THE HARDEST BATTLE  Hawker Hurricane I, P3975, "RF-U", 303. Polish squadron RAF, 9th September 1940, pilot Sgt. Josef Frantisek original painting - oil in canvas, 90x60 cm, signed by the author in personal collection Text is cuted out from an original COMBAT REPORT. " The enemy was escaped Southwards at great speed losing heightů When we arrived in sight of the Germans, swarms of Bf109´s dived from a great height to attack us. I saw one Bf109 going in to attack a Hurricane in front of me. I attacked its starboard beam, firing at 150/100 uds at the engine, which begane to burn. Ne tried to escape by climbing, and I saw him open the cockpit preparatory to jumping. I shot at the cockpit and the pilot collapsed. The e/a fell into flames to the ground. I then saw a Hurricane in flames and pilot jumped. A Spitfire came down to circle round the pilot. I went for e He 111, and two Bf109´s attacked me. I hid in a cloud at about 17,000 ft. For seven minutes – I played hide and seek with them in the clouds. During a right turn I came out of the cloud, and I saw in front of me, 10 yds away, also coming out of cloud, a He 111. I very nearly collided with it, and fired at the front of the fuselage at an angle of 45 degrees from above and behind. The front of the e/a fell to pieces with the cockpit and both engines in flames. I do not know if this e/a fell on the ground or in the sea, owingto the clouds. As I broke away one Bf109 attacked me from above, and another from below. I hid again in the clouds anf flew towards France to keep under cover. Over the Channel I climbed out of the cloud and was hit by four Bf shells, one in the front wing, one through the left tank which did not catch fire, and one through the radiator. It is only due to the armour plating behind me that this four shell did not kill me. Two Spitfires came to my rescue and shot down the BF 109 which was apparently the one which had hit me. I saw the damage which had been done, and was obliged to find a landing place as the engine temperature was mouting dangerously. On a little hill North East of Brighton, I found a field of cabbages and made an excellent landing. The Police came immediately – not only did they not made any difficulty, but they were very kind to me. They anchored Hurricane, shut off the Petrol and oxygen and left the plane guarded by a Policeman. They took me by car to Brighton and I returned to Northolt by train. …“

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