Combat Report of No. 145 Squadron for 27 July 1940

Combat reports were official documents detailing operational encounters with enemy aircraft. They convey both the mental strain of operations and the sense of excitement when victory claims were made.

This combat report provides details of the events of an engagement involving Nos. 145, 238 and 609 Squadrons, on 27 July 1940. In total, 25 RAF aircraft took part in this engagement against a formation of Junkers Ju 87s and Messerschmitt Bf 109s. According to this combat report, one Luftwaffe aircraft was confirmed to be destroyed, a Junkers Ju 87, one unidentified Luftwaffe aircraft was seen to be going down and one was claimed to have been destroyed by No. 145 Squadron. In terms of RAF losses, one Spitfire was seen to have been shot down by Red 1 (Squadron Leader Fenton) of No. 238 Squadron. The two pilots recorded by name on this report are Pilot Officer Buchanan and Squadron Leader Fenton. Harold Arthur Fenton was in command of No. 238 Squadron during The Battle of Britain and he went on to have a distinguished career in the RAF, including being the first senior RAF officer to land in France on D-Day and reaching the rank of Acting Air Commodore. He also was made a CBE in 1946 and after the war held various posts, including General Manager of the British Overseas Airways Company (BOAC) from 1949 to 1952. James Richebourg Buchanan was a member of No. 609 Squadron and was reported missing following the engagement detailed on this combat report.