Caygill - In All Things First: No. 1 Squadron at War 1939 - 45

First published in Great Britain in 2009 by

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Copyright Peter Caygill 2009

ISBN 978 1 84884 050 8

eISBN 9781844688135

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Contents

The S/L P.J.H. Bull Halahan (left) with F/L P.R. Johnny Walker. (IWM C1230)

F/L Prosser Hanks shakes hands with a French Officer. Other 1 Squadron pilots (L to R) are Sgt Fred Berry, F/O Billy Drake, Sgt Rennie Albonico and P/O Peter Boy Mould. (IWM C1297)

P/O Boy Mould was the first 1 Squadron pilot to shoot down a German aircraft in the Second World War when he destroyed a Dornier 17 on 30 October 1939. (IWM C1228)

No.1 Squadron group includes (L to R) Drake, Clisby, Lorimer, Hanks, Mould, Halahan, Demozay, Walker, Brown (doctor), Richey, Kilmartin, Stratton and Palmer. (IWM C1293)

Flying Officers Laurie Lorimer (left) and Leslie Clisby were both shot down and killed on 14 May 1940 during action with Bf 110s of ZG 26. (IWM C1229)

F/O C.D. Pussy Palmer was the first 1 Squadron pilot to be shot down in the Second World War when his Hurricane was damaged by return fire from a Dornier 17. (IWM C1226)

F/L M.H. Hilly Brown who served in 1 Squadron for just over four years, latterly as its commanding officer. (via author)

S/L Bull Halahan examines a German machine-gun taken as a trophy. F/O Paul Richey, Sgt Darky Clowes and F/L Johnny Walker look on. (IWM C1111)

F/L Prosser Hanks took over from F/L George Plinston as B Flight commander in late 1939. He ended the war as a Group Captain. (IWM C1225)

Sgt Fred Berry. (via author)

F/O John Kilmartin (left) and F/O Bill Stratters Stratton. (IWM C1227)

F/O Billy Drake was shot down and wounded shortly after the German invasion of France but was to become one of the RAFs top scoring pilots. (IWM C1296)

F/L Hilly Brown (left) with P/O Charles Chetham. (IWM CH1566)

P/O Peter Boot. (IWM CH1567)

Lt Jean Demozay was No.1s interpreter in France and later flew with the squadron. (via author)

P/O Darky Clowes with his regular Hurricane P3395 JX-B. (IWM CH17331)

P/O Clowes with the wasp emblem painted on the nose of his aircraft. It is reputed that it acquired another stripe with every combat victory. (IWM CH1570)

P/O Pat Hancock joined 1 Squadron in France in May 1940 and served with the unit until April 1941. (IWM CH1564)

P/O J.F.D. Tim Elkington flew with 1 Squadron during the Battle of Britain and also for a brief period in 1942. (via Tim Elkington)

No.1 Squadron in the air with a squadron of Spitfires in the background. (via Tim Elkington)

Line up of 1 Squadron pilots at Wittering in October 1940 (L to R) Hilly Brown, Zavoral, Hancock, Stefan, Clowes, Demozay, Elkington and Chetham. (IWM CH1565)

Canadian-built Hurricane X AF980 JX-A. (Joan Ramsey)