitting your own failings; fear especially is one that has to be acknowledged in order to break through it. John did not flinch from the most basic of human frailties and accepted his fear. ‘I can honestly say I’ve never had the wind up more in my life. Worst part was just before we attacked.’  

 

 

Australia's Few. 12 September 1940

John Crossman’s slumber at Acklington on 11/12 September was disturbed when he was woken up at 1.00 a.m. and told to report to 46 Squadron at North Weald that afternoon. He may be leaving 32 Squadron but he would soon have a better chance of seeing some action. He left Acklington at 10.00 a.m. but didn’t arrive in London until 7.00 that evening because:

‘There was a raid on and it took some time to get a train to Epping. All the way out, bombs were falling around and the Ack Ack and search lights were in action. Was bringing down a Belgian P/O with me who is also posted to No. 46 Squadron. He has little English. [This was Pilot Officer E.G.A. Seghers who would be killed 26 July 1944] We finally got to North Weald just before midnight to find 46 Squadron is at Stapleford eight miles away. We were not particularly impressed.’

John and Seghers then ‘had an awful job getting transport to Stapleford but finally arrived at 11.30 a.m.’ on 13 September.