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Defiance
At Dieppe
Robert Bailey
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One of the largest air battles of
World War 2 occurred on August 19, 1942 over the French port
of Dieppe. The planned amphibious assault, code named 'Operation
Jubilee' was initiated in the early morning hours of August
19, and lasted less than nine hours. But in that short time
the British attempt at testing Hitler's 'Atlantic Wall' and
new battle doctrines, turned into a disaster for the ground
forces, costing the Allies substantial casualties.
Of a nearly 6,100 assault force made up of mostly Canadian
troops (4,963), 3,367 became casualties, either killed in
action or taken prisoner. 2,210 returned to England with many
wounded among them.
In the air, over 49 Spitfires and Hurricane
squadrons, some with American pilots, faced off against three
hundred Me109s and Fw190s of JG-2 (Ricthofen) and JG-26 (Schlageter).
Nearly 1,000 aircraft from both sides engaged in a raging
air melee in the relatively confined air space over the city
of Dieppe. Not since the summer of 1940 and the Battle of
Britain had so many planes and aircrew been embroiled in such
a conflict. Though outnumbered by nearly 3 to 1, the German
defenders lost 48 aircraft to the Allies' 106.
On the surface, 'Operation Jubilee' was
nothing short of a disaster of monumental proportions that
did not bode well for the Allies of the war in Europe. The
raid on Dieppe left little for them to claim as a victory,
when reviewing the stark figures in the loss of men and material.
Fortress Europa seemed to remain impregnable. This would be
true for the time being, except for the invaluable lesson
learned from the failed mission. For out of the ashes of the
Dieppe raid came the tried and tested battle doctrines, both
on the ground and in the air. These doctrines would serve
the Allies well a few years later, less than 100 miles south
of the beaches of Dieppe in a new operation with the code
name 'Overlord.' |
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Sheet size:
33" wide x 21 1/2" high.
August 19, 1942 over the French coastal
town of Dieppe. American, Canadian and British Spitfires defend
the invasion beach head!
| Defiance
At Dieppe by Robert Bailey |
| 150
Allies Edition w/FIVE signatures (Colonel
Brown, Colonel Collinsworth and Canadians), plus companion
print ANDOVER CROSSING. |
US
$225 |
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| 100
American Edition w/TWO signatures (Colonel
Brown and Colonel Collinsworth). |
US
$175 |
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In Robert Bailey's painting, titled 'Defiance
at Dieppe,' a Spitfire from the 309th. Squadron (American)
zooms past a mortally wounded Messerschmitt 109 'Gustav,'
whose pilot attempts to exit his flaming aircraft near the
beach head. In the heat of battle, there is an undeniable
air of defiance amongst the combatants as dozens of planes
from both sides jockey for a position of advantage. |
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 2nd.
Lieutenant Leonard H. Brown
was born in Versailles, Missouri
and enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in July, 1940. He
was with the 309th Squadron and by May 1942 was in England,
flying British Spitfire Mk V in a reverse 'lend lease' arrangement.
Based at Chichester on the south coast, they flew fighter
sweeps across the English Channel to France. First major encounter
was August 19, 1942 over Dieppe. He flew four combat missions
that day. When the press learned that the U.S. pilots felt
the Spitfire was far superior to the P-39, this did not go
over well with the top brass. In late 1942 the Squadron was
shipped to Africa, where they continued flying Spitfires.
2nd Lieutenant Brown ended his military career as a Colonel,
with one victory. Awards include Legion of Merit, D.F.C.,
Air Medal with 6 O.L.C.'s, and Bronze Star. (His aircraft
'Dee' is featured in Defiance at Dieppe).
 2nd.
Lieutenant Jerry D. Collinsworth
was born in Dublin, Texas. He is
one of the few Americans to become an ace flying the Supermarine
Spitfire. March 1942 saw him in England flying in the 31st.
F.G., 307th Squadron. This was the first 'Yank' fighter unit
in the country since WWI. On August 19, 1942, he received
his 'baptism of fire' above the ill-fated commando raid on
the coast of France. Later, Collingsworth helped spearhead
Operation Torch landings in Oran, Algeria, still flying Spitfires.
He covered the landings at southern Sicily, flying from Malta's
sister island Gozo. In 125 combat sorties, he shot down 6
Axis aircraft, 1 probable and 1 damaged. He finished his military
career as a Colonel. His Spitfire is seen low left in Defiance
at Dieppe. Awards include D.F.C. with 1 O.L.C., Air Medal
with 17 O.L.C.'s, the Purple Heart and Army Commendation Medal.
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 Flying
Officer Don Murchie
joined the R.C.A.F. in 1941, training
on Tiger Moths and Cessna Cranes. Posted to Bournemouth, England,
he was selected for day fighters and had further training
on Miles Masters and Hurricanes. Selected for Spitfires, he
eventually ended up in 412 Squadron. He was involved in dive
bombing and armed reconnaissance flights in the Ruhr areas,
as well as fighter sweeps throughout the air space east of
the Rhine River. Don flew over 80 operational sorties and
is credited with numerous ground vehicles, locomotives and
motorcycles destroyed.
 Flying
Officer Douglas Gaudin
enlisted in the R.C.A.F. in 1940
and received operational training on Hurricanes at Sutton
Bridge in Lincolnshire, England. He was posted to 122 Squadron,
R.A.F., on Spitfires at Scorton, Yorkshire, in February 1942.
Douglas was later transferred to the Middle East via West
Africa. He then joined 417 Squadron R.C.A.F. in October 1942
at a base near Alexandria, flying Hurricanes. Later, he was
on Spitfires. The main task of the interception of German
photo-reconnaissance aircraft. Douglas is credited with nearly
a hundred operational sorties. He retired with the rank of
F/Lt.
 Flight
Sergeant Douglas R. Matheson
was with 411 Squadron, R.C.A.F. on
Spitfires. He was involved in the action over Dieppe, where
he is shown in Defiance at Dieppe attacking a Dornier 217.
He later became a Flight Lieutenant and Commander of B Flight.
Bases from which he flew include Hornchurch, Duxford, Digby,
Kenley and Biggin Hill. He flew a total of 153 operational
sorties. His tally is 2 enemy aircraft destroyed, with one
claimed and one other damaged. On December 1st, 1943, he was
shot down and became a POW at Stalag Luft III.
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Andover Crossing
w/THREE signatures
Sheet size: 25" wide
x 16" high.
Image size: 21" wide
x 10" high.
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| Arriving
at Andover-Hants, England, in February 1944, the 307th Fighter
Group of the Ninth Air Force comprised the 401st, 402nd and
485th Fighter Squadron. They took up residence at the former
RAF Station #406 on Salisbury Plain. Trained stateside in the
P-47, the group were surprised when handed the Lockheed P-38
Lightning. Missions included attacking radar installations,
rolling stock, flak towers and escort for the 8th and 9th Bomb
Groups to France and Germany. In Robert Bailey's exquisite pencil
sketch depicting the 402nd Squadron, the lead P-38J exiting
the dispersal area is that of C.O. Major Tim Tucker (E6T). As
he crosses Red Post Lane and onto Andover's grassy field, other
bomb laden Lightnings head out overhead for another mission.
Staff Sergeant Emil
Mutcher was born in Manitou,
Manitoba, Cananda. He was trained at Chanute Field, Illinois
in 1943, before moving to Westover Field, Mass. Here he joined
the newly formed 370th F.G., 402nd F.S. He served with the
squadron in all of its moves from Camp Shanks to Gutersloh,
Germany. He finished the war as a Technical Sergeant and was
awarded the DUC, Good Conduct Medal and five Battle Star Campaign
Medals. |
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Technical
Sergeant Harold W. Bergquist
was born in Braintree, Mass. He entered
service in August 1942 and joined the 402nd F.S. in June 1943.
Since the 370th F.S. was designated to train on P-47's he attended
the Pratt and Whitney Factory School in Hartford, Conn. By January
of 1944 he was with the squadron throughout the war. He holds
the Good Conduct Medal, Presidential Unit Citation for the Hurtgen
Forest Campaign, six Battle Stars and the American Theater Campaign
Ribbon. Staff Sergeant
Kenneth E. Sangmaster was
born in Sacramento, California and entered the army in November
of 1942. He was trained as a radio and radar mechanic and
was one of the initial ground support personnel who embarked
on the HMS Mauritania. He was assigned to the 402nd squadron
through all of its movements from Andover to Gutersloh, Germany.
He holds the Good Conduct Medal, Distinguished Unit Badge,
World War II Victory Medal, the European, African and Middle
East Campaign Medal, along with the American Campaign Medal.
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