Americans in the Battle of Britain...

[Wing Nut]

I had never heard of American pilots in the BoB, but I should have realized there would be a few at least.

[Hagar]

Hi Pip. They have a memorial to an American pilot at the Tangmere museum. I don't recall his name right now but it's quite likely he was killed during the BoB. I took a photo of it soon after getting my digital camera. I'll look it out & post it here with hopefully more details later. I do remember his mother was later buried alongside him in a local churchard at her own request.

[Wing Nut]

That's nice.  It's good way to show your respect.  :)

[Hagar]

Hi Pip. Here's what I got. Unfortunately it was difficult to take a decent photo due to its location & the glass frame which caused reflection from the flash. It took a while to get it as I had to wait for various people wishing to show their respects to leave. I've reduced the images for posting. In case you can't make out the the inscription it reads "He Died For England". His name was Pilot Officer William "Billy" Fiske of 601 Squadron & he was the first American pilot to lose his life serving with the RAF. This was on August 16th 1940 at the height of the BoB.



Here's a close-up of the inscription. The other 8 American pilots, 2 of whom died*, are listed at the bottom.



PS. I can't recall where he came from but I remember reading he made his own way to England to offer his services. It might have been his mother or his widow that was buried alongside him according to her wishes. Next time I visit Tangmere I will get the full details.

PPS. I just found this. http://www.warbirdart.demon.co.uk/op-amrcnfrnd.html

<* edit>

[Wing Nut]

Well, it's still a nice gesture.

[Hagar]

Quite so. Values have changed somewhat over the years. Due to memorials like the one in my photo their sacrifice will not be forgotten. There is also a beautiful memorial garden at Tangmere commemorating all who died serving there.

I copied the quote below from here. http://www.warbirdart.demon.co.uk/op-amrcnfrnd.html

July 4th : American Independence Day 1941. On this day a special plaque was installed in the crypt of
St. Paul's Cathedral. London. The plaque was to honour the first American serving in the British forces to die for
England and for freedom in the Second Word War. The ceremony was headed by Sir Archibald Sinclair, then Secretary of State for Air and
was at the instigation of Winston Churchill who knew well the importance of the USA as a force for world order.

The American pilot was P/O William S Fiske known to all as Billy Fiske.

Having witnessed the serious political developments in 1930's Europe, Billy freely volunteered to
fight for Britain in the imminent conflict. He was so determined to play his part in the fight against Nazi oppression that he entered the
RAF by means of forged papers which gave his nationality as Canadian. This was the unselfish act which would lead to his death at the
height of the Battle of Britain on the 16th August 1940 at Tangmere aerodrome in W. Sussex S. England.

Prior to the war Billy Fiske was a famous bobsleigh champion. He was born 4th June 1911 and at the age of sixteen he
drove the US bobsleigh at St. Moritz. He became the youngest man to win a Winter Olympics Gold Medal.
Born into a wealthy banking family, he was also a keen golfer and racing driver. He earned a certain respect from his
fellow golfers from the way he transported them through winding lanes to their
Mildenhall Golf Club. He drove them the 24 miles in his supercharged 4.5 ltr. Bentley in 17 ------------

[Hagar]

I thought you might like this poem.

[color=Blue]Once he "The Billy Boy of play and light." Quick-silver blades on icy wall

Until games' end 'neath jack boot blight

He heard the call and pledged his all, with cornered friend in mortal fight

One of The Few, in cloud and blue arena.

His brother-blood in battle blending

Until that day beneath the shrieking air, defending ground crews rubbed their gritted eyes against the flash and blinding glare.

They took a risk.

There: Homing in with crippled wing, through smoke and
dust the battered boys had seen a : God descending. 'twas Billy Fiske.

Through bomb and blast they made their way to flaming wreck and pilot saved.
The burns and pain he boldly braved. A-bed, that night he even waved,.. and joked. ...
.. But come the morn' young Billy's dead.

Within his heart his nation's spirit-seed : Justice. Freedom. To fight barbaric creed.

Through creeping ash of tyranny, his lonely footprints came to show the way for other men : Inspire to do the same.

Ten thousand fold, yet more they stamped until a solid road was tamped.

They pay their way with flesh and blade yet, to this very day outrageous slant is made on motive by those enslaved,... Mind-stained from birth.

So this the battle in the end, to place the sprite in hearts... Aye!.. and minds to mend.

Yet never forget for all life's worth, the likes of Billy :------

The American Friend

Verse by John Howard Worsley

[Wing Nut]

I think these figures pretty much speak for themselves.

[Hagar]

I'm not sure if those are official figures. This is the RAF BoB site where I check my facts. http://www.raf.mod.uk/bob1940/bobhome.html

This is the Roll of Honour. http://www.raf.mod.uk/bob1940/roll.html
A full list of the 2353 British & 574 overseas pilots & aircrew officially recognised as having taken part in the Battle of Britain. 544 lost their lives.

This is the daily report for August 16th 1940 when "Billy" Fiske was killed. http://www.raf.mod.uk/bob1940/august16.html

[Wing Nut]

It's a link to the same site, I guess...

[Hagar]

Oops. So it is.

[Felix/FFDS]

Billy Fiske died of injuries returning from a flight.  His plane apparently caught fire upon landing.

Right as he landed, there was a Stuka raid on the airfield.  THe first bomb hit the medical hut, fortunately the medics and the ambulance were on their way to Fiske.

He was badly burned, taken to the medic, who had stayed in the building with a badly injured fellow who could not be moved (when the bomb burst, the medic and patient survived, covered with rubble).  For this, the medic received the DSC (I believe).

Fiske was treated and sent on to a local hospital, but succumbed to the burns.  Contrary to lore, he was not hit by the raid.

(Check out the current (last month's?) issue of The Aeroplane Monthly for an article on Billy Fiske.  

There's a movie being made on his life.  Obviously, it will show that Fiske single-handedly was responsible for Saving England in his Spitfire (he flew Hurricanes).

Fiske was an interesting fellow, of a wealthy family, and a record holder in the (34?) Winter Olympics (he was bascially brought up in Switzerland) for the US.

Fiske's importance lies, in my opinion, not as an ace pilot (which he wasn't, but we don't know if he would have been), but that he was a person of conviction, joining the fight on principles.  He did not have to join up, but he did.

[Hagar]

The sources don't quite agree so I don't know which is correct. According to the RAF official figures, 7 Americans flew in the BoB & all but one died. (The number is the squadron.)

Donahue Pilot Officer A G American 64 Killed
Fiske Pilot Officer W M L American 601 Killed*
Haviland Pilot Officer J K American 151
Keough Pilot Officer V C American 609 Killed
Leckrone Pilot Officer P H American 616 Killed
Mamedoff Pilot Officer A American 609 Died
Tobin Pilot Officer E Q American 609 Killed

This is a close-up of the list on the Billy Fiske memorial.

[Hagar]

[quote]There's a movie being made on his life.

[Wing Nut]

I typred in 'Billy Fiske' and 'Movie' on Google and found this bit...


Billy Fiske was a gifted and dashing young son of the Jazz Age, the kind of man who the sunlight seemed to follow around and for whom all things seemed possible. Had he been born a few years earlier, F. Scott Fitzgerald might have written a novel about him.
As it was, Billy Fiske plunged headlong into the good life to which he was born, and he loved nothing more than the next thrill, whether it was bobsledding to an Olympic gold medal for the United States on the slopes of St. Moritz, Switzerland, or hurling his British Hurricane into airborne combat against a squad of German Stukas.

Flying Hurricanes was in a sense an ancestral homecoming for him, because his line of Fiskes had lived in Britain until the 17th century, when they sailed from Suffolk to New York. The New World agreed with them and by the early 20th century they were citizens both solid and wealthy.

Banking was the Fiskes' game