First Air Raid of WWII – 26

14:35 Pursuit over Roslin

At 14.35 the peace and quiet of Roslin village was shattered by the sound of a single German bomber as it made its way east, followed almost immediately by gunfire. Later that day PC James Henderson submitted a report:

About 2.35 p.m. on Monday, 16th October. 1939, an air plane flew in a westerly direction at a very high altitude over Roslin. About five minutes later I saw a plane, which I was of the opinion was the same one, flying in an easterly direction over the same course. A few seconds previous to seeing it the second time coming out of a large cloud there was a burst of what sounded like machine gun fire coming from the direction of this cloud. A minute after it appeared from the cloud, four other planes appeared behind it also travelling eastwards Those four planes flew in and out the cloud for a few minutes, and the sound of gunfire came from them. They then flew in a north easterly direction.

Same afternoon I interviewed Joseph Thomson, Farmer, Langhill Farm, Roslin, who informed me that after the planes left the cloud referred to two of them flew over his farmhouse, and a number of empty cartridge cases fell from them on to his farmhouse and steading. These cartridge cases, which are forwarded herewith, appear originally to have been live tracer cartridges.

The direction taken by the planes would take them over the searchlight post at Gowkley Moss. Roslin, and into the vicinity of Glencorse Barracks.

It is likely PC Henderson actually saw three Spitfires pursuing a Ju88, a total of four aircraft. This was almost certainly Yellow Section.

Having made contact over Colinton, the bomber was pursued over Roslin and Langhill Farm, situated just north of the village, where Joe Thompson was showered with spent cartridge cases from the Spitfires as they roared over his farmhouse in pursuit of their prey.