We were met by a German fighter about halfway across the North Sea. Clarke spotted it coming up behind us, but it managed to hit us in the tail and wings before I could shake it off. The damage wasn't anything that would stop us, though.
Clarke spotted the next Me-110 as we crossed the coast. He missed it with his tail guns, but as I threw Alcyone around, the Me-110 showed up in front of us, where Daily and Dahlgren both made hits, sending it down in flames.
Coming up on the target, Clarke spotted yet another Me-110. He was able to damage it and drive it off.
We got coned over the target, attracting more than our share of flak, but we were lucky and none of actually hit us. A single-engined fighter attacked us from ahead, but missed us and was gone. I think he distracted Dalhgren, though, and our run was off target.
Clarke's eyesight wasn't as sharp on the way home. A Me-110 suprised us after we turned for home, putting shells in both wings. The pressure in the port brake line droped to zero, but we wouldn't have to worry about that for quite a while, yet.
Back out over the North Sea, another German fighter announced its presence when shells thudded into us. There was no response by the tail guns, and Clarke didn't answer the intercom, so I feared the worst. I'd just gotten us away when another fighter popped up and knocked out Daily's guns. Dahlgren drove him off, and Daily, with nothing to do in his Mid-Upper turret, went back to check on Clarke. He was still alive, but unconcious, so Daily dragged him to the cot in the waist, and took over in the tail turret.
We were not subject to any further attacks, though, and I set us down safely, despite our damage. Clarke is expected to make it, although he has a long stay in hospital ahead of him.
Pilot Officer Kenneth Cahill
Pilot, Alcyone
October 25, 1943
97 Peckham Damage Points