Pilot Officer Alec Bird Killed in action?
Friday the 25th of July 1940 is a very significant day in
the history of RAF Kemble. On this day the distinctive unsynchronized
engine note of a German Junkers JU88 alerted the station defenses.
9K+GN of 5/KG51 was based at Paris-Orly airport in occupied France
and was on course for the Gloster Aircraft Factory at Hucclecote
flying fairly high in-between the clouds across the airfield.
Almost immediately the two defence flight Hurricanes scrambled
to get airborne. Piloting the aircraft were 
Pilot
Officers Alec Bird, who was from Kirkstall near Leeds, and Richard
Manlove, both pilots from 4 Ferry Pilot Pool. Bird was flying
P3271, this aircraft was slightly superior to Manlove's due to
being fitted with a Dowty Rotol propeller, and consequently he
began gaining rapidly on the intruder. Just as he had managed
to fire off a short burst of his machine guns, the JU88 seemed
to disappear into cloud and Alec Bird followed. It is difficult
to ascertain what exactly happened next but both aircraft fell
to the ground killing P/O Bird and one of the German airman that
was unable to exit his stricken aircraft and may even have been
killed by the guns of Birds Hurricane. Some say that Alec Bird
rammed the JU88, others that he collided with it. We shall never
know the true story of what happened that day in July 1940 only
that Pilot Officer Alec Bird like so many other young men at
the time, gave his life in the Defence of his country. The remainder
of the crew of the JU88 were quickly rounded up on the ground,
having taken to their parachutes. They were taken to RAF Aston
Down, near where both aircraft had crashed, for temporary imprisonment
before being sent to a secure prison camp for interrogation and
internment for the remainder of the war.
This engagement came within the qualification dates for Alec
Bird to be awarded the coveted "Battle of Britain"
bar to be officially recognised as one of the "Few".
The sad irony is that as Birds unit, 4FPP, was not one of the
units considered to be "operational" at the time of
the battle he does not qualify for this award. Despite the fact
that Bird saw action and indeed lost his life defending this
country. What makes it even more nonsensical is that there are
aircrew who did qualify by virtue of having made an uneventful
sortie with one of the recognised units thereby fulfilling the
official criteria.