Tag Archives: Knowles

Edward Vincent Knowles

Monday, 27 May 1940: 4.15 p.m.

56 Squadron

At about 4.15 p.m. Squadron leader E.V. Knowles is leading the twelve Hurricanes of No. 56 Squadron on an ‘offensive patrol’ between St Omer and Ostend. It is the second day of the Dunkirk evacuation, and the squadron has temporarily moved base from North Weald to Manston, less than 50 miles from the action. As they approach Ostend they sight ten Heinkel 111s at 10,000 feet, indicated by bursts of anti-aircraft fire around them.

Knowles keeps one section of three aloft as protection, and leads the rest of the squadron in attacking the Heinkels from behind. He selects the left-most Heinkel and sets its port engine quickly ablaze; it peels away and down and eventually crashes. The other Heinkels jettison their bombs into the sea.

John Coghlan, now promoted Acting Flight Lieutenant and leading the second section, attacks the right-hand Heinkel. He gives it a five-second burst at 100 yards, then two more as he closes in. The fuselage is now on fire, but Coghlan has fired all his ammunition. Two other Hurricanes tear in to finish the job: P/O ‘Fish’ Fisher and F/O ‘Minnie’ Ereminsky. Fisher’s windscreen becomes covered in oil from the blazing Heinkel, which goes down and crashes. Coghlan breaks off and heads home to Manston.

Wednesday, 22 May 1940

France

The German Army has already reached the Channel coast on the 20th. The BEF and much of the French army is now cut off from the rest of France. The German forces now launch twin assaults on the Channel ports of Boulogne and Calais, crucial to Britain’s ability to resupply its forces.

56 Squadron


Shortly after 4 p.m. S/Ldr ‘Teddy’ Knowles, 56 Squadron’s Commanding Officer, is flying with ‘A’ Flight over France, part of a larger group of about 20 Hurricanes. (The others are from 213 Squadron and 242 Squadron.) At about 4.15 a Henschel 123, a German reconnaissance aircraft which resembles a Lysander, is spotted. The exact location can’t be identified from Knowles’s report as his handwriting is poor; nor can the Henschel’s height, which may have been two, three or seven thousand feet. Knowles attacks the Henschel from 250-300 yards with a 2-second burst; so does another Hurricane which Knowles cannot identify. The Henschel ‘bursts into flames and goes down almost immediately. One of the occupants jumps out and lands by parachute.’ Credit for the victory is shared.