"Drewe Manton" wrote in message
. 4...
(Prowlus) wrote in
news:af6b9634.0406101045.57935331
@posting.google.com:

http://www.super-mystere.net/aaw/planche/pages/44.htm

Check around, there is plenty of reference to a Marauder downing an
ME-
323 (I had forgotten it was RAF so can't confirm). Here's the story
from
the horse's mouth:-

"Many thanks to Dick Maydwell DSO DFC (who commanded 14 Squadron
during
1942/43) for sending me the following excellent "Boys Own" story in
response to my plea in the last newsletter:

Nowadays sportsmen spend a fortune in running a trip to South Africa
to
shoot lion, kudu and impala. But in 1943, when our Squadron was
stationed
at Protville in Tunisia, my Marauder crew enjoyed a splendid safari
in
the Med, with transport, accommodation, guns and ammunition for
free -
but watch out for Me109s!

A few days later we were happy to be back on our Med safari. We were
flying at sea-level close to Cape Corse at the tip of Corsica, when
we
saw the most enormous aircraft flying towards us. It was a
six-engined Me
323. I knew it had two formidable cannons firing aft so I manoeuvred
in
front of the enemy aircraft and fired back at him. Soon three
engines
were out of action.

I was wondering why the rear gunner didn't fire on the pilots but the
engines? I immagine this considered somewhat revolting or
unpleaseant? What was the attitude? I appreciat the story just
wandering at this because one often hears of acts of chivalry in WW2
like the legend of the Me 109 escorting a B17.

The huge aircraft lumbered on towards the Corsican
coast, where it crash- landed in a cloud of dust. Luckily for the
crew,
it didn't catch fire and no-one was injured as the gun crews and
tractor
drivers had all gone to the rear of the aeroplane. We did not shoot
them
up on the ground. I have been friends with the pilot of the Me323
for the
last 21 years, but that is another story!

Today I am 90 years old, but I remember all those incidents as clear
as a
bell."

http://www.14sqn-association.org.uk/...ers/news2.html



--
Regards
Drewe
"Better the pride that resides
In a citizen of the world
Than the pride that divides
When a colourful rag is unfurled"