WAR TROPHY - German Swastika insignia cut from the tail of a Focke-Wulf FW-190 German fighter plane. Colin Stevens on his website said that the trophy was formerly located in Case 6A Upper of the old museum at the Seaforth Armoury in 2008. This aircraft was shot down at Eastbourne, in Southern England on 26 August 1942 by Private Emerson G. "Soapy" Johnstone. He was on anti-aircraft duty on top of a factory and he used a Bren Light Machinegun. He was credited with the kill. The aircraft was one of two that dropped bombs in the area. This one was hit, zoomed directly up in the air, flipped over and crashed just east of the gas plant. The Seaforth Museum has a photo of Sergeant F. H. Whiting standing in a rail yard holding two swastikas cut from this aircraft. The piece that we have is the one whose back is showing. Note that the swastikas are from the tail and not the wings as stated in the history. The German Luftwaffe has swastikas on the tails and there is a tail access panel on our piece. Dr. Roy describes the incident in the regimental history on pages 130-131. There is also a newspaper clipping "German 'Lands' in England - in a ditch" and shows the tail of the crashed plane. Another account found by Colin Stevens is an officer's memory of walking over to the wreck, seeing the pilot's arm and pulling on it - and the arm was no longer attached to the body. Library and Archives Canada have photos of the wreck. K52173 Private E. G. "Soapy" Johnstone remained with the Seaforths for almost the whole war, being transferred from the Regiment on 5 March 1945. Sergeant (later Lieutenant) F. H. Whiting was later killed in action on 23 May, 1944 while commanding No. 13 Platoon, D Company in Italy at the Hitler Line.