12th
March 1943
Pinkie
Stark's Logbook
12th
March. Typhoon F (DN406). Patrol North - South Foreland. 55 minutes. Attacked
four Fw 190's between Dunkirk and Mardyck. 1 Fw 190 "Destroyed" No. 1
(Sgt Leslie) "damaged" one Fw 190. I was hit by 2 - 7.9 mm bullets,
one in the oil tank )
Form
540 Operational Records Book
An
early morning raid on London with some 40 e/a making landfall sees all avl
Typhoons in the air, of which 2 comprise the standoing patrol (take off 0644)
the rest scrambled at 0729 (all off in 3-1/2 mins. Unfortunately Hornchurch
Control are unable to give any useful information despite the e/a having flown
over their heads and merely direct the standing patrol (F/O van Lierde and F/O
Skett ) which is very low on fuel, to a point 15 miles NE of base "quite
low". The others take this vector and there is some stooging around in the
Estuary. Haze reduces visibility and F/O Evans is the only one to see anything,
some 30 unidentified a/c in the distance. Norwegian 331 Squadron knock down 5,
controlled by North Weald, and in the evening Erik Haabjoern goes to visit them,
asked if they had been celebrating he replied," No but I have"
Otherwise there are 11 patrols and 1 scramble and the earlier disappointment is
somewhat allayed when F/Sgt Stark and Sgt Leslie (airborne 0942 down at 1037)
get a FW190 DE and another DA, - told of bandits near Calais they investigate
and find 4 e/a at 1000ft just off the coast, lose them in the sun and then see
3, another 3 e/a at sea level between Dunkirk and Mardyck. Sgt Leslie attacked
the nearest from below and astern at short range, seeing strikes, after which
the 190 turned sharply for home trailing white smoke. Stark attacked the leader
from 100yds astern and after shooting off pieces it was seen to be on fire. It
turned slowly to port and Stark had to pull up to avoid a collision, last seeing
the 190 in a 30 degree dive at 300ft, inverted and trailing clouds of black
smoke. Meanwhile FW190 number 3 had got behind Stark and opened fire hitting the
Typhoon. Leslie returned from the French coast just in time to drive him off and
F/Sgt Stark should be duly grateful.
Enemy
casualties: 1 FW 190 destroyed F/Sgt Stark
1 FW 190 damaged Sgt Leslie.
Diary
of F/Sgt Bob Walling
March
12th. In an early morning raid on London a Norwegian squadron from North Weald
shot down five Jerry fighters. We had a scramble, and the kites patrolled the
deck, but did not go into action. On a patrol later in the morning, Flt-Sgt
Stark and Sgt Leslie had a scrap with three FW190’s. Stark got a very probable
Probable – when last seen the FW was upside down at 300ft diving towards the
sea with flames coming out of it. Leslie managed to get one damaged. Starks
aircraft was holed through the oil tank and rudder-trimming tab. Lallemand was
awarded the DFC.
BOLTON
PILOT SCORES
FW190 SHOT DOWN OVER DUNKIRK
A
recent air battle against odds of two to one which ended in the destruction of
one FW190 and severe damage to another over the beach at Dunkirk has just been
described by a pilot of the West Riding of Yorkshire Typhoon Squadron. He is
Flight Sergeant Laurence W. F. Stark, of Bolton.
“Sergeant T. D. L. Leslie, of Carshalton, Surrey, and I were flying about
three miles off Calais,” he said, “when he saw four aircraft coming up
behind us. He called to me and we both turned sharply. Then I recognised them as
FW190s.”
When over the beach between Dunkirk and Mardyck, Flight Sergeant Stark attacked
the leading machine from about 100 yards astern and saw his fire going home on
the fuselage and starboard wing. “Several pieces flew off the enemy aircraft,”
he said, “then flames shot out from around the cockpit. The enemy turned
slowly to port and I had to pull up to avoid a collision. Turning steeply, I saw
him below me now only about 300 feet up, going down in a steep dive almost on
his back, with clouds of black smoke mingling with the flames.”
Dog
Fight
By
this time a regular dog – fight had developed, and the flight – sergeant had
to turn his attention to another F.W. which was coming round on his tail. As he
turned to meet this attack a third F.W. crossed twice in front of him. He fired
a burst at it each time, but could not be sure that he hit it.
“The second machine was still behind me,” added the Flight – sergeant, “and
fired several times without hitting me. Then at last I felt strikes on my
aircraft, and oil began to flow around the cockpit. Just then, Sergt. Leslie
attacked the Hun. He made off and we flew back to base. On landing I found just
two bullet holes in my Typhoon, one of them in the oil tank.”
Sergt. Leslie had previously attacked another of the F.W.s from 75 yards’
range. He saw strikes on the fuselage and wings. It pulled up sharply and then
went steeply down with white smoke coming from it. This aircraft is being
credited as “damaged.”
Flight – Sergeant Stark was formerly at Bolton School and Manchester College
of Technology. He was studying to be an engineer when he joined up in 1940. He
is 22 years old.
Bolton
Evening News. 12th March 1943
