William Burley Higgins

Enlisted in the RAF VR in August 1938 as an airman (under training) pilot. His initially training was at No 27 Elementary & Reserve Flying Training at Tollerton Airfield near Nottingham. He was called up on 1st September 1939 and completed his training at No5 Flying Training School at Sealand, near Chester, between 11th December 1939 and 10th June 1940.
He joined No32 Sqdn at Biggin Hill and his first operational sortie was on the 3rd July 1940 and claimed his first German aircraft a DO17 (a Dornier 17 a light bomber). When 32 Sqdn left he chose to move to 253 Sgqn at Kenley, taking up his post on the 9th September.
His first sortie was on the 11th of September at 3:15 pm and the squadron made a successful interception with William claiming the downing of a Messerschmitt 109 and damage to a Messerschmitt 110.
On the 14th his squadron sent up 8 Hurricanes to patrol around Tenterden, Kent but were then directed to intercept German bombers reported to be have seen over Maidstone. However they came across a formation of Messerschmitt 109s over Faversham and engaged them. They engaged in a dog fight in which one of the Messerschmitts was shot down but Sgt Burns was shot down suffering severe burns and Sgt Higgins was killed when his plane crashed in flames at Swanton Farm, Bredgar. A witness who pulled William from the wreckage stated in a letter to William's girlfriend that he belived the pilot had died before the plane had crashed.
(Kenley Revival website)

Virginia Woolfe, the novelist who lived at Sissinghurst Castle, Kent records in her diary witnessing the dog fight on the 11th September.
Two of William's brothers served with the RAF.
Michael Edward died after the war when the commercial Dakota he was piloting from Derby to Perpignon in the South of France hit a mountain in poor weather. All 34 passengers and crew were killed in the crash.
James Stewart was a sergeant pilot and flew Blenheims with 40 sqdn. He took part in sorties over France and Belguim during the German advance into France and the Battle of the Barges. The Battle of the Barges was the bombing of the German ships gathering in the Channel as part of Operation Sealion (the invasion of Britain). After the war he took part in the Berlin Air lift and became an instrustor in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). When he retired he had reached the rank of Wing Commander and had been awarded the DFC (Distinquished Flying Cross) and AFC (Air Force Cross) with Bar.

Brunts Book of Remembrance:
Higgins W B Sgt/pilot RAF Killed in Action.