Adrian Francis Laws facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Adrian Francis Laws
Born	(1912-08-10)10 August 1912 East Dereham, Norfolk, England
Died	30 September 1940(1940-09-30) (aged 28) Cranswick, Yorkshire, England
Buried	Wells-next-the-Sea Cemetery
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1931–1940
Rank	Pilot Officer
Service number	514143/45092
Unit	No. 64 Squadron RAF
Battles/wars	Second World War Battle of Britain
Awards	Distinguished Flying Medal

Adrian Francis Laws, DFM (born August 10, 1912 – died September 30, 1940) was a brave pilot in the Royal Air Force (RAF). He was known as a flying ace during the famous Battle of Britain. Sadly, he died on September 30, 1940. This happened after his plane crashed with another Spitfire while he was training new pilots.

Adrian Laws' Early Life

Adrian Laws was born in East Dereham, Norfolk, England. His birthday was August 10, 1912. He went to school in Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk, until he was 14. His parents owned a sweet shop there. Adrian had a daughter named Susan Mary Laws. She was born just two weeks after he passed away. Adrian learned to shoot rabbits with a shotgun when he was young. He often went hunting with his friend, Allan Tuck. Allan later named his first son Adrian Francis, to remember his friend.

Joining the Royal Air Force

When Adrian Laws was 19, he joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1931. He started as an aircraft hand, which meant he helped with planes. Then, he trained to be a storekeeper. But Adrian wanted to fly! He applied for pilot training and was accepted.

In July 1935, he began learning to fly at No. 4 Flight Training School. This school was in a place called RAF Abu Sueir. On April 20, 1936, he joined No. 64 Squadron RAF as a sergeant pilot. His squadron was based in Ismailia. They flew two-seater planes called Demons. Later, in September 1936, they returned to the United Kingdom.

By late 1939, Adrian was flying Blenheim planes. He flew them from RAF Church Fenton. His squadron, No. 64, then got new planes. These were the amazing Spitfire Mark I fighters. Adrian, who was now a flight sergeant, flew these powerful new planes.

Fighting in the Battle of Britain

The Battle of Britain was a huge air battle during World War II. It was fought in the skies over Britain. Adrian Laws played a very important part in it.

Adrian's First Success: June 12, 1940

Adrian Laws got his first success on June 12, 1940. He was part of a mission to find and destroy a German He 111 bomber. The battle was just starting, so pilots wrote very detailed reports. Later, Adrian would simply say, "closed into attack and usual dog-fight ensued." But for this first one, every detail was important.

Adrian and another pilot, Gilbert, were supposed to fly together. But they took off ten minutes apart. Gilbert found the enemy bomber first. He fired his guns, damaging one engine. One of the German gunners was hurt.

Soon after, Adrian found the damaged He 111. He chased the bomber very low, almost touching the waves. He made two passes, firing his guns. Two other Spitfires also arrived to attack. Adrian watched as the bomber crashed into the water. He even circled the plane to see the crew getting into their life raft. He didn't want to leave his first confirmed victory!

Engaging German Fighters: July 29, 1940

By this time, No. 64 Squadron RAF was led by Aeneas MacDonell. He was a very brave leader. He had been in heavy fighting just a few days before. He shot down a Ju 87 Stuka but his own plane was badly hit. Luckily, he landed safely. MacDonell said his pilots were like "wild horses" when Germans were nearby.

On July 29, Adrian and his squadron found German fighters. They fought a group of Messerschmitt Bf 109s over St. Margaret's Bay. This was early in the morning. During this fight, Adrian shot down a Bf 109.

"Eagle Day" is Delayed: August 11, 1940

The Germans had a big plan called "Eagle Day." They wanted to launch huge attacks. But bad weather kept delaying it. On August 11, it was cloudy again. So, the German Luftwaffe (air force) sent out fighters for a "free chase" over Sussex. More than 30 German fighters were involved. Their plan was to draw away RAF interceptors. This would let their bombers attack places like Weymouth and Portland.

Four RAF squadrons, including No. 64 Squadron, went after them. The RAF planes were told to intercept the Germans as they headed home. The German fighters were flying higher than the Spitfires. There were about eight Spitfires from No. 64 Squadron. The Germans attacked first, but they flew past the Spitfires. Then, the Spitfires quickly turned and attacked the Germans.

Adrian Laws attacked a Bf 109 that was chasing another Spitfire. This Spitfire pilot, Pilot Officer Gilbert, was very lucky. He survived the war. Because of the cloudy weather, it was hard to confirm if any planes were completely destroyed that day.

First "Eagle Day" Attacks: August 13, 1940

On August 13, the Germans finally launched their "Eagle Day" attacks. They aimed their bombers at British airfields. But the RAF fighters fought hard. Also, thick clouds helped to stop the attacks.

It seemed the German bomber crews were nervous. Adrian Laws and his "Flight B" spotted a group of planes. They thought they were Dornier 215s. As soon as the Germans saw the Spitfires, they turned and ran for home. They flew as fast as they could, not even trying to dodge. But when Adrian got close to one German bomber, the pilot decided to fight. He made sharp, diving turns. This made it hard for Adrian and his Spitfire to keep up. The German plane's rear gunner was already hurt. The pilot might have thought he had escaped. He flew into a cloud, but Adrian hit his plane again.

"The Few" are Named: August 15, 1940

August 15, 1940, was a very important day. The German fighters did a good job protecting their bombers. This allowed the bombers to complete their attacks. This day also showed the amazing courage of the British pilots. Winston Churchill later called them "The Few."

Eighty-eight German Dornier 17 bombers flew towards Deal. They were protected by over 130 Bf 109 fighters. Another 60 Bf 109s crossed the Kent coast. Three RAF squadrons were sent to stop them. This meant 36 British fighters faced 278 enemy planes! The odds were more than 7 to 1 against the British.

No. 64 Squadron met the 60 Messerschmitts over Dover. The squadron's report shows how fast and dangerous the battle was. It raged all the way back across the Channel towards France. MacDonell bravely attacked four Bf 109s. He destroyed one before two more forced him to escape. Gilbert saved a Spitfire by hitting a Bf 109 with a five-second burst of fire. Then, Gilbert's own plane was hit.

Adrian Laws got his second confirmed Bf 109 that day. He attacked it from the side as it slowed down at the top of a turn. He fired two more bursts into the diving enemy plane. The Bf 109 then burst into flames.

The Hardest Day: August 18, 1940

August 18, 1940, was called "The Hardest Day" of the Battle of Britain. German bombers flew low to avoid radar. Other bombers flew higher. They surprised the British defenses. They caused a lot of damage to RAF Kenley airfield.

Adrian Laws and Flight Sergeant Gilbert helped finish off a German bomber. They claimed an He 111. After that, Adrian saved a Hurricane pilot. He shot down a Messerschmitt Bf 110 that was chasing the Hurricane. This was Adrian's last confirmed 'kill'.

Adrian Laws' Air Victories

Adrian Laws' Death

Adrian Laws' accident was seen by an American pilot named Art Donahue. Art wrote about it in his diaries, which were later published. He noted:

I rejoined my squadron several days before my leave expired...I learned that the heroism of some of the boys hadn't gone unrecognised. Three DFCs and one DFM had gone to the squadron... Andy (pseudonym for Laws), who had four confirmed, received the DFM because he was a flight sergeant and not a commissioned officer at the time... He had worked up from the ranks to become an exceptional fighter pilot. He had just been awarded a commission as pilot officer but wasn't living in the officers' mess yet because he hadn't yet purchased his uniform.

Later, Donahue wrote more about the sad day:

Next morning Andy (Laws) had to give a group of new pilots some practise flying before we went to the target range; so as I was badly in need of some practise too I went for a little cross-country jaunt in my machine, familiarising myself with our present sector of operations. While I was up I could hear distant voices over the R/T which I knew were those of Andy and the pilots he was flying with. When I heard them plainly I could tell it was usually Andy giving one of the others some order, or coaching them on their flying. I didn't pay much attention to what was being said, but I noticed that when I was returning to the airdrome Control seemed to be calling "Yellow One" and having difficulty in getting a reply.

The leader of Yellow section was Andy, and he wasn't having trouble with his R/T. Percy ran out to meet me as I taxied in, and with agonised face told me, "Andy and Nels have collided and Andy's gone in, and it looks like there isn't much hope!"

There wasn't. After half an hour's dumb sad waiting around the telephone in our pilots' hut we heard the story. His tail had been sheared off and his machine had gone all the way down, tumbling over and over, and for some reason he hadn't bailed out. Nels had managed to land safely at another airdrome, as his machine wasn't badly damaged.

The Accident Details

The pilot called "Nels" in Donahue's story was Sergeant Frederick Fenton Vinyard. He was 24 years old and had joined 64 Squadron on September 15. Adrian Laws was flying Spitfire P9564. Vinyard was flying K9805. They were acting as target planes for other Spitfires. These other planes were practicing fighter attacks. We don't know who the other pilots were. But we know that Sergeant Hopgood, Sergeant Limpenny, and Pilot Officer Stanley were new to 64 Squadron in late September. They might have been the "attacking section."

Adrian and Vinyard were flying at about 3,000 feet when the accident happened. It was 10:45 AM. Here is what the Air Ministry reported:

Sgt. Vinyard reported that the two aircraft were flying semi-line abreast, semi-echelon starboard and six spans apart. The pilot of K9805 (Vinyard) closed in on P9564 (Laws). Shortly after, the under surface of the starboard mainplane of K9805 struck the top of the rear portion of the fuselage of P9564 and severed it. Immediately after the collision had occurred the entire rear portion of Laws' aircraft broke away and the aircraft went into a fast somersaulting dive and struck the ground, bursting into flames on impact. The aircraft crashed at Cranswick, 4 miles north of Leconfield, killing Laws instantly. Spitfire K9805 (Vinyard) went into a dive, but the pilot managed to gain control and land safely at Driffield airfield.

We don't know exactly how the accident happened. Another letter from the Air Ministry said:

On October 6, 1940, Sgt. Frederick Fenton Vinyard was on a patrol with two other Spitfires from 64 Squadron. They were near Flamborough Head. The planes flew into thick clouds, and the three aircraft got separated. This was the last time Sgt. Vinyard was seen by the other two pilots. They both returned safely to base. However, at 3:10 PM, a report came from the Observer Corps. It said a Spitfire was seen crashing into the sea off Flamborough Head at 2:30 PM. Sgt. Vinyard is still reported as missing.

Vinyard's two section members that day were Flying Officer A. J. A. Laing and Pilot Officer Arthur Gerald Donahue.