Artist captures World War Two air battle over Flamborough and Bridlington with two new paintings

Denis Harry Fox, from Durham City, has been working on a series of paintings connected with the events that took place on August 15, 1940 during the Battle of Britain sometimes known as ‘Black Thursday’.

Two of the images are connected with an air battle over Flamborough Head and off the coast at Bridlington which took place in the early afternoon of the dramatic day.

The first image entitled ‘Shock and Awe’ shows Sir Hugh Dundas of 616 Squadron in his spitfire at 20 years of age, a confident brave squadron leader, about to attack a formation of German Ju 88s approaching the coast south of Flamborough Head on 15 August 1940.

He went on to describe his first experience at confronting such a huge formation of German aircraft as exhilarating.

The second image called ‘Courage under Fire’ and shows an RAF Blenheim fighter bomber over Bridlington heading for Driffield airfield in the early afternoon.

The true story behind this painting is quite remarkable.

The aircraft with pilot Sergeant Oswald Dupee and air gunner Sergeant Thomas Banister from 219 Squadron attacked a formation of German Ju 88 fighter bombers heading for Driffield airfield and the dockland area of Hull.

One of the enemy aircraft appeared to be ‘playing dead’ and as the Blenheim approached the German machine gunner opened up on the cockpit area badly wounding the pilot who was unable to control the aircraft.

The air gunner managed to crawl from his position to the cockpit, take hold of the controls. Both airmen later were awarded the DFM for their brave actions.

Mr Fox said: “At the present moment I have completed 10 paintings and each one tells a remarkable story of heroism beyond the call of duty.

“I have spent a considerable amount of time in planning how my paintings would develop according to information gained through secondary resource material, newspaper archives, RAF squadron documentation, visits to aircraft museums and eye witness statements.

“Saturday, August 15 2020 marks the 80th Anniversary of this famous air battle fought in the skies over North-East England and what is remarkable not many people are aware of what actually happened and the consequences that followed.

“Since the coronavirus lockdown I have had two exhibitions of my work cancelled and I am hoping that some of my work will be displayed in Durham Cathedral either this month or the next month.”