We definitely got the best of the gunnery duel and with three Huns confirmed and a fourth probable on the way to the target we were in high spirits despite the length of the trip. Halfway to Moscow!
Over the target we had a brief tussle with a 109 but the flak left us alone and we were clear and on our way home before we ran into serious trouble. A surprise attack from a shragemusik nightfighter tore the forward part of the fuselage up badly and though Stafford and I escaped injury a cannon shell hit Gittings just above the knee.
We tried to stop the bleeding once we had shaken off our pursuer but after three gun runs and a great deal of jinxing and throwing her about he had just lost too much blood and died of shock and blood loss.
Macallister's composure slips as he tries to indicate a 40% bomb run and he turns away, shoulders shaking.