76 years ago today, “Terry” Webster, one of the leading aces of No 41 Squadron during the Battle of Britain, was killed in action.
Born in Liverpool in 1916, John Terrance Webster joined the Royal Air Force in 1935. After training, he served with No 17, No 29 and No 80 Squadron before joining No 41 Squadron in April 1938. His first victory, a probable, was achieved against a He 115 floatplane on 17 December 1939. Webster quickly became a proficient fighter pilot, defeating and wounding the famous German ace Werner Mölders in air combat on 28 June 1940. On 5 September 1940, he scored two aerial victories, bringing his total to nine confirmed aerial victories, but was involved in a mid-air collision with S/L Hood which claimed the lives of both pilots.