A Collection of Awards to the Royal Air Force Between the Wars (1919-1939), formed by Group Captain J E Barker
Wicks in disguise during ‘Escape of the Month’
Having no pass or identity card, he had many grades of questioners to satisfy before he could be cleared of suspicion. The French guards passed him through lieutenant to major, and up the scale to general. They all satisfied themselves sufficiently to allow him to be handed over to the British authorities in Dunkirk, who also placed him under arrest. In charge of a naval commander, he was brought to England by motor torpedo boat, was questioned both at Admiralty and Air Ministry, and was finally returned, for further use, to his squadron.’
Wicks returned to 56 Squadron at North Weald, and flew operationally throughout the Battle of Britain. He was slightly injured as a result of a flying accident over North Weald, 14 August 1940. Wicks was up in the air again two days later to claim a Messerschmitt Bf 110c destroyed, a feat he repeated when he claimed a Bf 109e destroyed 24 August 1940. The latter aircraft was shot down over the Thames Estuary, and an official photograph of the wrecked aircraft (held by the Imperial War Museum, and used as an illustration in F. K .Mason’s Battle Over Britain) exists.
Two days after his last victory, Wicks was shot down by a Bf 109 and forced to bale out over Canterbury. His Hurricane crashed in the River Stour near Grove Ferry, Upstreet, Kent. Wicks was promoted Flying Officer in September 1940, and Flight Lieutenant in September 1941. He was posted as Acting Squadron Leader to command 610 Squadron (Spitfires), Leconfield, in November 1941. Wicks then went on to command 64 Squadron (Spitfires) at Hornchurch, December 1941 - March 1942. The Squadron was engaged in sweeps over northern France.
By August 1942, Wicks had been posted to command 126 Squadron (Spitfires) at Luqa in Malta. He was one of 28 pilots to successfully fly their Spitfires off H.M.S. Eagle to land on Malta, 21 July 1942. The Squadron’s Spitfires helped preserve Malta’s defences, and enabled it to continue to act as an offensive base interrupting enemy supply lines between Italy and Libya. The fighting was intense with Wicks and his pilots constantly in action. He shared in the destruction of a Ju88, 13 August 1942, as a convoy of ships (including the damaged tanker Ohio) were under attack on the approach to Malta:
‘At 1800 four Spitfires of 126 Squadron patrolled over the convoy at 9,000 feet, when three Ju88’s of LG 1 were seen about three miles away, commencing their dives from out of the sun. Sqn. Ldr. Wicks (AB465) immediately endeavoured to intercept but by the time he arrived the first had released its bombs and disappeared. The second failed to drop any bombs and climbed away but Wicks engaged the third - L1+BL flown by Uffz. Gerhard Böhr - as it dived on Ohio:
‘I closed with it expending all my ammunition, opening fire at 200 yards, closing to 100 yards. I saw strikes on the starboard mainplane, and a piece dropped off. I then broke away. Red 3, who then attacked the Ju88 states that as I broke away, the starboard engine of the Ju88 started to smoke.’ (Malta: The Spitfire Year 1942, by C. Shores, B. Cull and N. Malizia refers)
Wicks suffered damaged to his own aircraft during combat, 17 September 1942:
‘Sqn. Ldr. Wicks led his eight aircraft after an estimated 15 Bf109’s seen over Zonqor, but a further eight were then seen below at about 18,000 feet, and these were engaged about 20 miles north-east of Grand Harbour. Plt. Off. W. L. Thompson reported shooting one down, while Sqn. Ldr. Wicks’ aircraft was slightly damaged.’ (Ibid)
Wicks claimed his final victory, 11 October 1942, when he destroyed a Macchi over Malta. The following day was one of major raids, and five were experienced between dawn and dusk. Wicks was killed whilst trying to repel the first raid:
‘Meanwhile, surviving Ju88’s of the second wave swept in to bomb Hal Far, where one Spitfire was burnt out. One more Spitfire and two Hurricanes were slightly damaged. This formation had already suffered heavily from attacks by six of 126 Squadron north of Grand Harbour - one Ju88 had been hit and had turned for Sicily, while four were claimed shot down. Escorting 51 Stormo Macchi pilots reported seeing many parachutes over the target, and one Italian pilot claimed a Spitfire damaged, but their attacks did not appear to deter the Spitfires from going for the bombers. However, Sqn. Ldr Bryan Wicks - the CO in BR377 - failed to return....
Rolls [Flight Lieutenant]:
‘I had reached the outside of the melee when I saw a Spitfire going down. I flew up to it and saw it was my CO [Wicks]. He was injured by the looks of it. I watched him bale out and saw his chute open... After what seemed ages he hit the water and his Mae West was supporting him, but there was no sign of life. I circled him but got no response... I gave five fixes but was attacked by Re2001s from 2,000 feet. I called up the HSL, and directed it to the parachute in the waters.’ (Ibid)
Despite Rolls providing fixes, the subsequent High Speed Launch search was unable to locate Squadron Leader Wicks. He was just 22 years old, and with no known grave is commemorated on the Commonwealth Air Forces Memorial at Floriana, Malta.
Sold with a file of copied research, including photographic images of the recipient.
www.dnw.co.uk
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