I found the Biggin Hill Air Fair supplement in the News Shopper, August 10 to be most readable. However, I feel I must draw your attention to an error in its make-up!

In the article Spitfire Summer on page IV, paragraph two "... famous Battle of Britain - the first British victory of the Second World War." That final statement/accolade is grossly wrong.

The first British victory was achieved by the few' of the Royal Navy - three cruisers which had to patrol the vast south Atlantic in search of the German commence raider which had been sinking fat too many merchant ships.

On December 13, 1939, three cruisers, two British and one New Zealand: HMS Exeter (eight inch guns) and HMS Ajax and HMNZS Achilles (both six inch guns). Commodore Henry Harwood, in command of this small force, out-gunned by the German pocket battleship', lost no time in ordering his force to attack. The result of which was that the German ship took refuge in the neutral port of Montevideo, Uruguay. Alarmed by the threat to German prestige, should Captain Hans Langsdorff take his ship to sea to do battle with the British a second time, Hitler ordered that the Admiral Graf Spee be scuttled in the River Plate. December 17th, Graf Spee blown up in Plate estuary.

February 23, 1940: HM King George VI inspects and decorates the ships' companies of HMS Ajax and Exeter on Horseguards Parade. (HMNZS Achilles had already returned to New Zealand).

Honours and awards shared by all three ships:

One Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.

Three Companions of the Order of the Bath.

Six Distinguished Service Orders.

17 Distinguished Service Crosses.

Four Conspicuous Gallantry Medals.

45 Distinguished Service Medals.

Many more were mentioned in Despatches.

All awarded long before the Battle of Britain took place.

Gordon Charles Read, Orpington