4
and waterproof. As a trial it was satisfactory, and we remained under canvas for
two months, but the Wing was never very happy in this sort of discomfort.
During the latter part of this month, 16 Squadron provided the main excitement
by beating up trains in the Brest Peninsular in their
Mustangs
and, on one "Rhubarb",
Dick Pughe
and
Nobby Clarke
attacked twelve! On another of these sorties,
George
Holloway
was shot down by
Fw 190
's and spent the greater part of four days in a
dinghy near the Brittany Coast while many fighters from both sides fought out a
battle in dirty weather for the privilege of picking him up. (Altogether
7
Mustang
Squadrons, 7
Spitfire
Squadrons, 3
Walrus
aircraft, 6 Air Sea Rescue
Spitfires
, 1
Hudson
with airborne lifeboat, and 1
Swordfish
were engaged by the
R.A.F. and three
Spitfires
were lost for 2
ME 109
's destroyed and one probably
destroyed.) He was eventually located, after a search in which many pilots of
16 took part, and rescued by a
Walrus
which found him somewhat exhausted but
still cheerful.
A combined exercise, with the code name "STARKEY", which took place in Sept-
ember was largely responsible for an improvement in the fortunes of the Wing
because the Group Captain declared our reluctance to operate under the exercise
conditions unless we were given
Spitfire XI
's and, though the first reply was
the usual negative, we were eventually given
two of these aircraft
; once this
start was made a regular monthly allotment came from
Benson
until 16 were fully
equipped with the more up-to-date machines, and another memorable date was added
to the calendar when
Tony Davis
flew the first high-level operational sortie by
16 Squadron
on Sept 18th.
Mike Goodale
arrived about this time from 26 Squadron to take over command
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