Australia's Few. 11 August 1940

Shortly after 10.00 a.m. on 11 August 1940 Stuart Walch and his squadron comrades rushed to their Hurricanes. They had been called to patrol Portland. For once, it was a far from uneventful morning. They encountered an enemy force of about 150+ aircraft. Stuart was leading and was also Blue Leader. This was his 55th sortie since 238 Squadron was declared operational.
 

In the ensuing battle, Blue Section was caught between two waves of enemy aircraft. Stuart did not baulk at the overwhelming numbers but led his flight into the onslaught. He battled bravely but he and his section plummeted into the water five or so miles south of Swanage.
 

Flight Lieutenant Stuart Crosby Walch was only 23. He was the third Australian entitled to the Battle of Britain clasp to die. He was one of the first Australians to score a victory against the enemy during the Battle of Britain and accounted for two destroyed enemy aircraft, two shared destroyed, one unconfirmed shared destroyed and one damaged. He was known as the father of his squadron and would shepherd young pilots so they could make their first ‘kills’ safely. 238 Squadron lost ‘an officer of very great promise. He was dauntless in the face of danger, careless of his own personal safety and comfort, thoughtful for all who came in contact with him’.

 

Vale Stuart Walch.

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

Another review of Australian Eagles. The Sunday Tasmanian, 4 August 2013

The latest review of Australian Eagles appeared in the Sunday Tasmanian, 4 August 2013. Another good one: 'it is an important book ... comes fully recommended' by Tasmanian historian Reg A. Watson. They used my favourite photo too!

 

 

I first met the author, Kristen Alexander, at the unveiling of a plaque at Hutchins School to commemorate an old school boy, Stuart Crosby Walch.  Stuart was the only Tasmanian to be killed in the Battle of Britain.  With the annual ceremonies looming for that historic event mid September, the release of Australian Eagles is timely.

Kristen has listed and written on six Australians, they being Jack Kennedy, Dick Glyde DFC, John Crossman, Desmond Sheen DFC and Bar, James Coward and our own Stuart Walch.  The author is the Australian representative for the Battle of Britain Historical Society. The Battle was fought over the skies of England in the summer and autumn of 1940. Those pilots who participated were called by Winston Churchill “The Few”. Out of the 2940 who fought, 36 were Australians. Of Fighter Command, 544 airmen were killed, among them were thirteen Australians.

The Chapter on Stuart Crosby Walch is number two of six. Walch was born 16^th February 1917 in Hobart. He was of the prominent business family of the city. Outstanding at sport he was a well known figure around town in the mid 1930s and joined the RAAF early in 1936 and sailed to England to further his flying career. He was there when British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain advised that “this country (England) is at war with Germany”. Stuart would never see Tasmania again.  Later he was posted to 238 Squadron based at Tangmeere as Flight Commander. It was in July 1940 that Stuart saw his first action. Flying a Hurricane fighter he began to get credited with kills (downing of enemy craft).  Within three months of joining 238, the 23 year old, became known as being the “father” of his squadron and took on the most dangerous jobs himself.  On the 11 August 1940 with Stuart leading the squadron, he encountered an enemy force of more than 150 aircraft.  It was his 55^th sortie. Undaunted by the overwhelming numbers they met the onslaught, but he and his section leader plummeted into the waters five or so miles south of Swanage.  He had accounted for two destroyed enemy aircraft, two shared destroyed, one unconfirmed shared destroyed and one damaged.  The lost of the young Tasmanian, naturally, was devastating for his family.

Like all airmen his name is recorded on the Air Force memorial at Runnymede (England).  He is also remembered on The Hutchins School’s Second World War Roll in the Chapel of St Thomas.  On 21^st September 2011 Hutchins was presented with a Battle of Britain Historical Society School Plaque to honour Stuart.  This was the first and to date, the only School Plaque presented in Australia.  Stuart’s status is being the only Tasmanian on the Battle of Britain Honour Roll in Westminster Abbey (London).

Kristen has produced a wonderful read.  It is an important book in that those six who served and died are now to be remembered more fully.  Tasmanians will be proud to know that one of our own paid the supreme sacrifice over the skies of Great Britain. Her research is good and her style is easily read.  Comes fully recommended.

Australia's Few. 29 July 1940

At Middle Wallop, Stuart Walch sat down to write to his family. He had been busy on convoy patrols and had already notched up a number of successes over the last two weeks, including on 26 July the destruction of a 109 25 miles south of Portland. Not that he knew anything of it, but the 109 was that of 2/JG 27’s Fw Günther Bör who was killed that day. Now, he wanted to tell his family a little of those busy days, playing down the danger and commending the men in his flight for their actions, rather than his own.

 

‘Some of the combats I have been in have been rather wild while they lasted. So far I seem to have been in the show with my section only (not a terrific support against the odds we have met from time to time). Still, my boys are damn good and have proved themselves very reliable supporters, as you can imagine, ‘cause once we (the three of us) met thirty and got a couple. Once my flight (six of us), which I was leading, met eighty, and again when I was on my own I got mixed up with fifteen. You have got to work hard for a few hectic minutes on those occasions.’

 

 

Australia's Few. 26 July 1940

Stuart Walch of 238 Squadron had been busy. He had flown plenty of patrols but did not encounter the enemy until his second sortie on 26 July 1940.

At 11.42 a.m., the squadron took off to patrol Swanage at 10,000 feet. Stuart, again in P3618 was Blue Leader. Ground control advised that ‘bandits’ were south west of Portland at 12,000 feet but, as so frequently happened at this time, the controller had got the enemy height wrong. About 25–30 miles south of Portland, Stuart caught sight of three Me 109s flying at 14,000 feet. He ordered Blue Section into line astern and climbed behind the enemy fighters who had also climbed and were at 18,000 feet. Two of the Me 109s were in a vic formation, with a third ‘loose on right’. They were almost to the French coast when Stuart lined up the straggler in his sights and ‘fired one short burst (one sec) from a shallow quarter deflection’. The Messerschmitt ‘half rolled then dived vertically down, then went into spin and broke up, the wings dropping off and fuselage going into sea’. Stuart was credited with destroying the Me 109. It was his last victory.

 

 

Australia's Few. 21 July 1940

At Middle Wallop, Stuart Walch of 238 Squadron followed up his success of the day before during an afternoon convoy patrol of Portland.

 

Off The Needles, Isle of Wight, he ‘dived down from 12,000 feet to 8000 feet following the last aircraft in the enemy formation, which was now flying away from the convoy south east, apparently returning to France. I closed to about 500 yards before I was sighted. The formation then went into a right hand turn, aircraft still in line astern. The aircraft I was following swung out on the turn and was on the outside of the circle. I opened fire at 250 yards closing to 50...The enemy I attacked tightened his turn and dived towards the sea, I broke off the attack and the starboard engine of the enemy aircraft was emitting black and white smoke. I lost sight of the enemy aircraft in the dive, as I pulled away in a left hand turn.’

 

He was credited with one destroyed Me 110 and a damaged.

 

He had come a long way since graduating from 1 Flying Training School three years earlier.

 

Australia's Few. 20 July 1940

238 Squadron on convoy protection duties on 20 July 1940. Flying at 8000 feet, Blue Section arrived at the convoy, which was 15 miles south east of Portland, at 12.20 p.m. They encountered the enemy ‘in force’ and ‘the sections broke for individual combat’. Stuart Walch ‘twice investigated aircraft which turned out to be Hurricanes’. By 1.00 p.m., he had lost the rest of Blue Section and, as his main petrol tank was empty, he switched to his reserve tank and decided to return to base. He was down to 6000 feet by this stage. Climbing back to 8000 feet as he flew towards Swanage, he ‘observed fifteen aircraft flying in formation towards the convoy on [a northerly] course at approx. 12,000 feet’. Stuart was too far away to identify the aircraft but, given the direction they were taking, he concluded that they weren’t Hurricanes this time. ‘They were hostile’.

 

Stuart tried to contact ground control to see if the relief section was on its way but he could not raise them. He then ‘turned and headed for convoy climbing to get into sun’. When he was about five miles from the convoy, he saw bombs exploding around the escorting destroyer. He was right. He had encountered an enemy formation. Despite being alone, he ‘pulled the plug and went after the enemy aircraft which had turned southwards’. When he was south east of the convoy, at 10,000 feet, he saw ‘three Me 109s flying in [a] wide vic at about 9000 feet’. He dived and attacked the port machine. He opened fire at 200 yards quarter, firing two rapid two second busts as he closed to astern at approx. 50 yards. He watched as ‘black smoke poured from under the engine of the enemy aircraft’. It then ‘turned right and made vertical dive towards sea’. Stuart did not follow it down to confirm its destruction ‘as the other aircraft were trying to get astern of me’. His tanks were almost empty and so he ‘pulled up in a steep stall turn and made for home.’ Although Stuart did not mention it, as he ‘fired a burst causing the Me 109 to catch fire’, he was assisted by another friendly aircraft and was accordingly credited with a half share of the 109.