Battle of Britain at 75 : The Veterans

68730 Sgt Pilot British 504 Squadron

With his training completed, Holmes joined 504 Squadron at Wick on June 18 1940. The squadron moved south to Hendon on September 5 and on the 15th Holmes was one of the pilots involved in shooting down a Do 17 over Central London, probably the best-known German casualty in the Battle of Britain.

As Holmes sought to administer the coup de grâce to the already badly damaged aircraft, it broke up, a large section of wreckage falling on the forecourt of Victoria Station. The pilot, Oberleutnant Robert Zehbe, baled out, badly wounded. He landed in Kennington and was attacked and further injured by an angry mob of civilians. Although rescued by soldiers, he died next day and was buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery. Two members of his crew were killed and the two others were made PoWs.

Holmes’ aircraft was damaged, probably by wreckage from the Dornier, and he baled out, unhurt, and landed in Hugh Street, Chelsea. His Hurricane, P 2725, crashed and burned out outside Fountain Court, Buckingham Palace Road. It was excavated in 2005 and the engine and other parts were recovered.

Courtesy Battle of Britain Memorial Trust. Extracted from Men of the Battle of Britain by Kenneth G Wynn, third edition, 2015, Frontline Books in association with Battle of Britain Memorial Trust.