Review of Australia's Few and the Battle of Britain

From Andy Wright. Flightpath Volume 26, No. 2, November 2014-January 2014

 

The sheer presence of this beautiful hardback demands attention. The hardcovers replicate the dust cover artwork and prove there is more to life than dark cloth and gold embossed text. They are a taster as, once the book is opened, the crisp, clean pages, the superb layout and the professional notes and index are the pinnacle of book design. Such effort was required because the content is sublime. Yes, it’s another book on the Battle of Britain but, rather than another angle on this most famous of aerial campaigns, this one is very personal and re-introduces eight relatively unknown Australian flyers. Only [Pat] Hughes, [Dick] Glyde and [Des] Sheen were familiar names. Even so, for Glyde, this is the first time his story has been told in detail. Indeed, the same could be said for the others too—[Bill] Millington, [John] Crossman, [Ken] Holland, [Jack] Kennedy and [Stuart] Walch. Most, if not all, simply became one of ‘The Few’ in photos or on plaques and headstones in semi-forgotten fields in England. These young men have a voice again (notably Des Sheen was the only one to survive the war). Their lives are laid bare via an impressive collection of letters and diary entries. There is, of course, a lot of combat but these sequences do not outweigh the pre-war lives, training and personal lives and loves in England. The final chapters emotionally detail the families’ struggles to live without their beloved boys. Everything is so well done and, importantly, eight men can live on in the hearts and minds of all who read this book. They deserve it. Postscript. First published in Australia, a UK edition is now due in 2015.  



 

Australia's Few and the Battle of Britain

I am thrilled to announce that, after six years of research and writing, Australia’s Few and the Battle of Britain will be released on 1 September 2014. The release date is significant: it is just before the 74th commemoration of the Battle of Britain.

 

The publishers are NewSouth Publishing, a division of the University of New South Wales. Many books these days appear in paperback but Australia’s Few and the Battle of Britain is a fine hard cover, with a magnificent dust wrapper, over 30 photos, two maps, and 432 pages. As befits a history book, it includes index, endnotes and bibliography.

 

I am so proud of Australia’s Few and the Battle of Britain. Let me tell you a little about it.
 The Battle of Britain is one of the most significant battles of the war, and until now, the role of the Australian ‘Few’ has received little attention. I give a personal account of eight Australian participants, drawing heavily on primary source material (much of it from family archives). I follow these young men from childhood, through their education, training, personal relationships and flying careers, to death in combat (in the case of seven of the eight men), and beyond that to commemoration.
 This is not a one chapter per pilot book. Their stories are woven into the general Battle narrative and chronology.

 

Eight Australian Spitfire and Hurricane pilots of the Battle of Britain. Only one survived. Who were these brave men, who contributed to victory in what became known as a turning point of the war:
 ·               Jack Kennedy (238 Squadron)—Sydney born and bred; Spitfire and Hurricane pilot, the first Australian to die in the Battle.

 

·               Stuart Walch (238 Squadron)—Hobart born and bred; Hurricane pilot, known as the father of his squadron.

 

 ·               Dick Glyde DFC (87 Squadron)—Perth born and bred; Australia’s first internee of the war; Hurricane pilot who flew in the Battle of France and died on Eagle Day.

 

 

·               Ken Holland (152 Squadron)—Sydney born and bred; Spitfire pilot and the youngest Australian to die.

 

·               Pat Hughes DFC (234 Squadron)—Monaro born and bred, memorialised in Cooma and Kiama, raised to adulthood in Sydney; Spitfire pilot and Australia’s highest scoring Battle ace who died defending London on the first day of the Blitz.

 

 

·               Bill Millington DFC (79 and 249 squadrons)—English born but Adelaide raised; Hurricane pilot and exemplar of chivalry who avoided crashing into a village; died on the last day of fighting.

 

 ·               John Crossman (32 and 46 squadrons)—Queensland-born and Newcastle raised; Hurricane pilot who was determined to fly at all cost.

 

 ·               Desmond Sheen DFC and Bar (72 Squadron)—Sydney-born and Canberra raised; Spitfire pilot and first Australian to engage the enemy in combat. Baled out twice, and survived.

 

   Australia’s Few and the Battle of Britain also tells the story of the women who loved these young men:

 ·      Feisty Kay Hughes who met her match in Pat Hughes and grieved a lifetime at his loss .

·      Christine Jourd, with whom Jack Kennedy fell in love, almost at first sight.

 

 

·      Seina Haydon, who agreed to marry Ken Holland for perhaps the wrong reasons but  kept his photo close all her life.

 

 ·      Patricia Foley, who fell in love with John Crossman at 16 and never got over his death.

 

·      ·     Rusty Sheen, the only partner of the ‘eight’ to enjoy a lifelong marriage with her fighter pilot husband.   

 

 Australia’s Few and the Battle of Britain has a recommended retail price of $A49.99. It will be available from all good booksellers throughout Australia. Naturally, Alexander Fax Booksellers will stock signed copies and will offer a 10% discount. Postage and packaging will be additional.
 

 Alexander Fax Booksellers is now taking preorders for Australia’s Few and the Battle of Britain. We are not taking payments, now; we just need an expression of interest so we know how many to order from NewSouth! If you haven’t already preordered (or want to confirm that yes, we have you on the list), you can follow the link at http://www.alexanderfaxbooks.com.au/australians-few-and-battle-britain or email  alexfax@alexanderfaxbooks.com.au

If you prefer to order via your favourite local (Australian) bookshop, here is what you need to tell them:
Title: Australia’s Few and the Battle of Britain, Author: Kristen Alexander
Publisher: NewSouth, ISBN 9781742234151  

 I look forward to sharing with you what I have discovered about Jack Kennedy Stuart Walch, Dick Glyde, Ken Holland, Pat Hughes, Bill Millington, John Crossman and Des Sheen. I will of course tell everyone I know about Australia’s Few and the Battle of Britain. Details are already on my website, and that of Alexander Fax Booksellers, and on our Facebook pages. Please help spread the news to your family and friends, and anyone interested in Australia’s aviation history, by word of mouth or social media, so that more people can learn of the bravery of these young men, and their part in the world’s greatest air war.

www.kristenalexander.com.au

https://www.facebook.com/australiasfew
https://www.facebook.com/KristenAlexanderAuthor
Twitter: Kristen Alexander @kristenauthor
www.alexanderfaxbooks.com.au
https://www.facebook.com/AlexanderFaxBooksellers

 

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. 2 August 1940

On 1 August, Hitler issued Directive 17 which stated his intention to ‘intensify air and sea warfare against the English homeland’. Reichsmarschall Hermann Georing started implementing it on 2 August. Dubbed Adlerangriff—Attack of the Eagle—Goering intended to throw all his resources at the RAF. He would bomb their bases, lure their aircraft into battle, and attack radar installations. All he needed was time to lay his final plans and three days of good weather. Adlertag—Eagle Day—was originally set for 10 August, but then deferred to 13 August. In the interim, the Luftwaffe would continue its relentless air war in the Channel, though it did not seem like it to some of the Australian pilots.

 

John Crossman’s reprieve from operational training did not last long. On 2 August he discovered that there was no getting out of it. ‘I will have to go to No 6 OTU at Sutton Bridge for five weeks and when I get back will be operational. It’s a helluva nuisance but orders is orders and I guess I have to go.’ He sold his old car, bought a new one and started packing. He was off first thing in the morning.

 

At Acklington, Bill Millington was still on readiness, waiting for the phone to ring, drinking cups of tea, chatting with his friends and writing letters home. There was little action to be had. As Neddy Nelson-Edwards put it, ‘sadly the Luftwaffe ignored our Sector, except for an occasional lone intruder to break the monotony’.

 

Down at Warmwell, Stuart Walch’s Blue Section relieved Red Section on an uneventful early morning convoy patrol.

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.

 

 

Australia's Few. 17 July 1940

After a two day hiatus from operations because of bad weather, Stuart Walch of 238 Squadron was in the air at 1.45 p.m. on 17 July when the squadron scrambled to intercept a raid off Portland. In his first operational sortie with the squadron, Squadron Leader Jim Fenton was flying in B Flight’s Green Section. A Flight saw nothing but Stuart and Blue Three saw three Messerschmitt Me 110s flying in a vic formation about 1000 feet above them. Stuart called Blue Section into line astern then turned quickly but immediately lost sight of the enemy aircraft as they flew into the sun. Two hours later, he was in the air again when 238 Squadron were ordered to intercept another raid, but there was no encounter. At 5.35 p.m., this time with Squadron Leader Jim Fenton leading, B Flight were off on their third abortive scramble for the day. At 9.00 p.m., they were again rushing to their Hurricanes. It was a long, exhausting day with plenty of adrenaline, but nothing to add to the scoreboard.

 

 

Australia's Few. 11 July 1940

Stuart Walch entered the fray at 11.55 a.m. on 11 July 1940. He and 238 Squadron’s B Flight, who had been patrolling Warmwell, were directed to Portland. B Flight arrived over the Portland naval base at 10,000 feet. The enemy aircraft were at 12,000 feet and so, Stuart, who was Blue Leader, ‘ordered aircraft line astern’ and ‘climbed towards combat’. When they were about three miles south east of Portland, Stuart, in Hurricane P3124, saw one Me 110 diving towards a ship off Portland Bill. He ‘ordered Green Section to stay above in case of escort fighters’. Then, just on noon, he and pilot officers John Urwin-Mann and Brian Considine fired. The twin-engined fighter turned towards Stuart and ‘I fired two/three second bursts from guns’ closing from about 300–200 yards’. Still in line astern formation, Urwin-Mann then made a beam attack. Stuart fired again, this time from 250 yards closing to 50 yards. As the Me 110 straightened out, white and black smoke began pouring from its engine which then caught fire. The Messerschmitt plummeted. Stuart followed it down and ‘saw it crash into sea’. Although it was clearly a shared victory, Stuart was the only one credited at the time with ‘the squadron’s first confirmed scalp’. It was his first victory.

 

 

Australia's Few. 10 July 1940

10 July 1940: Did anyone realise at the time that 10 July 1940 was a watershed day? The British public certainly had no idea. They—including Ann Brawn of Chalfont St Giles—were more worried about tea rationing which had began the day before, gathering up their pots and pans for Lord Beaverbrook’s just launched aluminium appeal, and a sugar shortage for the jam making season. Although there was some Luftwaffe activity during the 10th, eight of the '30 or so' Australians in Fighter Command were enjoying a relatively quiet time and also failed to recognise history’s turning point. 

 

Des Sheen, who had been working with a photo reconnaissance unit, was taking the long way home after fleeing a falling France while Ken Holland, who had recently passed his wings exam, did an hour of formation flying in ‘filthy weather’ at Little Rissington and ‘was told off for not returning. Went to bed early and got some sleep’. Pat Hughes at St Eval was up at dawn for convoy duty and, at the end of a long day, led 234 Squadron’s Blue Section into the air to respond to a call to scramble but it was a non event. Bill Millington, still flushed with the success of his first victory with 79 Squadron, was in transit. Bad weather had impeded the squadron’s move north and, on the 10th, Bill and his friends spent the night at Biggin Hill. At RAF Station Exeter in Devon, Dick Glyde and 87 Squadron were on readiness. They had moved from Church Fenton to Exeter on 4 July and were one of seven fighter squadrons tasked with protecting shipping in the western half of the Channel. Johnny Cock flew a solo patrol at 12.30 p.m.; Dick led Pilot Officer Harry Mitchell and Sergeant Herbert Walton on one at 2.50 p.m.; and Cock doubled up for his second solo effort of the day at 3.15 p.m. Hardly worth it, really as he was only in the air for five minutes. Stuart Walch and Jack Kennedy of 238 Squadron woke to an overcast day at Middle Wallop. Stuart, who had carried out eight sorties between 4 and 9 July—a mixture of base, local and convoy patrols—was off duty. It was Jack and A Flight’s turn to wait at dispersal for the call to ops. All was quiet until 7.45 p.m. when A Flight was called to patrol Portland Bill. It was another anticlimax. There was no enemy encounter and so, after landing, Jack returned to his shabby quarters to await ‘the Blitzkrieg on England.’ 

 

Meanwhile, at Cranwell, a stunned John Crossman was in the escort party for a RAF funeral. He had become great friends with Jack Burraston since meeting on the Orama on their way to the United Kingdom. They trained together, shared a billet and studied together. They both expected to be posted to a fighter squadron. Preferably the same one. But on 6 July, shortly before they were to leave Cranwell for a permanent posting, Jack, or Burry as John called him, was killed in a training flight.

 

 

Des Sheen

 

Jack Kennedy

 

Stuart Walch

 

Dick Glyde

 

Pat Hughes

 

Ken Holland

 

Bill Millington

 

 

John Crossman

Two months to go: Australian Eagles to be published 1 July 2013

The advance copy of Australian Eagles has arrived. It looks absolutely beautiful.

Apologies for the dodgy camerawork but you can get an idea of the quality of the production from these photos.

 

 

 

I am absolutely thrilled with it.

More than two fifths of the limited edition has been reserved and that is before Australian Eagles has even hit the bookshops!

Don't forget: you can have a sneak preview of one of the chapters. Just go to http://www.barrallierbooks.com/site/sites/default/files/Australian%20Eagles%20Sample%20Chapter.pdf and you can download the front matter and Dick Glyde’s story.

Alexander Fax Booksellers has extended the special offer period to 1 June so, if you have not reserved a copy, get in touch soon www.alexanderfaxbooks.com.au

Australian Eagles. Australians in the Battle of Britain.

Reserve your copy now from Alexander Fax Booksellers for the discount price of $A35.00 plus postage and packaging. Email now: alexfax@alexanderfaxbooks.com.au