Between January and April 1940 numerous Scarborough fishing boats (or boats crewed by Scarborough men) were attacked by the Luftwaffe:
Persian Empire, Aucuba, Cardew, Courage, Hilda, Mary Joy, Riby, Our Maggie, Emulator, Crystal, B.S. Colling, Silver Line, Hyperion.
Silver Line
The most famous incident involved the Scarborough-based drifter Silver Line. On 3rd April 1940 it was fishing off the Yorkshire coast when the crew witnessed a dogfight between a Heinkel medium bomber and an R.A.F. Spitfire. The crew of Silver Line joined in with their recently fitted Lewis gun, hitting the bomber with at least ten strikes and wounding the pilot in the leg. The Heinkel ditched in the sea.
The crew of Silver Line picked up the five German airmen, one of whom was already in the sea. The Germans were promised that they would be well treated. When the vessel returned to port in Scarborough, the injured pilot was taken to hospital and the remainder were handed over to the police.
