Spitfire forced landing West Grinstead Park 19th July 1940

[K8T]

Good Evening John915,

Well that's interesting, I never knew that!
it could be a way forward.  Thank you for all your research.

K8T

[John915]

Good evening again,

Further research tells me that should read no 49 MU (maintainance unit). Their job was to recover everything possible for reuse. All other remains, mainly aluminium was shipped to a place in Oxford for recycling.

Their records are at Kew and with a chap called Andy Saunders who has researched this place and written much about it.

I'm using a tablet so can't do links but if you google RAF Faygate you will find all that I found.

John915

[K8T]

Thanks John915, I will do.

K8T

[solidrock]

19th July 1940
RAF Fighter Command
At 0703 hours a Do17 which had carried out a reconnaissance over Croydon, Northolt and Brooklands was shot down by a Hurricane off Shoreham. At 1431 hours Hurricanes encountered 12 Me109s off Selsey Bill and one Bf109 was shot down (unconfirmed). One Hurricane is missing. At about 1735 hours one Hurricane landed in flames at West Grinstead following enemy action. It was a total loss but the pilot is safe. At 1803 hours a Heinkel 111 which had penetrated inland was shot down off Shoreham.

https://www.netweather.tv/forum/topic/63129-the-battle-of-britain-weather-diary/page/2/

Added

Two major engagements took place off DOVER the first at 12.15 hours and the second at 1600 hours.

An enemy bomber was shot down off SHOREHAM in the morning and another in the evening, whilst one HURRICANE (pilot saved) was shot down near WEST GRINSTEAD.

https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/blog/plt-off-john-bisdee-diary-19th-july-1940/

At 1431 hours Hurricanes encountered 12 Me109s off Selsey Bill and one Me109 was shot down (unconfirmed). One Hurricane is missing. At about 1735 hours one Hurricane landed in flames at West Grinstead following enemy action. It was a total loss but the pilot is safe.

http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/on-this-day-during-ww2.3738/page-132

So it looks like it was a Hurricane not a Spitfire, can't seem to find the pilot's name.

[John915]

Good morning,

The Cowfold local history site shows a map. This shows a no of aircraft coming down nr Cowfold. This includes Hurricanes, there are 2 Spitfires. The one we arr interested in and another nearer Henfield to the south.

John915

[K8T]

Many thanks solidrock, that is the one.  Looks like the youngster at the time was not familiar with the differences between the two aircraft.  Thank you so much for your time in researching this.

John915, we have been in contact with Cowford History people and the witness was another local who was around 10 years old at the time and desribes the incident in the same was as my contact.  The person also describes it landing not far from 'The Lodge' which is where my contact lived at the time.

It's so good when it all comes together.  Thank you all for your help

K8T

[solidrock]

Hi  K8T,

"Many thanks solidrock, that is the one.  Looks like the youngster at the time was not familiar with the differences between the two aircraft.  Thank you so much for your time in researching this."

I think it maybe more of the case that the Spitfire has always been more glamourised than the Hurricane but that was never the case. Both were excellent machines flown by brave men some of which only had a few hours training before they went into combat. It's a pity we can't find the pilots name or squadron.