He arrived somehow at the aerodrome, called up for permission to crash- land and went straight in at Cecina. Meanwhile, at Rossignano, the place where his number two had laid on the crash party, fire tenders and ambulances were rushing up and down the runway waiting for the Spitfire. But Flight Lieutenant Scott, in no mood to pick his field, landed with wheels up on the first one which he sighted. The duty pilot at Cecina was amazed when a Spitfire sailed in and belly landed on his runway but insult was added to injury when an airman came up to our much relieved pilot and said “Do you know your wheels are up, Sir?”.
A sad note touched the Squadron towards the end of the month when Squadron Leader Bezencenet, who had been flying as weaver during a tactical reconnaissance sortie, told his number one to land and he then returned over the enemy area, it was thought, to 
strafe a train which had been seen. He did not return and no news was heard of his fate. At the end of the month the Squadron moved to Peretola airfield, Florence, where it was joined by 225 Squadron. 225 had just left France where they had been taking part in the invasion of the South of France, “the Champagne Campaign”. Both Squadrons operated under 22nd American Tactical Air Command now supporting 5th Army on the west coast. The Squadron was greatly cheered by the news that Squadron Leader Bezencenet, who had been missing for over a week, had escaped from enemy territory though he was in hospital wounded, having been shot at when entering our lines.
The same day however, heralded the arrival of 324 Wing from the South of France. They didn’t turn up until last light which caught the Squadron on the wrong foot as there was no flarepath available. Two of the Squadrons landed safely, meanwhile the MT Section quickly organised an emergency flarepath for the remaining two squadrons by lining up lorries and jeeps with their lights on the runway. The first few aircraft made nice landings then one came in a little off the runway and ran its wing along the line of MT writing off a jeep, a three-tonner and itself. The fire crew and medical staff were quickly one the scene and together got the pilot out of danger, and the fire under control. Meanwhile two more aircraft had landed safely and a third was on its way in. The latter however crashed into the first one scattering firecrew like chaff and immediately after it another arrived hitting the two aircraft already wrecked and itself crashing on its back in the middle of the runway.
