On 28 October 1939 the airmen of 602 Squadron fought an air battle with the Luftwaffe over the fields on East Lothian. Twenty-five-year-old Flight Lieutenant Archie McKellar seriously damaged a Heinkel 111. Spitfires from 603 Squadron joined the battle.
The Heinkel crash landed near the small village of Humbie and was later dubbed ‘the Humbie Heinkel’. Two of the crew were killed during the air battle. The pilot was wounded, and he and the navigator surrendered to a local policeman who was the first person to reach the scene, becoming prisoners of war.
The Humbie Heinkel was officially the first enemy airplane to be shot down on British soil during World War II.
Tragically, Archie McKellar was killed a few hours after the official end of the Battle of Britain. His name does not appear on the Battle of Britain Roll of Honour. A memorial plaque commemorating Flight Lieutenant McKellar calls him ‘the Forgotten Ace’.
Or, download Adobe Flash Player to watch the video online.
Click on the image to view a larger version.
Keep up to date