ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 237885
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| Date: | Tuesday 9 June 1942 |
| Time: | 01:30 |
| Type: |  Bristol Beaufighter Mk IF |
| Owner/operator: | 219 (Mysore) Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | X7690 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | RAF Tangmere, West Sussex, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Tangmere, West Sussex |
| RAF Tangmere |
Beaufighter X7690: On the night of 8/9th June 1942 S/Ldr Topham and P/O Berridge intercepted and engaged a Ju88 over Bembridge, Isle of Wight. Taking off from Tangmere at 23:59hrs they climbed to 11000ft when Berridge made a contact on his Mk4 AI set. Topham closed in to 150yds and opened fire from astern as the enemy turned 5 degrees to starboard. Firing 286 rounds of 20mm cannon and 455 rounds of .303 into the aircraft, two lines of strikes were seen travelling from the nose to halfway along the fuselage. The Ju88 was seen to crash into the sea at Nettlestone Point, north of Bembridge, by the AA Battery. The Beaufighter received a violent bump as though pieces were flying into it from the enemy aircraft, knocking Berridge off his seat and damaging the AI and R/T sets. Berridge managed to get the AI set working again and they were sent on another chase by Durrington Control. Contact was made and the Beaufighter followed the enemy aircraft in violent turns down to 3000ft when contact was lost. On landing at 01:30hrs inspection of the Beaufighter revealed that the underside of the fuselage and gun inspection panel had been ripped open.
Berridge was awarded the DFC on the 23rd June, the citation reading:
This Observer has participated in many night-fighting sorties against the enemy and has taken part in the destruction of 3 enemy aircraft. He has shown great skill and determination.
Crew:
S/Ldr (41882) John Groves TOPHAM DFC (pilot) RAF - Ok
P/O (115.634) Horace Walter William BERRIDGE DFC (obs) RAFVR : Ok
Sources:
1.http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C16998166
2.AIR81/9919
3.ORB 219 Sqdn RAF
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 12-Jul-2020 15:18 | Nepa | Added [Operator] |
| 14-Jul-2020 15:13 | Nepa | Updated [Time, Registration, Source, Narrative, Operator] |
| 11-May-2021 22:17 | Anon. | Updated [Location, Operator] |
| 12-Oct-2022 20:11 | Nepa | Updated [Source, Narrative, Operator] |
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