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Historical Tommy Atkins

REmEmBER THEm
Story and Images : The Kent Battle of Britain Museum.
of Wight to be buried with
his father in the Sandown
Cemetery.

When we traced the family
of P/O Frank Webster in the
mid 1990’s we discovered
that his parents had always
wanted to lay flowers at the
location where he was killed.
o. 610 Squadron had Sgt Else landed on Hawkinge The following anniversary
Nflown to RAF Hawkinge airfield by parachute and the Museum Chairman and
during the early morning was taken to hospital at Historian, Dave Brocklehurst
of Monday 26th August Canterbury, where his left MBE, made arrangements for
1940, (seventy-nine years arm was amputated just the cousin, nephew and niece,
ago today) from their inland above the elbow, and he was together with their respective
base at Biggin Hill. During treated for burns to his face families, to visit the crash-site
their second scramble of and right hand. Spitfire Mk. and lay flowers at the spot on
the day, they were met by I, Serial No. R6970 (Coded behalf of his late parents. This
Messerschmitt Bf 109E’s of DW-M) crashed at Castle was 1996. Dave also promised
Jagdgeschwader 52, at 20,000 Hill, Folkestone and the the family that he, together
feet over Folkestone. pilot of this aircraft who is with the volunteers of the
believed to have been Flt/Lt Museum, would lay flowers
Spitfire Mk. I, Serial No. Peter G. Lamb, survived the at the spot on the anniversary or the twentieth fourth
R6595 (Coded DW-O) was action unhurt. In return the each year of Frank’s death and fconsecutive year and lay
shot down during the ensuing 3rd Staffel of Jagdgeschwader to honour the last wishes of flowers on behalf of his
dogfight and was seen by 52 lost one aircraft, which his parents. Frank’s parents...
eye-witnesses on the ground crashed in the sea one mile
to fall vertically from 20,000 off Copt Point, Dover. The onight, Dave, Bryan, Mick
feet, crashing in flames at pilot, Feldwebel A. Zieger was Tand Tom together with a For further information on
Flegis Court Farm, Hawkinge, rescued by a rowing boat and handful of fellow dedicated the Museum, please visit our
killing the pilot, P/O Frank became a prisoner-of-war. volunteers from the Kent excellent website:
Kinnersley Webster instantly. Battle of Britain Museum www.kbobm.org
Oberleutnant Karl-Heinz Trust will visit the spot and
Many contemporary Leesman (1/JG 52),
publications have stated Feldwebel Alfons Bacher
incorrectly that the Spitfire and Oberleutnant Helmut
‘crashed in flames attempting Bennerman (OF 2/JG 52) all
to land at Hawkinge’, but made claims for Spitfires near
several eye-witnesses have Dover at 12.50pm.
been interviewed confirming
that the machine came down rank Kinnersley Webster
vertically from 20,000 feet Fwas born in Burma but
and backed up by parts being grew up on the Isle of Wight
recovered from the crash-site were his family ran the Stag
from a depth of twelve feet. Inn at Lake. He joined the
RAFVR in April 1939 as
No 610. Squadron lost three an Airmen under-training
Spitfires during (Service No 745588). He was
this action. Sgt Peter Else called up to fulltime service
baled out of Spitfire Mk. on 1st September 1939,
I, Serial No. P9496 (coded completing his training at
DW-L), which crashed at Cole 15 EFTS and 5 FTS. Frank
Farm, Paddlesworth. As he Webster was commissioned
attempted to bale out of his on 27th July 1940 and posted
burning aircraft, the following day to No 610.
Squadron at Acklington. He
he was hit by another burst was twenty-six years old when
of machine gun fire, which he was killed, and his body
shattered his left forearm. was taken back to the Isle

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