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A Combat Report
This is a Combat Report from the time when Percy Milnes was on active service with 142 Squadron. The aircraft and crew are not identified but Percy did mention "Essen" while on leave and it does add to the general picture.
Night 2/3 June, 1942, Wellington IV, M/142 Sqdn, on Essen.
KNOCKE, 0300 hrs., 9,000 ft., 280m.p.h., diving. Bombs dropped. Course 300 degrees. Weather fine, moon up S.E. Wellington had just previously been held in S/L and subjected to heavy flak. IFF not used. There was no track indicating from the ground or flares illuminating the Wellington. A single Me.109 without lights was observed at 70 yards on green bow on same level. E/A turned in to attack from green beam from below at 100 yards firing with four machine guns and one cannon, continuing up to point blank range. Wellington rear gunner replied with seven to eight bursts, approximately in all 500 rounds, and observed strikes in E/A, which turned over as it was breaking away. Smoke appeared from the cockpit area and the E/A dived into the sea approximately a mile off the coast, exploded and burnt for about one minute. This was seen by the rear gunner and confirmed by the W/Op. in the Astro-hatch. E/A claimed as destroyed. Evasive action taken was to turn towards E/A and side slip. Wellington was not held by S/L at the time. Damage received was two machine gun holes in port wing. No casualties to crew.
Researched in 2002 by Martin Milnes
Updated in 2025 by Benjamin Milnes