Date: 7th October 1940
Time: 4.40 p.m.
Unit: 5 Staffel/Jagdgeschwader 27
Type: Messerschmitt Bf 109E-1
Werke/Nr. 3665
Coded: 10 + (Black)
Location: Bedgebury Wood, SW of Cranbrook, Kent
Pilot: Unteroffizier Paul Lederer 53537/ Captured wounded
REASON FOR LOSS:
This aircraft was took off from Calais at 16.00 hours and flew in Schwarm formation, the Schwarm being led by the Staffellkapitaen, Oberleutnant Duellberg. Before reaching the objective, flying at 2,200 feet, they were surprised by No. 605 Squadron Hurricanes attacking from above and behind.
Uffz Lederer dived and banked sharply to the left chased by three Hurricanes, one above, one on his tail, and one below.
His radiator was shot up, and the engine overheated. The Hurricanes followed him down, and he made a forced landing in a wood.
The aircraft was fairly badly damaged, but had not caught fire when the pilot left it.
This was Paul Lederer's third sortie of the day. The first was in the morning. He did a patrol at about 16,000 feet, but saw no English fighters at all.
In the early afternoon he was on bomber escort duty, flying considerably higher than the bombers, and again the sortie was uneventful. This pilot has made 42 war flights over England, and considers that of late many of our pilots seem young and unexperienced, although there are obviously a lot of old hands amongst them.
The wreck of Paul Lederer's Messerschmitt in Bedgebury Wood.
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