BoB Painting
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I think the painting is at the Imperial War Museum in London at the moment - I thinnnnnk!
The pilot was Ray Holmes who took on 3 Dornier German aircraft over London, shot down two, lined up the other one, pressed the gun button and almost immediately ran out of ammunition. This decided him to ram him to bring him down! Without thought of his own safety he took the tail off and damaged his own aircraft so that he had to bail out - but he got caught up and after violent movements with the control column he got out, or rather, was shot out! However, one arm was badly injured in the ramming, which required that he had to use his good arm to manouvre the bad one on to the D ring, which he then used to pull open his parachute. The bomber crashed on London Victoria Station.
He landed on a roof and slid down it into a dustbin. The local females thought he was a German and were prepared to 'see to him'. When they were told he was the pilot who had just bought down 3 German aircraft, they did - with hugs kisses and gratitude!
This was an act of immense courage and determination, one of many in the BoB, but it nonetheless exemplifies the quality of those airmen that was the Battle of Britain.
I heard this morning that Ray is not well at the moment, but it is hoped that he will be among those who will attend the LGW Xmas Bash on the 1st December.
[This message has been edited by InFinRetirement (edited 11 September 2000).]
The pilot was Ray Holmes who took on 3 Dornier German aircraft over London, shot down two, lined up the other one, pressed the gun button and almost immediately ran out of ammunition. This decided him to ram him to bring him down! Without thought of his own safety he took the tail off and damaged his own aircraft so that he had to bail out - but he got caught up and after violent movements with the control column he got out, or rather, was shot out! However, one arm was badly injured in the ramming, which required that he had to use his good arm to manouvre the bad one on to the D ring, which he then used to pull open his parachute. The bomber crashed on London Victoria Station.
He landed on a roof and slid down it into a dustbin. The local females thought he was a German and were prepared to 'see to him'. When they were told he was the pilot who had just bought down 3 German aircraft, they did - with hugs kisses and gratitude!
This was an act of immense courage and determination, one of many in the BoB, but it nonetheless exemplifies the quality of those airmen that was the Battle of Britain.
I heard this morning that Ray is not well at the moment, but it is hoped that he will be among those who will attend the LGW Xmas Bash on the 1st December.
[This message has been edited by InFinRetirement (edited 11 September 2000).]
