As part of the British contingent in France, No. 1 Squadron RAF was constantly on patrol with its Hurricanes. This was in the period known as the "Phony War" (due to a lack of action by either side) which followed the fall of Poland. On the 29th of March, No. 1 Squadron encountered German fighters for the first time. One its pilots, Paul Richey, sighted two Bf 109s as they passed close overhead. The Hurricanes pulled up to attack but the leader stalled and spun out. Richey then dodged a diving attack by one Bf 109 and got on its tail firing continuously as it dove away. The Messerschmitt pilot, Lt. Volk of JG 53, was wounded and managed to crash land his shot up fighter behind German lines. This became Richey's and No. 1 Squadron's first kill.
