大象传媒

My Father was Eric Hornsby who sadly passed away in March 1998.During the war he served with the Royal Armoured Corps and rose to the rank of Sergeant.He was also a Tank and Gunnery Instructor.Dad never saw action abroad,but always felt responsible for the many batches of troops who he trained.He felt it was his duty to go abroad with his men and be there to look after them when they went into battle.He therefore made many applications for postings overseas,but was always refused on the grounds that his training role at home was vital.

Whilst serving at Bovington Camp in Dorset they began to get a regular visitor at 3pm each Wednesday.This unwelcome visitor took the form of a Focke-Wulf 190 Fighter-Bomber.
The low flying aircraft always made the same attack.It dropped a single bomb in the tank park,strafed the barracks,then turned and flew out to sea.After several attacks the plane had failed to hit a single tank or injure anyone.It was regarded as no more than a nuisance,however Dad felt it was only a matter of time before someone was killed.

I do not know the exact date when this action took place.However,i have done research on the Internet and the FW 190 variant which was a fighter-bomber was either an FW 190 A-3 or an FW 190 A-4.Each of these variants carried an 1,100lb bomb slung under the fuselage and both were in service with the Luftwaffe from the Spring-Summer of 1942.

After successive attacks he must have decided that some form of action was needed.
On the next Wednesday afternoon he just happened to hold a class demonstating the dismantling,re-assembling and re-arming of a machine gun on a stand.By coincidence,but really planned,the gun was re-assembled and re-armed by 3pm.As expected the air raid siren sounded and he ordered his class to take cover.He then lifted the gun off it's stand,dashed outside and emptied the magazine at the low flying aircraft.He said that it was so low that he saw bullet holes appear in the fuselage.Unfortunately for his bravery he was told to report to the CO and was given a roasting for not taking cover with the rest of the men.However,as a back handed compliment he was allowed to ring Coastal Command to see if the plane had come down;no sighting was reported.

The following Wednesday the camp was attacked at the same time and as ordered,Dad ran for cover.He was a big chap and was probably easily identified from a low flying aircaft.It looks like the german pilot singled him out after the previous week's skirmish.He came within inches of being killed when two bullets passed through the front of his steel hat and left two jagged holes as they went out the back.After recovering from his near brush with death his thoughts turned to retribution.

He went to see the CO,showed him his steel hat and asked for official permission to take some action.The CO asked him what was his plan.Dad replied by saying that the german pilot always made two bad mistakes each time he attacked.Firstly,he always attacked the same time each Wednesday secondly,he always banked right at the end of each attack and took the same route home.
He requested permission to set up a machine
gun post every half a mile between the camp and the coast,along the usual flight path of the returning plane.He got permission,so if the next FW 190 attack followed the usual pattern they would be ready.As predicted the
plane attacked and fell into the prepared trap.After attacking the camp it banked right and flew along the same flight path.As
it did so the waiting machine guns opened up
causing the plane to crash into the cliffs.

Dad was always very proud of his battle damaged steel hat and liked nothing better than wearing it on parade.He also said that it was excellent for pushing twigs through when on camouflage exercises.Sadly he became separated form his prized possession the day of the Company Sergeant Major's special parade.The CSM approached him and asked why he was on parade improperly dressed,also how did his steel hat get in such a disgusting state? Dad said that he came smartly to attention and said,''Machine gun bullet holes from a Focke-Wulf 190,Sir''.''I don't give a bugger'',came the stern reply,''you will get yourself a new steel hat straight after parade''.

He went to the Quartermaster as ordered and obtained a new hat.He said that he offered the QM half a crown to let him keep his old
hat as a souvenir,unfortunately he was told
that the metal had to go to the war effort.Sadly Dad's prized possession was lost,also lost a unique piece of history from World War Two.

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