Battle of Britain Print

"Return-Fire"
The The Cranmore Hurricane, 11th July 1940

painting by John Howard Worsley.

On Thursday July 11th 1940 there were thundery showers. Throughout the day, the Luftwaffe had
maintained its attacks on coastal targets and shipping in the channel.

At about 18.30 hours, RAF Sergeant A. W. Wooley was piloting Hawker Hurricane No P3681 of 601 Squadron.
Whilst engaging a Heinkel 111 off the Isle of Wight, his gravity fuel tank was hit and set alight by return fire.
According to eye-witnesses, Sergeant Wooley baled out high above Freshwater and as he drifted towards Thorness he was
machine-gunned by an enemy fighter. Luckily he survived but his parachute harness was almost cut through by one of
the bullets. His troubles were not quite over that day for he landed in cow-pats.

One of the first on the scene was John Heyfield, son of the farmer on who's land the pilot landed. .......(continued in information sheet with print)

Help was sent for and eventually a rickety ambulance bounced across the field. It had very little equipment and
no splint was available to bind the airman's leg......... (continued in information sheet with print)

The Hurricane had entered a vertical power-dive to finally crash on farmland at Cranmore near Yarmouth. Some remains were
excavated in 1980 including its Merlin engine but its gun camera was overlooked. This interesting artifact together with
other small items were subsequently washed from the spoil of the dig by several years of rainfall and
eventually given to the author by the owner of the land.


As a note of interest: The camera film cassette contained a tightly rolled spool of film. Could it be possible that
it holds images of an air battle which took place over sixty years ago? Leaders in the field of
photographic renovation who have already succeede
d in restoring WW2 film which had been
submerged beneath the sea, sadly expressed no interest when it was offered to them. The film remains sealed in a
light-proof container in the care of the author. We can but wait and dream!

Regrettably, Sgt. Wooley was killed in action in 1941

(continued in information sheet with print)

See info about the gun camera from Sgt Wooley's aircraft which was discovered at the crash scene
and is now owned by John H Worsley

Available as hand mounted prints 10" x 8" , 14" x 11" , 20" x 16".