28. Short-Lived Triumph
Captain Partridge’s and Lieutenant Bostock’s joy over shooting down the German bomber was short-lived. Shortly after downing the He 111, Partridge discovered that his own airplane had sustained damage, probably from the Germans’ return fire, and his engine began to act up. Before long, he lost all power as his engine quit on him altogether, and Partridge’s Skua became overweight and unwieldy glider.
With great difficulty and considerable skill, Partridge managed to escape death by gliding down to a bumpy landing on a frozen lake, not far from where the Heinkel had crashed. Partridge’s plane was totaled, but he and Bostock survived: a few minor bumps and bruises aside, neither airman had sustained any serious injuries. They were alive, but unless they figured out how to escape the deadly cold, they would not stay alive for long.