Bidspirit auction | REYNELL RICHARD CAREW: (1912-1940) Signed

REYNELL RICHARD CAREW: (1912-1940) Signed the day before his tragic death in the Battle of Britain - REYNELL RICHARD CAREW: (1912-1940) Australian fighter pilot of World War II who participated in the Battle of Britain and was also a test pilot for the Hawker Aircraft Company, becoming particularly involved in evaluating the Hawker Hurricane. A rare D.S., R C Reynell , originally one page, 4to (today neatly separated into three pieces), n.p. (RAF Tangmere, West Sussex), 6th September 1940. The partially printed document, completed in pencil by Reynell, is a Combat Report (Form ”F”, marked Secret ) providing details of the pilot's aerial engagement with a Junkers 88 over Dungeness, the General Report stating, in part, ´....I saw one Ju88 flying behind the main formation diving down with a Hurricane in pursuit. This turned out to be Red one.....losing height rapidly. After the second attack.....Red 1 turned away. I continued to attack the bomber which slowed up and commenced turning with a thin trail of black smoke coming from it. I finished my ammunition & before turning back saw numerous bullet holes in the fuselage of the bomber which appeared to be badly damaged. I was then closely engaged by 3 or 4 Me 109´s, which had been attempting to engage me during the latter part of my attack, & was unable to see if the bomber crashed or not. I returned to base & found that only six guns had fired owing to bullets which had penetrated the wing.....My aircraft was hit at long range by one of the Me 109´s which had been attempting to attack me whilst I was engaging the bomber´ . Autographs of Reynell are rare in any form due to his tragic death at the age of 28, when he was killed during the opening raid of the London Blitz; his Hawker Hurricane was shot down in a fierce dogfight over South London, causing him to fall to his death over Blackheath after his parachute failed to open. Some light age wear and one small file hole to the upper left corner, G