orders, decorations, campaign medals and militaria - Spink

November 22, 2012 - LoNdoN
Captain H.G. Hegarty (back row, second from right) with No.4 Fighter School,
Freiston, Lincolnshire, and a delegation from the Imperial Japanese Navy
offensive patrols with the squadron he amassed 2 destroyed, 2 shared destroyed and 2
forced down out of control, 28.1.1918-16.5.1918 (see M.C. Recommendation above);
he was promoted Temporary Captain and Flight Commander of ‘A’ Flight, June 1918;
on 30.6.1918, he destroyed an Albatros Scout, ‘While leading my patrol, flying south
over Rainecourt, I observed 6 Albatros Scouts (blue tails) flying north at 14,000 feet.
I turned in behind E.A. and dived on the leader firing 3 or 4 short bursts - the leader
then spun away. E.A. were trying to fight us, I pulled out to see if any further E.A. were
above us. Seeing no further E.A. I dived repeatedly, trying to get on E.A. who were
good pilots. At 5,000 feet, I got on to an E.A. who was flying straight trying to get on
to Lt. Bartlett and I fired a short burst at close range. E.A. stalled and at the top of his
stall I fired another short burst into him at very close range and saw my tracers round
engine and pilot. E.A. side-slipped and went into a slow spin. I turned to watch E.A.
crash on Hun Aerodrome, but two E.A. Scouts on my tail and I went home at 3,000
feet. At 5,000 feet an additional 4 E.A. Scouts joined in the fight’; the following day
Hegarty achieved his final victory of the war, destroying a Halberstadt two-seater,
‘while leading my patrol at 8.40am over Mericourt at 11,000 feet I observed an E.A.
two-seater close to the ground. I dived but lost sight of him after firing a short burst
from 150 yards range. I returned to our lines and climbed 4,500 feet and turned north
when I observed 3 E.A. two-seaters very low down coming up to the lines. I tried to
attack but E.A., in every case, turned east, I observed Lt. Griffith firing at one E.A.
Turning south from Albert at 9am I attacked a Halberstadt two-seater over the woods
near Bray firing a long burst at him from 100 yards range. E.A. did a very steep bank
and side-slipped - result unobserved, owing to heavy fire from the ground as I was then
at only 700 feet.
I saw an Albatros Scout at 8.45am diving vertically very low down evidently the same
machine that Lt. Griffith fired at. Lt. Daly 24 Sqn reports Halberstadt referred to above
as having crashed and confirmation was phoned to Wing H.Q.’; having completed his
tour with 60 Squadron he returned to the Home Establishment, 15.7.1918; he saw out
the remainder of the war as an Instructor at No 4 Fighter School, Freiston,
Lincolnshire; discharged February 1919.
PROVENANCE:
Glendining, March 1988
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