Major Hawker

...Before I went to bed, I read my sons' letters again. The eleventh Englishman Manfred shot down was a Major Hawker, 26 years old. Prisoners said that he was the ‘English Immelmann’. He fought back desperately; Manfred writes verbatim: ‘I had the hardest fight with him that I have ever had.’ The fight raced through 3500 metres, in ever-tightening eddies. Unfortunately, Manfred's fighter squadron also lost two aircraft again, including their leader; eight aircraft in eight weeks. I hope that what Manfred wished me in his letter comes true: that this is my last war birthday!