Following THIS POST on Cobber Kain and the 1937 Coronation Air Pageant, here he is nearly three years later, in March 1940, outside the Officers Mess at Rouvres, reading the telegram informing him of his award of a DFC:
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| The 1940 photograph. From LtoR, Flt Lt. Lovett, F/O Kain, Sgt. Pyne, F/O Orton |
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| otherwise known, from LtoR, as "Unlucky" Lovett, "Cobber" Kain, "Titch" Pyne and "Fanny" Orton |
and the Pathe newsreel of precisely the same event, regrettably without sound:
Notes:
(1). Sadly, none of these four RAF pilots survived the war.
(2). Sgt Pyne was shot down and wounded on 23rd April 1940, when his section was surprised by Bf109s of III/JG53 west of Merzig. After a period of recovery, "Titch" returned to flying duty, but was shot down and killed by Bf110s of III/ZG26 on 14th May 1940. He is buried in Choloy War Cemetery.
(3). For "Cobber" Kain and "Fanny" Orton, see HERE
(4). Fl/Lt. Lovett acquired his "Unlucky" nickname through a series of misfortunes during the Phoney War, including shooting down a French Potez 63 in error. On 10th May 1940, the first day of the German blitzkreig, he was shot down by return fire from a Dornier 17 (which resembled the Potez 63 in appearance). Lovett managed to crash land his blazing Hurricane, but his hands were very badly burned. He was rushed to hospital and then air evacuated to the UK. After weeks of treatment, he returned to flying duty on 23rd July 1940. On 5th September 1940, he was again shot down but managed to bale out unhurt. Finally, but two days later, on 7th September 1940, he was shot down and killed in a crash landing close to the little village of Stock, Essex. Eye witnesses suggest that Lovett might have baled out successfully, but stayed with his stricken Hurricane in order to guide it away from the village. He is buried in Hendon Cemetery. See more at this Lovett Link
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