Ritchie, Blyth

Lieutenant Blyth "Jock" Ritchie


*? Cambuslang, Scotland
+ 12. 07. 1944, HMS Heron (RNAS Yeovilton), plane crash


Before the war, Ritchie attended Dollar Academy and joined the British Navy's Voluntary Reserve (RNVR) shortly after the outbreak of fighting. He underwent pilot training and became an on-board fighter.


In June 1942, she returned to Britain from the Indian Ocean 800. squadron FAA and underwent rearmament to Sea Hurricany Mk.IB. At that time already Sub. Lt. Ritchie was a member of it, the sources are silent about when exactly that happened. He then conquered all his successes in her ranks.


Ritchie's first victory came on August 12, 1942 during Operation Padestal. It was to cover a convoy to transport supplies for the defenders of the island of Malta. The WS-21S convoy sailed from Scotland on August 3 and sailed through the Strait of Gibraltar on the tenth, where it was joined by the rest of the escort, including four aircraft carriers HMS Victorious, Indomitable, Eagle and Fourious. There were also 75 fighters on board.


The first air battles for the convoy occurred on the eleventh, but the greatest damage was caused by the submarine U 73, which sank the Eagle carrier. But Ritchie was not successful until the next day.


The pilots of the squadron came into contact with the enemy that morning, Ritchie did not come until the evening. Around 6:45 p.m., a group of Junkers Ju 87 D from I./StG 3 approached Indomitable, where the "octopus" was located, and attacked the carrier without hesitation, opposed by both fighters already in the air and a pair of Ritchies and Lt. Fiddes, pilot 880th Squadron, which took off for alarm. Fiddes then managed to shoot down another Junkers, but was subsequently hit by his own anti-aircraft artillery, and the lone Ritchie did not do badly. she sent one of them into the sea with the rest of the bullets.


The German I./StG 3 lost S7 + HL and CG + SK aircraft during the attack, but it managed to hit, damage and eliminate Indomitable from combat. However, the ship continued with an inclination of 8 ° with the convoy.


On the evening of the same day, the aircraft carriers and most of the escorts separated from the merchant ships and left the responsibility for their protection to the aircraft from Malta, where five of them eventually arrived, including the tanker. FAA fighters shot down 39 aircraft during Operation Padestal for sure and damaged many others.


Ritchie scored another victory on November 8, 1942 during Operation Torch. His 800th Squadron, from the deck of the discount aircraft carrier HMS Biter, participated in the landing in Oran.


Eight Albacorů took off from the decks of British aircraft carriers around 6.00 [url = http : //forum.valka.cz] 822. squadrons[/url] that were to attack La Senia Airport. They were protected by six 800th Sea Hurricanes and the same number of aircraft from the 804th Squadron. After about 45 minutes, the formation arrived above the target, where, however, they were already waiting for the French fighters D.520 from GC III/3. Their attack and flak fire shot down four attacking Albacora, three others were damaged. Then, however, the Sea Hurricanes of the 800th Squadron rushed to their aid, and the pilots announced the shooting down of five Dewoitins, one of which was credited to Ritchie's account.


However, the French lost only two (according to other sources by 4) fighters.


Ritchie then had to wait almost two years for another victory. Meanwhile, his squadron underwent several changes. From July 1943, she was the first at the FAA to start upgrading to new fighters at Eglington Airport Gannet/Hellcat Mk.I, but together with them he still used Sea Hurricany until November Mk.II.In October 1943, together with the equally equipped 804. Squadron and two units of Wildcats, formed the 7th Naval Fighter Wing and in December moved aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Emperor.


The wing then participated in operations against shipping off the Norwegian coast and several attacks against the battleship Tirpitz.


On May 8, 1944, Operation "Hoops" took place, during which FAA aircraft attacked a German convoy near Kristiansund. The opponents of the British, however, this time was not only anti-aircraft artillery but also German fighters. During their return, a formation of Hellcats and Barracud was attacked about seven miles from the island of Smolen by a group of Bf 109 and one Fw 190. The Germans took advantage of the moment of surprise and shot down the Hellcat Mk.I JV107, whose pilot Sub. Lt. Thomas died. After that, however, FAA fighters began to determine the course of the encounter. Ritchie announced the destruction of the Fw 190 and achieved the first victory of the type in British colors and at the same time the only one against this dangerous opponent. Sub. Lt. Devitt and the New Zealand duo Sub. Lt. Hoare a Sub. Lt. The Scanes then destroyed two Messerschmitts.


The German 10./JG 5 actually lost two Bf 109 G-2 serial numbers 14697 and 10347, whose pilots Oblt. Kurt Otto and Uffz. Ernst Brettin disappeared without a trace. Lt. Prenzler and Uffz. However, Hallstick announced the shooting down of three Hellcats.


Ritchie's last victory came six days later during Operation Pitchbowl. This time, at Rorvik, the Hellcats encountered five He 115 floats about to land and did a short trial with them. Ritchie shot down one Heinkel himself and the other along with the most successful FAA fighter Lt. Cdr. Orrem, damaged two other aircraft on the surface. German 1./Kü.Fl.Gr. 406 lost all five He 115 aircraft (W.Nr. 2738, K6 + GH; W.Nr. 1879 K6 + HH; W.Nr.2085, K6 + IH, W.Nr.1867, K6 + MH and W. No. 2721, K6 + OH). This encounter was also the last between the Hellcats and Luftwaffe aircraft.


For his achievements, Ritchie was awarded the DSC in May and the following month he received a bar. He was also sent to the operational training 759th Squadron, but already on July 12, 1944, he died, along with three other pilots, in a plane crash in Yeovilton. He was only 22 years old…


Sources:
Shores C. - Williams C .: Aces High, Grub Street, London 1994
Shores C .: Aces High, volume 2, Grub Street, London 1999
Thomas A .: Royal Navy Aces of WW2, Osprey pub., Oxford 2007
Šnajdr M .: On-Board Fighters of His Majesty/2, Votobia, Olomouc 1997
Šnajdr M .: Onboard Fighters of His Majesty/3, Jota, Brno 2003
http://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1944-07JUL.htm
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Ritchie-Blyth-t69896#246034 Version : 0
B. Ritchie Victory


Date
Unit
Airplane Type
Location
Enemy
8/12/1942
800. squadron
Sea Hurricane Mk.IB V7416
J Sardinia
2 1/2 Ju 87 D zn.
11/8/1942
800. squadron
Sea Hurricane Mk.IIC
Oran - La Senia
D.520
8.5.1944
800. squadron
Hellcat Mk.I JV132
SW of Smolen Island
Fw 190 marks
14.5.1944
800. squadron
Hellcat Mk.I JV132
Rorvik
1 1/2 He 115 marks




1 1/2 He 115 pš. on the water



Total: 5 + 2-0-0, 0-0-1 + 1 aircraft pš. on the water
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Ritchie-Blyth-t69896#246035 Version : 0
Discussion post Fact post
Attachments

Join us

We believe that there are people with different interests and experiences who could contribute their knowledge and ideas. If you love military history and have experience in historical research, writing articles, editing text, moderating, creating images, graphics or videos, or simply have a desire to contribute to our unique system, you can join us and help us create content that will be interesting and beneficial to other readers.

Find out more