CO129-588-23 China- British extra-territorial rights- negotiations with China 28-3-1942 - 27-11-1942 — Page 252

1

15/10/42

249

No. 5

Air Ministry News Service

Air Ministry Bulletin No. 8282

CRAWLED ALONG SPITFIRE FUSELAGE TO ESCAPE FLAMES

Crawling along the fuselage of a Spitfire to escape the flames which enveloped the cockpit, a sergeant pilot of Fighter Command ins jerked to safety by his parachute within a few feet of the sea.

!

A second later, his aircraft crashed into the channel, but within five minutes the sergeant was safely aboard a rescue-boat spealing to the shore and to hospital.

That was on Monday, and all that the Air Ministry was able to announce was that a fighter was lost but the pilot was safe,

Today, the sergeant, now out of danger, and with only a few cuts and bruises to show for his adventure, has tol the story behind that comunique.

He was on patrol with a companion over the Channel when four F..190s were sighted at 2,000 feet off Dover.

The first the sergeant knew of their presence was warning from his companion over the radio telephone. As he turned the three leading German fighters swung into line abreast, and attacked him head-on, firing from about 300 yards' range.

own.

But the sergeant did not take evasive action. He kept straight on at the enemy, flying into their fire and returning it with his

His plane was hit several times in the engine. It caught fire and dive towards the sea.

"I

"I decided that it was now time for me to get out," sail the sergeant. relcased my straps and stood up in the cockpit. Then I pulled my rip-cord, hoping that my parachute would drag me cut. It opened but did not inflate, now the cockpit was in flames, so I turned round and climbed out, crawling along the fuselage towards the tail".

By

As he hung there the parachute inflated and jerked him clear just before the Spitfir Lunged into the:.sen. He believes that he went 30 feet below the waves before he broke surface and strugglel free of his parachute. His "Mac West" kept him afloat until the rescue craft arrived, Marhile, his companion had

chased the Focke ulf back to France. The rai had been smashed.

}