Cannons – 610 was the second squadron to receive Spitfires fitted with two Hispano cannons and four Browning machine guns. There was trouble with the cannons at the start as they would stop firing after only four rounds and this was embarrassing when fighting. So upon repair, the armourers asked that the cannons be tested in the air.
There was a sunken ship which had a beautiful funnel and half of the deck above water. It was situated just off the coast, south of Westhampnett. One day, Dix and I went out together to test our cannons. As I made my attack and watched the shells rip into the funnel, I heard Dix say over the RT, “Hey Laurie, I think I saw something move near the funnel.” So we flew down very close and, sure enough, there were two live bodies crouching behind the big funnel. Although nobody, generally, read daily flying orders, nobody bloody well warned us that they had started dismantling parts of the sunken, tramp steamer.
Balloons – Sometimes a barrage balloon, dragging a dangerous cable or two, escaped its moorings and drifted across the countryside and urban areas. It became, of course, a hazard to flying and control would request that the balloon be shot down. What fun it was going after the big balloon. As a big kid, I never enjoyed fireworks more.
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