First Air Raid of WWII – 23

Defensive action

Many people later expressed concern that three waves of bombers were allowed to attack and, according to the Air Ministry, drop 40 bombs, unchallenged by RAF fighters.  At that stage the only opposition to the enemy bombers had come from the shore and ship-based AA guns.

The first three waves carried out their attacks between 14.30 and 15.00 hours. The fourth wave was possibly an hour behind, having failed to navigate across the North Sea with the precision of the other three, and therefore making landfall further north along the Scottish coast. It was recorded that they approached the bridge at approximately 16.00 hours.

It was following the third wave that RAF Spitfires appeared on the scene. Cecil Gibson maintains clear memories of that day: ‘I got off a bus to see what turned out to be the air raid on the Forth Bridge and remember thinking that a Spitfire was rather close to a Blenheim. So much for aircraft recognition!’ Cecil later served with 603 Squadron as a member of the ground crew during the 1950s and has retained many fond memories from the Vampire period just prior to disbandment.

As each of the German bombers completed their attack they fled eastwards along the Forth towards the North Sea. A few minutes after Storp’s attack all hell broke loose when his wireless operator/rear gunner cried out the German equivalent of ‘Spitfires are attacking!’ 603 Squadron’s Yellow Section had caught up with him.

It is recorded that the three aircraft flown by Storp, Pohle and von Riesen attracted the attention of Spitfires whilst the others attempted to make their escape either straight along the Firth of Forth, by hugging the north bank of the river, or by flying low over the rooftops of Edinburgh.

It is most likely all 12 aircraft were pursued and attacked by Spitfires at some stage. It is a quirk of fate that the first and second aircraft shot down during WWII should be flown by the two most senior and experienced pilots in KG30.