109 and shot it down over the English Channel. A second was also destroyed, Deere having pursued it inland of the French coast. Heading back to England, he encountered five Bf 109s which attempted to block his flight path. Despite repeated attacks by the Bf 109s, he was able to make the English coast although his Spitfire was badly damaged with its engine on fire. He bailed out at low altitude and, as he exited the cockpit, struck the tailplane and injured his wrist. Initially taken to RAF Kenley, at which time he discovered his watch had been damaged by a German bullet, he was admitted to Victoria Hospital for treatment. He discharged himself the following day and was back on operations on 17 August. A few days later Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister, paid tribute to the fighter pilots of the RAF in the House of Commons, making his famous "The Few" speech; to a fellow pilot, Deere wryly noted "...he can say that again. There aren't many of us left". Deere was shot down again on 28 August, this time by a Spitfire in an incidence of friendly fire, but parachuted to safety. He had earlier scored hits on a pair of Bf 109s but, not being able to see either one crash, only claimed one probable. He later conceded that the "strain had almost reached breaking point". His abandoned Spitfire crashed at Boreham, in Essex; its engine and other remnants were recovered in 1973. On 30 August, a quieter day for the squadron with only two patrols, he engaged a Do 17 but was not able to confirm its destruction, and claimed it as a probable. On 31 August the Luftwaffe raided Hornchurch, which had been caught unawares. No. 54 Squadron was scrambled, Deere leading a section of three Spitfires as they taxied down the runway. The German bombers in the meantime released their ordnance onto the runway. All three aeroplanes of Deere's section were destroyed and his Spitfire was blown on its back, trapping him. With injuries to his scalp, he was extracted by another pilot of his section. Deere was instructed to rest for three days, but disregarded this and started flying again on 2 September. He only had two more days of operations before the squadron moved back to Catterick for yet another period of rest and recovery. Its withdrawal was well overdue