Pilots of 1 Squadron RAF carry out  "scramble"  while in France in 1939. Looking at the number of pilots it would seem that Fred Berry would have to be one of those running. Clickon the picture to see it in a larger scale. Press "Back" to return.

 

9th November 2003.

Today I received some further "Frederick Berry" information from The Commanding Officer of 1 Squadron, Wing Commander C.J.R. Norton., DFC., MA., BSc., RAF. (To whom I express our 'many thanks')

They are shown below. I have given each of the bits of information an "Item" number. The items come from various books or documents belonging located in 1 Squadron's archives.

Item 1.

BERRY , Frederick George, DFM, Joined the RAF as an Aircraft Apprentice in 1929. He was selected for pilot training in 1936, on conclusion of which he joined 43 Squadron at Tangmere as a Sgt. He was posted to 1 Squadron in August 1939, going to France with the unit where he was promoted Flt Sgt in April 1940. According to Paul Richey he claimed six victories there, the last of them an He 111 over St Nazaire on 17 June 1940 after it had bombed the troopship "Lancastria". He was awarded a DFM, but on 1 September 1940 was shot down and killed during the Battle of Britain. (See Aces High and Aces High, Vol 2 for more details.)

From: Billy Drake, "Fighter Leader". ISBN 1-902304-97-7

 

For an account of the sinking of the "Lancastria" see,

http://www.royalpioneercorps.co.uk/rpc/history_lancastria.htm

from where the following quote is taken.

"The enemy plane was still hanging around, machine gunning men in the water. Fortunately, the arrival of a RAF patrol drove him off."

The above is from "Number One in War and Peace". (1 Squadron RAF, Archives)

Extracts from Number One in War and peace" by Norman Franks and Mike O'Conner - ISBN 1-902304-55-1

 

Item 2.

8th September 1939. (Note: Britain declared war on 3rd September 1939. johnf)

On the morning of the 8th came the order to depart.

To France

According to the Squadron diary it was led to France by the senior flight commander, P R `Johnny' Walker, taking off from Tangmere some time after 1130 am and landing at Octeville, Le Havre, France at 1245. Meantime the transport section and vehicles left Southampton by ship under the command of Pilot Officer D H Blomeley. However, the list of those flying out includes the CO, so either he did not ‘lead' or at the last moment - perhaps having arrived suddenly back from France himself did lead. Otherwise he was just listed as a courtesy, with the Hurricane he flew to France in on the 7th. We don't know for sure.

 

Squadron Leader P J H Halahan L1905

A Flight B Flight

F/L P R Walker L1676 F/L G H F Plinston L1960

Sgt F J Soper L1681 Sgt F G Berry L1686

F O S W' Baldie L1943 F/O B Drake L1687

Sgt New L1944 Sgt A V Clowes L1689 l

F/O P P Hanks L1969 Sgt R A Albonico L1927

F/'0 M H Brown L1925 F/O L R Clisby L1693

PiO R H M Richey L1971 P/O P W E Mould L1842

P/O W H Stratton L 1685

(Note: The number preceded by the letter “L” is the serial number of the Hurricane aircraft that each pilot was flying. Johnf)

 

Item 3.

Of the NCO - pilots three gained a good measure of fame and success.

Arthur Victor `Darky' Clowes, from Derbyshire, Joined the RAF as a Halton apprentice in 1929, later volunteering for pilot training. Gaining both the DFM and after being commissioned, the DFC, he eventually rose to Squadron Leader and also saw action in the Middle East.

Francis Joseph Soper, from Devon, was 27. Another former apprentice he joined up in 1928, and he too received the DFM, and later the DFC with 257 Squadron in 1941 which he commanded. He was lost over the North Sea in October 1941.

Frederick George Berry was born in India, and was 25. A Halton apprentice too since 1929, He volunteered for pilot training in 1936 and his first squadron was 1 Squadron's rivals at Tangmere, No.43. Winning the DFM he was to die in the Battle of Britain.

 

Item 4.

While decorations for the Squadron's activities in France were not announced until later in the year, perhaps it is fitting to mention these at this juncture. Pat Halahan, who had been promoted to Wing Commander, and Johnny Walker had already received DFCs. Halahan now had to submit recommendations for further honours and awards.

Although no doubt motivated by the extreme high regard he felt for his pilots, he recommended four officers for the Distinguished Service Order Kilmartin, Mould, Hanks and Richey. After this, DFCs should go to Palmer, Stratton and Lewis, with a DFM for Sergeant Soper.

These eight names went to the AOC of 67 Wing, Wing Commander Cyril Walker, who approved them, but downgraded the DSOs to DFCs!!

All the other DFCs and the DFM he also approved with the exception of one, a DFC to Dick Lewis, almost like the spendthrift trying to make a point over excessive expenditure. In any event, there were few DSOs dished out for actions in France , certainly not to ordinary squadron pilots. After all, whatever these pilots, and others, had achieved in France under appalling conditions, it had been a period of defeat.

However, in the summer of 1940 these men, plus earlier recommendations for DFCs to Hilly Brown and the late Les Clisby already having been announced, were all gazetted with their DFCs, while Sergeant Clowes and Berry also received DFMs. Tagged on somewhere too was a DFC for Peter Boot. Thus for the Battle of France, 1 Squadron had collected fourteen gallantry medals.

 

Item 5.

15 th AUGUST 1940

Sergeant `Darky' Clowes hammered another bomber and saw it go down in a vertical dive, and on climbing again, attacked another Heinkel and then a Ju88, scoring hits on one engine. Goodman shot up a Ju88 and it began to head down. Four Spitfires then joined in and the 88 dived and crash landed without waiting, apparently, for their attack to commence. It came down near Petworth, and while he circled the spot the Junkers suddenly blew up, and a fragment hit his Hurricane and damaged the oil pressure, but he got it back to base and landed safely.

Led by Hillcoat, B Flight now arrived. Flight Sergeant Berry attacked two hostile aircraft and saw one dive vertically, out of control. Sammy Salmon had straggled so climbed to 22,000 feet and came down on the bombers from their left side, and whilst closing, he also found a 110 below him. Deciding to attack this his first burst stopped its port engine and the 110 dived vertically. Electing to land at Redhill to refuel, the airfield was bombed by a Doll, so he quickly took off and returned to the comparative quiet of Northolt.

 

Item 6.

On Friday 30 August a Squadron Scramble at 1630 led to a force of 30 to 40 bombers with around 30 escorting fighters. Sergeant Merchant shot down a He 111 which crashed near a cemetery east of Southend, its crew taking to their parachutes. Pilot Officer Birch damaged another Heinkel, while Pat Hancock claimed a probable after leaving it spewing smoke, oil and flames. `Darky' Clowes knocked pieces off a He lll and a Me 110 and Mann also damaged two 110s. Pete Matthews damaged a straggling Heinkel which was then finished off by Hurricanes of 56 Squadron.

The bombers were from KG53 which were attacking Radlett. They lost several of their aircraft to various Hurricane attacks, and others returned home damaged. ZG26 were escorting them and they lost one fighter and had at least three more damaged. 1 Squadron returned to base without a scratch.

The next morning it was Readiness at dawn as usual at Northolt. The telephone sent seven pilots to their fighters at 0740 to patrol Chelmsford . Over the town they ran into in excess of 100 Dorniers, and Junkers escorted by a mass of fighters. To 1 Squadron, the odds seemed just about right!!

Going down on the bombers, 110s exploded-right down on them. Merchant gained his second kill in two days by destroying a 110 (it exploded right in front of him), which he shot off the tail of David

Pemberton, then damaged another, but he was also hit and had to bale out, receiving burns. It took a few seconds to get clear and his injuries put him in Halstead Cottage Hospital.

Pemberton hammered a Ju88. Clowes made a frontal attack on a bunch of Dorniers and saw one swing from the formation and another go spinning earthwards. Attacked then by a 110 Clowes pulled up into a loop, closed in behind a 110 and knocked out its starboard engine. The 110 headed for the deck closely followed by the RAF pilot, snapping off bursts as his sights came on. The rear gun ceased to fire back and Clowes could clearly see the pilot desperately seeking a place to put down. Peter Boot, Harry Mann and Rupert Dibnah also attacked 110s and claimed damage to each.

The Messerschmitts appear to be those of KG1 or KG26 who had a number of their aircraft shot down and damaged in action with both Hurricanes and Spitfires. Dibnah, short of fuel, decided to divert to Homchurch but with ground mist failed to locate the airfield. Putting down in a field to ask the way he was told it was just `over there'. Taking off he was so close he did not have to bother to raise his wheels. Serviceability was still a problem, but on 1 September the available aircraft went up to nine. While the going had been tough and several aircraft had been lost or damaged, pilot losses had been relatively few. This is probably why the Squadron was kept 'down south' while other units which had been badly mauled had been sent north for a break. However, 1 Squadron's turn would come.

Meantime, on the 1st, Hillcoat led off the nine pilots at 1045 and got into a fight with Me109s which were escorting bombers to the east of Tonbridge. Four of the German fighters were claimed as shot down, 1 one each by Hillcoat, Birch, Chetham and Boot. However, the Squadron suffered a grievous loss. Flight Sergeant Berry was shot up, crashed at Brisley Farm, Ruckinge, north of Romney Marsh, and was killed.