Swavesey and District History Society – February meeting report

A week earlier than usual, 30 members and visitors attended a talk by David Duker from St Neots entitled “One of Our Own”, telling the story of Battle of Britain fighter pilot, Victor Ekins, MBE, DFC.  When David was a child, his grandad told him stories of his wartime experience, especially in North Africa.  In due course, with his interest focused on the Battle Of Britain pilots, David spent 10 years meeting and interviewing many of the fighter pilots who took part when they were typically about 20 years old.  A chance discovery of an online document mentioned Victor Ekins, also from St Neots.  David eventually found the Ekins family and met Victor’s son Tony who took him to an untidy garage with a trunk full of Battle of Britain papers and photos and the diary which Victor had completed daily for 5 years during the war.  Victor had seen an advert to join the RAF Volunteer reserve and on 28 June 1940 he qualified as a fighter pilot.  The Battle of Britain started on 10 July 1940 and on 1 August Victor was sent to 111 Squadron at Croydon flying hurricanes to defend London.  With only a few hours of flying experience initially, he was scrambled 25 times during the first 10 days of August.  At that time Germany aimed to obliterate the RAF fighter force.  The diary gave details of numerous aerial battles above airfields  with as many as six sorties to fight off the Luftwaffe on some days.  At the beginning of August 111 Squadron had 20 pilots and spare planes but by 4 September only 8 pilots and 8 planes remained.  With such severe losses the squadron was sent to Scotland to be rested by joining a training group.  On 7 September, having failed to defeat the RAF fighters, Germany changed tactics to blitz bombing of London.  Victor wanted to get back to defend London and after only 12 days away he joined 501 Squadron at Henley.  On 27 September he was scrambled to the south coast where he was attacked by 3 Messerschmitt 109s and, with a bullet right through his body, he managed to get out of the burning hurricane at 19,000 feet.  By good luck he landed in a Canadian field hospital site where he was immediately treated then taken to hospital.  Within 10 days he was back flying fighters again.  On 31 October the Battle of Britain ended.  In 1943 Victor was promoted to Squadron Leader to command 19 Squadron where he stayed until war ended.  Then he joined his father’s business of Auctioneers and Estate Agents in St Neots until he died in 1993. 

After almost 4 years researching Victor’s story, David produced a book entitled   “One Of Our Own”.  He also started a company called the Tally-Ho Project which goes into primary and junior schools to share with young people the values of duty, unity, courage, resilience and positive action that helped a generation rise to the extraordinary challenges of war.