Dropping by the Horse and Jockey

The summer of 1940 would see the height of the 'Battle of Britain', swirling contrails snaked around one another high in the blue skies above, while in the English countryside below life went on as best it could during these dark days.

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'Dropping by the Horse and Jockey' shows a moment in time when these two worlds would meet. Squadron leader Tom Dalton Morgan of no.43 Squadron pilots his Hawker Hurricane low over the fields to check on his recent victim, a Heinkel 111 of Kg55.

Close to their stricken aircraft, the German crew wait for their soon to be captors to arrive. The captors in question being farmers enjoying a drink at their local pub, 'The Horse and Jockey'.

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Ironically Morgan would be shot down the next day, having been in a hurry to put on his flight suit he was still wearing his pyjamas. Without identification he was'Captured' by the local Police and put into a jail sell along with the Luftwaffe crew from the Heinkel! The mistake was soon realised and he was back flying again shortly after the mix up.

 

Oil on canvas, 80cm x 50cm.

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