Mission #53 – Bomber Command issued our target for today: St. Omer Arques. They are concerned with the amount of traffic coming in and out of this base and need for operations to cease there. Because this mission was going to take us deep into enemy territory, we needed to take it out in one pass, otherwise someone else would have to go back and finish our job. Flight Command decided to send in 6 Blenheim’s and 2 Hurricane’s for cover support. Because of the intense activity in “Hell's Corner,” it was decided that an East to West approach with a quick exit out over Dunkirk would be the favoured flight plan. Our mission began 11 September 1940, 0500 hours. We took off and set off on a course heading of 100° from Southend. We climbed to 20,500 ft. before going to Mode 22 which leveled us out at 18,900 ft. It was a smooth uneventful flight to our first turn. The navigator informed me we were at Grid Sector BH25 and needed to change our heading to 178°. This put us on a direct course for the French Coast and enemy territory. We made landfall and began to survey the skies for enemy planes. Radar returns were informing us of little activity in our immediate area. I started to scan the ground for the town of Baillieu, our next turn point, but the early morning haze made the task difficult. At last the bombardier call out our way-point and the navigator informed me to turn to course heading 266°. I informed the flight that we were beginning our bomb run and to tighten up as much as possible. I engaged the Knickebein and began receiving a good solid beam. All eyes were on the ground searching for our target, radar reported some activity over our target area. Finally the bombardier called out he had visual on our target; I turned the controls over to him and began searching the skies for enemy planes. The bombardier announced he had our target in his wires and began calling out the distance to drop. The navigator informed me that immediately after the drop to steer to course heading 358°. The bombardier continued …. 400 …. 300 …. 200 …. 100 …. bombs away. I immediately took over control of the aircraft and began making my turn to 358°, no sooner had I begun when the enemy contacts were being called out by the crew and the dorsal gunner began ripping off rounds. I disengaged the Knickebein and increased the throttle. I heard the gut-wrenching sounds of my aircraft be ripped up by our assailant but the crew reported no critical damage. The entire flight began engaging the enemy as we made a quick exit for the coast. Radar reports were becoming more and more bleak, and I began to worry that not everyone was going to make it home today. To run was our best course of action and since we had hit our target from 17,400 ft., I decided to turn that height advantage to speed and dipped my nose towards the coast. One of the Hurricane pilots yelled that he was hit and having to bail. The dorsal gunner reported seeing his chute …. I said a quick silent prayer for his safety. The other Hurricane pilot reported a kill and several of the other flight crews reported seeing their targets venting. As we made our way to the coast, the action slipped further and further behind. I ordered the flight to put some space between each other and present less of a target, and continued to head out to open water. As the radar parts began to ease up I turned our flight towards North Foreland and began our long trip home. The rest of the flight was uneventful and we touched down at Rochford at 0617 hours. Once I shut everything done, a corporal came running over from the flight tower with a big grin and thumbs up telling us we had put out target out of action. Amongst my delight was the sorrowful pain of not knowing what happened to the young pilot who gave up so much so we could make it home …. I gave thanks!