Friday 19 July 1940
Twelve 141Sqn Defiants were moved from West Malling, still under construction, to Hawkinge. They were unused to flying in larger numbers than Section or Flight formations. At 12.23 they were ordered to launch as a Squadron (12 aircraft) but three had engine problems so only nine got off to patrol a line 20nm S of Folkestone.
With no warning from GCI they were bounced from below and behind by ten Bf-109s from II/JG. “Richthofen Geschwader”. A few seconds later another set of 109s hit the breaking formation from 12 high. Four Defiants went down in this pair of attacks, one pilot survived, wounded. Another Defiant was hit and crashed in Dover. Of the four left one crashed in Hawkinge village and of the three that landed, one was struck off charge immediately, being so shot up, this aircraft’s gunner had baled out at some point but was never seen again.
Above notes culled from Francis Mason’s Battle Over Britain