Shot Down Over Dunkirk

[Nostalgair]

Hi again all,

I'm posting a short excerpt from my book "Down to Earth". As previously discussed, the book details the diverse career of SQNLDR K.B. McGlashan AFC, a WWII RAF fighter pilot who flew in most of the major engagements; Dunkirk, Battle of Britain, Dieppe and D-Day. He was also one of the first generation of night fighter pilots for the RAF when tactics were rudimentary to say the least.

If you'd like, I'll post other snippets from time to time.

Cheers

Owen

"...As the battle developed beneath me, two fighters, Messerschmitt Bf109s, slipped by 3,000 feet below emerging ahead and to my right at a great rate of knots. They were obviously seeking out the tails of my leading sections and had positioned themselves in the classic six o’clock position. I flicked my gun switch to ‘live’ and readied to roll my machine over to initiate a diving attack on the diving fighters. A screech came over my ineffectual TR9D radio, filling my helmet with deafening, squawking static. I later learned it was Geoff Howitt warning me of the five 109s diving on us, attacking from our port quarter. Howitt broke hard left and crossed in front of me, yet I was still none the wiser. Amidst this melee, I was concentrating on my attack and had totally neglected to look behind. The first indication I had of anything going wrong was when the armour plate behind my head began ringing like an alarm clock. Before I could draw breath, bright red tracers started bombarding my cockpit, whistling between my legs and ravaging the panels of Perspex and fabric to my left. The incendiary-tipped tracers assist the pilot in seeing where his shots are landing and from my perspective I could see them landing very well. As my instrument panel began disintegrating before my eyes, my thoughts leapt suddenly to the vapour-rich petrol tank that sat just behind the instruments. Momentary horror turned to short relief when I recalled that the tank was self-sealing.

The attack had been lightning quick. I slammed the control stick forward and to the right, entering a downward roll and sending the world spinning around. The back of my legs stung as metal splinters spat from the maze of piping fragmenting beneath my feet. Engine coolant, oil and all variety of hot fluids showered me as the scent of smoke began to fill the air. Foolishly I had been flying with my goggles atop my helmet and now the mix of smoke and oils that were bringing down my aeroplane were also serving to partially blind me. My cockpit had become a scene of absolute chaos. Then, as quickly as it had begun, the attack abated. Gathering my thoughts, I pulled the aircraft out of the dive and assessed my situation; not good. Bleeding oil and coolant, I knew my Hurricane was done for and I began readying myself to bail out. With the threat of fire growing, I cut the engine, switched off the fuel and set about sliding back the hood. My vision was getting worse and I fumbled to get the canopy back. Three times I tried and three times it slid closed. In my enthusiasm to get out, I was failing to lock the canopy open and a sense of incarceration came across me. Being trapped in a fiery cockpit was the dread of every fighter pilot and for a moment I began to wonder if this is how my war was to end. A moment after that, the second attack started.

The left hand side of my canopy exploded again as the red tracer ravaged what remained of my aircraft’s port side. With the engine shutdown, I was literally powerless. Again I slammed the stick forward, though this time to the left. I combined inertia with gravity, accelerating my wounded machine downwards. I felt a wallop and then a trickling sensation down the back of my leg and thought that I’d copped a hit in the backside. [It turned out to be a direct hit on an Agfa cartridge in my pocket, allowing the film to unfurl in my trousers.] Headlong, vertical and hurtling towards Terra Firma, I had a moment of unexpected clarity and recalled banter at the bar that formed a consensus that 109s were poor at recovering from dives. With the earth looming large in the windscreen and absolutely nothing left to lose, I decided to apply this theory. At the last possible moment I hauled back on the control column with all of my remaining might. As the blood drained from my head, my world faded to ‘black and white’ and then just black........."

An excerpt from ’Down to Earth’. A Fighter Pilot’s Experiences of Surviving Dunkirk, The Battle of Britain, Dieppe and D-Day. By Squadron Leader Kenneth Butterworth McGlashan AFC with Owen Zupp.

Grub Street Publishing 2007.

[spidge]

Look forward to the next instalment!

Thanks Owen.

[sniper]

That's really well written and i certainly look forward to the next part. How do we go about buying your book?

Sniper

[Antipodean Andy]

Bloody hell, the book has leapt towards the top of my list.

[Nostalgair]

Hi All,

I'm glad that you enjoyed the snippet. I'll post another in a month, or so.

Thanks for the compliment Sniper. The real challenge was to capture the essence and reality of Kenneth's experiences and remain true to history. The fact is that truth is stranger than fiction and I often think that those who 'sensationalise' such stories are really just wasting time. Kenneth's life was exciting and his recollections were vivid; no embelishment was needed.

It was all made a little easier by the fact that I'm a pilot. I understand heaving 'G forces', the beauty of an empty sky and the excitement of a flashing tree-line in the peripheral vision. For me writing the book was a passion. Never a job. I'll continue to record these veteran's stories because it has become somewhat of a 'quest' for me. But I ramble....

As for obtaining the book, where are you based? It's published in the UK and distributed to the US and Antipodes. Probably the easiest means is via Amazon, here are some links from my website http://www.owenzupp.com;

Published in the UK by Grub Street Publishing, 'Down to Earth' (ISBN 1904943845) is now available across the globe via selected distributors. For more information:

Down To Earth

'Down to Earth' is also available over the internet via Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.co.uk: Down to Earth: A Fighter Pilot Recounts His Experiences of Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain, Dieppe, D-Day and Beyond: Books: Owen Zupp

and Amazon.com.

Amazon.com: DOWN TO EARTH: A Fighter Pilot's Experiences of Surviving Dunkirk, The Battle of Britain, Dieppe and D-Day: Books: Kenneth Butterworth McGlashan

Thanks again for the interest and I'm always keen for any feedback or discussion on this topic.

Cheers

Owen

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[sniper]

Hi Owen,

Just got a copy on order, and really looking forward to reading it. If the rest of it is as good as the part you put on the forum it will be an awesome read. I will certainly give you some feedback on it.

Have a good day
Sniper

[Nostalgair]

Hi Sniper,

I'm always appreciative of feedback and more than happy to answer any questions that may stem from Kenneth's story. It's another way to keep his story and those of his comrades real and alive.

Cheers

Owen

[Kyt]

Yep, like Andy and Sniper I've pushed it to the top of the list and it will be next buy when I visit Amazon. Thanks Owen.

[Nostalgair]

Hi All,

Thanks to everyone who has PM'd me about my book, "Down to Earth".

I'd just like to encourage anyone with queries or feedback about the story to make contact with me. (I never get tired of discussing it.) If it's a general, historical aspect we could even make a thread of it.

I'll paste another excerpt in the not too distant future.

Thanks again for your enthusiasm and support.

Cheers,

Owen

dtearth_L.jpg

[Antipodean Andy]

Thanks in return for being so generous with your excerpts, Owen. I know it promotes the book but we're all about sharing the history with everyone so it is most appreciated.

I am looking forward to my copy and the cheque is in the mail!