Hawker Hurricane Mk I V6814, coded XR-C, assigned to 71 Eagle Sqn RAF, transferred to 238 Sqn Nov-40, Shot down over Fareham, crashed, pilot F/O J Tillett 238 Sqn KIA. 6-Nov-40.



Intercepted a raid on Portsmouth and V6814 was shot down probably by Major Helmut Wick, Stab/JG2.

Pilot Officer Tillett's aircraft began a gradual descent. He was flanked on either side by a Hurricane of his Flight; the plane made a wheels-up landing at White Dell Farm, North Wallington, Fareham.

Two boys witnessed the Hurricane’s landing. One recorded that "We saw him swoop down, he slid to halt, dust and mud flew everywhere. When he did not emerge from the cockpit, we ran over to the aircraft. He was slumped forward over the controls, we banged on the cockpit canopy, but he did not answer or move. We tried to get the pilot out of the cockpit, but the canopy would not move, hard as we tried, it would not open’. ‘Whilst we did this we noticed that the smoking engine had caught alight. The only thing we could do was grab handfuls of dirt and throw that onto the engine cowling, in an attempt to smother the fire (we had seen this being done to put out incendiary bomb fires). In seconds, the fire had spread, engulfing the cockpit area. We knew we could do no more for our brave fighter pilot. The heat of the fire got so hot, we had to get back. We then thought about the ammunition, which might go up. It was awful! We just had to stand there, whilst the flames consumed everything. It was the saddest day of our young lives."