t has been claimed that two of the most famous pilots of the Battle clashed today. Major Werner Molders belly landed in France, wounded and with his Messerscmitt Bf 109 a write off. One source believes that his attacker was Flight Lieutenant “Sailor” Malan, the South African who was then ‘A’ Flight commander of No 74 Squadron. Another attributes the success to Flight Lieutenant John Webster of No 41 Squadron.

If Malan was involved he might have found the outcome satisfactory. He considered that there was a case for allowing some damaged German aircraft, with wounded men aboard, to escape back to France as a warning about what could be expected on the British side of the Channel.