Yapton & Ford Local History Group

The incoming force, consisting of Junkers Ju87s (Stukas) and Bf109s (fighters), had separated into four distinct groups: their allocated targets were Gosport, Thorney Island, Poling and Ford. Those targeting Ford and Poling flew along the coast from Selsey, past Bognor and Littlehampton. Once past Littlehampton, 28 Stukas peeled off, turning into the wind and dived onto the unsuspecting Naval base whose only defence were six vehicle-mounted Lewis Guns. The unequal battle was over in 10 minutes leaving 28 people dead and 75 injured. One act of forlorn heroism was displayed by Lt. Commander Michael De Courcy of the Royal Naval Observer School, who died firing his service revolver at the enemy. The damage to the Station was vast. Fuel storage tanks were set alight; hangers, workshops and barrack huts destroyed. On the ground five Blackburn Sharks, five Fairy Swordfish, two Fairey Albacore torpedo-bombers and a Percival Proctor were destroyed, and a further 26 aircraft damaged.

The RAF Spitfires and Hurricanes gallantly intercepted the raiders, suffering heavily for their bravery. Four Spitfires of 602 squadron were hit in quick succession. Sergeant Basil Whall’s Spitfire received a fatal hit, not before accounting for two Stukas, but he managed to ditch it safely in the sea 20 yards off Middleton beach. FO Ian Ferguson was also over the sea when he was hit. He stayed in his aircraft to prevent it crashing into Littlehampton and ended up crash-landing in Toddington Cemetery. When two Home Guard men reached the Scot, they thought he must be Polish as they could not understand a word he was shouting. The language turned out to be rather ‘blue’ in a broad Scottish accent. Meanwhile PO Harry Moody shot down a bomber into the sea before his own aircraft was hit by enemy cannon shells forcing him to crash-land at Ford. Another pilot, PO Micky Mount, suffered the same fate but he managed to nurse his crippled Spitfire back to Westhampnett.

Possibly the most memorable event was that carried out by Dunlop Urie. When his Westhampnett based squadron was scrambled, his aircraft wasn’t serviceable so he jumped into a brand-new aircraft which had just arrived waiting to be painted in the squadron’s colours. He was returning to the airfield having run out of ammunition when he was attacked and struck by cannon shells which not only badly damaged his aircraft, but also wounded him in the legs. He managed to make it back to the airfield but the aircraft was a ‘write-off’. It had a service life of 24 minutes.