Just thought id share these relics i have from the Battle of Britain. They came from the crash site of Pilot Officer Frederick Cecil Harrold's Hurricane. This brave one of the few from 501 Sqn based at Kenley who didnt make it was killed aged 23 on 28th September 1940 on what was only his third operational sortie. He was shot down during an engagement with Me.109's over Deal, Kent. On this day the Luftwaffe had sent up a small number of bombers as bait for a considerably large fighter escort flying at some 30,000 feet altitude. The Germans had the height advantage and whilst the Spitfires were able to reach the German fighters the Hurricanes could not reach the same altitude and some became sitting ducks for the Messerschmitts which attacked out of the sun. The relics here are part of the Hurricanes undercarriage, a piece of fuselarge and heat exploded .303. Some of Pilot Officer Harrolds personal effects are subject of special Imperial War Museum display to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain.
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