Battle of Britain

"We must regard the next week, or so as a very important period in our history. It ranks with the days when the Spanish Armada was approaching the Channel and Drake was finishing his game of bowls, or when Nelson stood between us and Napoleon's Grand Army at Boulogne. We have read all about this in the history books. But what is happening now is on a far greater scale and far more consequence to the life and future of the world and its civilisation than those brave old days.

"Left us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will say, 'This was there finest hour'." Winston Churchill, 1940.

The coming of aerial warfare to Southern England in 1940 brought the whole population into the front line.

There was no sure safety for men, women , and children at home, at work, at school or on the street. The appearance of enemy planes was not always preceded by the air-raid siren.

Germany had vanquished seven countries since the start of the Second World War and the British army in France had been driven to escaping by sea from Dunkirk.

Hitler expected Britain would see the hopelessness of her position and come to terms, but Winston Churchill had given our "We will never surrender" reply.

Reichsmarschall Herman Goring fighter pilot and Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe, promised the Fuehrer that his air force would knock the RAF out of the skies and pave the way for operation "Sealion", the invasion of Britain, before the summer was out.

However, Germany did not reckon on the courage, flying skills, and determination of allies in the face of the aggressors.

Opinions differ to the precise dates of the start and finish of the Battle of Britain although Wednesday, July 10 to Thursday, October 31, 1940 are thought to b e accurate.

Airmen of 14 nations, many of them fugitives from the Nazi-overrun countries flew with the RAF that summer.

Britain's losses in the 114-day period totalled 537 men and 1,017 planes while those of the Luftwaffe were worse with a death toll of 2,662 and 1,882 planes lost.

The Battle of Britain in that summer of 1940 involved many airfields in Hampshire. One of the most prominent was Middle Wallop where four squadrons of fighters were stationed.

Even before the battle a Junkers 88 was shot down south of Middle Wallop.

During July the Luftwaffe, operating from airfields on the Cherbourg peninsula in France, mounted raids against Southampton, Portsmouth, Hazelmere and Aldershot. Fighters from Middle Wallop took off to intercept them.

August brought ideal flying weather, and bombing activity increased. On the 13th, more than 200 photo-reconnaissance flights were made by the Germans, recording targets which included the Supermarine Spitfire factory at Woolston, the Cunliffe-Owen Aircraft works at Swaythling, and the Royal Navy Air Station at Lee-on-Solent.

The same day the Luftwaffe bombed Andover airfield, mistaking it for Middle Wallop. The raid was intercepted by Spitfires who shot down six Junkers dive bombers and severely damaged three others without loss to themselves.

The following day Middle Wallop was a target for three Heinkel 111's. Two fighters managed to take off during the raid and the leading bomber was shot down.

Next day the Luftwaffe came back again, striking also at the Worthy Down Airfield, Winchester. Fighters again struck back, and the attackers lost five Ju 88's, two coming down near Petersfield, one south of Winchester and one in the sea near Southampton.

August 13 was also the date for the first daylight raid on Southampton.

A Messerschmitt 110 was shot down in a field along the Baddesley Road, the aircraft exploding on hitting the ground.

Police, wardens and Home Guard went to the scene but quickly took cover when another enemy aircraft appeared flying low over the wood presumably to see if there were any survivors.

Two days later the Southampton balloon barrage was attacked and a considerable number of balloons went down in flames before another daylights raid on the town.

Next day Hurricanes on patrol between Southampton and Poole sighted a squadron Ju 88's escorted by Me 110's bombing Lee-on-Solent and Gosport. In turning to attack they were bounced by more Me 110's.

Three Hurricanes were shot down, including one flown by Flight Lieutenant J B Nicolson who was awarded the VC for his bravery during this engagement.

Two days later, on Sunday, August 18, came more heavy raids on airfields. Gosport was bombed by three waves of Ju 88's, while 50 enemy planes were destroyed, 12 of them coming down over Southampton, the Solent and the Isle of Wight.

Towards the end of the month Southampton and Portsmouth suffered from more daylight raids and casualties were high.

Worse was to come. When Goering launched his major assault against London in early September, with 666 bombers and 617 fighters, the diversionary raid target was Southampton.

Late on the afternoon of September 11 six bombers dived on the newly completed Cunliffe-Owen Aircraft factory at Swaythling.

Twelve bombs were dropped in eight minutes and damage was severe. Nearly 70 people were killed and rows of casualties were lined up in Wide Lane.

On the 26th a determined raid was made against the Supermarine factory at Woolston. The 111's and Ju 88's dropped 70 tons of bombs and the factory was largely destroyed.

Early in the evening of October 8, three He 111's appeared low over Salisbury, shooting at such targets as gasometers. They then headed east, following the railway line to Eastleigh at extreme low level.

At Eastleigh they followed a Lockheed Hudson which was approaching the airfield, and their path took them over the centre of Eastleigh, the locomotive sheds and the airfield itself.

Over Chandler's Ford they dived and shot up a Hants and Dorset bus in Park Road. The passengers, conductor and driver had a remarkable escape.

Britain's Air Chief Marshal Dowding summed it up in his report on the Battle of Britain: "The indomitable courage of the fighter pilots and the skill of their leaders brought us through the crisis, and the morale of the Germans eventually cracked because of the stupendous losses they sustained."