Ernest Scott

222 Squadron was formed on 5th October 1939 and was based at RAF Duxford. They initially flew Bristol Blenheims for shipping protection patrols but in March 1940 they were equipped with Supermarine Spitfires and became a day fighter unit protecting London and the South East of England. They took part in the Battle of Britain (10/7/1940-31/10/1940) and from 15th September 1940 they were stationed at RAF Hornchurch, Essex as part of No 11 Group.

Battle of Britain 1940.com:
Weather: Fair in extreme south and south-west. Cloudy over the Channel with light rain over southern England.
First sign of German activity appeared on the operations table as the 08:00 watch took over.
Bf 110s (Messerschmitt fighter/bomber) escorted by Bf109s (Messerschmitt fighter) dropping their bombs indiscriminately on the outskirts of London. A further raid of Do17s (Dornier bomber) and Ju88s (Junkers bomber) were intercepted by No 11 Group over the coast by a powerful assembly of Spitfires and Hurricanes which broke up the tidy German formation and compelled them to jettison their bombs.
At 11:30 a further German raid began, split into two, one of 80 aircraft headed to Bristol and the other of 300 aircraft to London. The majority of the London raiders got no further than the middle of Kent where they were so severly mauled that they retreated in confusion. Some reached the outskirts of London, only 20 got through to the centre.
excerpt from The Narrow Margin; Derek Wood & Derek Dempster.

55 German planes were reported missing
28 Allied planes lost, mainly coming down on land, with the loss of 20 lives.
Sgt E Scott 222 sqd reported missing, failed to return from sortie in the afternoon.
Flying: Spitfire Mark 1: P9364.

See Tonbridge Battle of Britain Museum website:
Sgt Ernest Scott of Mansfield was a pre war regular airman of 222 sqd
3/9/1940: claimed a Dornier Do 17 and a Messerscmitt Me 109 destroyed.
5/9/1940: claimed a Messerscmitt Bf 110 and a probable Bf 109.
7/9/1940: claimed a Bf 110.
11/9/1940: claimed an Heinkle He 111 which he forced to land behind the Old Barn Hildenborough. (this was later put on display to raise money for the Spitfire Fund.)
On the morning of the 27th September he claimed a Bf109 destroyed but failed to return from an operational sortie in the afternoon, he was reported missing. His Spitfire P9364 crashed at Greenway Court, Hollingbourne, shot down by Major Molders of JG51.
It was only in 1990 when Ernest's family was traced and permission sought to excavate the Spitfire. The farmer had been asked several times before but always denied access. Albert, Ernest's brother was contacted he said his mother, who had died in 1971, had been told that Ernest had been lost over The Wash, despite Kent Police reports at the time clearly showing that Ernest's plane had crashed laned at Greenway Court. When Albert approached the farmer, showing him a photograph of Ernest he agreed to the excavation but when they arrived to start digging he again refused access. It took a letter to Prince Charles before they could eventually gain access to the field. In November 1990 a RAF Recovery team successfully evacuated the site and recovered Ernest's body. He was interred in Margate cemetery in January 1991. Members of his squadron attended including his "rigger" the man who strapped him into the cockpit that last time, the last man to see Ernest alive.