6 Group Unavailable
>ORB 421 Squadron Ramrod 259 1943-10-03
Fighter Sweep. In HARDELOT, swept under Appledore control, BETHUNE-AMIENS-ROYE-area, at 20,000 to 22,000 ft. 421 bounced 25+ a/c passing beneath wing. Full wing engaged combats intermingled all in the vicinity of ROYE/AMY a/d between 7,000 and 15,000 ft. 9 pilots of wing fired on at least 15 a/c. Seven aircraft were seen to crash and two parachutes to open. several other aircraft were going down and are believed to have crashed. Enemy casualties inflicted by 421 squadron - Pilot Officer Hicks, 1 FW 190 destroyed - Pilot Officer Packard 1 FW 190 destroyed - Pilot Officer Linton and Flying Officer Cook 1 FW 190 destroyed (shared). Our casualties - Flying Officer Cook missing - heard over R/T to say "baling out"
HERE FOLLOWS THE FIRST TWO CHAPTERS OF Flight Lieutenant COOK'S ACCOUNT OF THIS MISSION
"I don't remember much of the dogfight only that it was a good one. Never underestimate the fighting ability of the German fighter boys, they were good. I was flying number two to my good friend Karl Linton when we engaged a good number of FW 190's. Karl and I shared one. I remember we were jumped by two coming in at five o'clock and a little above us. I saw the number one firing but the tracers were going behind us and he was a little out of range. I waited until he was within a good range then called a break to starboard which meant we would tum into them and perhaps get on their tails. We swung around and I put old AUV through the gate; this was called pushing the "tit". All of a sudden I had very little power. I quickly scanned the instrument panel and noticed my oil pressure dropping. I tried to keep up with Karl but found it impossible.
Soon I was streaming glycol and going nowhere but down. I called up my CO who was Squadron Leader Buck McNair and told him of my predicament. I said that I was going to try for the Channel and bale out. He asked if I needed an escort and I said that I thought that I could make it on my own. I checked the outside of the aircraft and could see that there was a great deal of oil on the cowling on the port side of the engine. I was also making quite a trail of white glycol smoke. I was awakened suddenly from my inspection by black puffs of smoke around me. Flak. I looked down and noticed aerodromes. I also noticed that I was lower than I thought I should be. I figured that I was between Poix and Couty. If that were the case then I had better forget the Channel
THE FULL ACCOUNT OF Flight Lieutenant COOK'S EVASION STORY CAN BE FOUND IN HIS SERVICE RECORD BELOW
