ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 15329
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| Date: | Wednesday 8 November 1939 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  Hawker Hurricane Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | 73 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | L1959 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | Esch-sur-Alzette -
 Luxembourg
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Rouvres, France |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Hawker Hurricane Mk.1 L1959, 73 Squadron, RAF. Substantailly damaged 8 November 1939 when force landed after pilot blacked out, at Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg. Pilot - Pilot Officer Richard Frewen Martin - not reported as injured. Aircraft and pilot interned. Martin died in 2006; According to his obituary:
"Within weeks of completing his training in August 1939, Martin was flying Hurricanes with No 73, one of two RAF fighter squadrons rushed to France a few days after war was declared. In what became known as the "phoney war", he flew patrols to intercept lone bombers and reconnaissance aircraft.
On November 8 [1939] he was scrambled to intercept a high-flying bomber, but his oxygen system failed and he fainted at 21,000 ft. He recovered just in time to make a forced landing at an airfield in neutral Luxembourg, where he was interned. He was allowed out every day for exercise, and one foggy morning gradually widened his normal circuit before disappearing into the mist. When he returned on Boxing Day [December 26 1939] to his squadron, he was called the "Prisoner of Luxembourg".
As stated above, he was "Home for Christmas" (or, at least, the day after) and on 5 November 1940, Flying Officer Richard Frewen Martin (Service Number 33439) of No. 73 Squadron RAF was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
Sources:
1. James J. Halley, Air-Britain, Royal Air Force Aircraft L1000-N9999
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/42: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14142125
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Frewen_Martin
4. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1529476/Wing-Commander-Dickie-Martin.html
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esch-sur-Alzette
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 06-Mar-2008 14:19 | JINX | Added |
| 03-Jan-2012 14:19 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Narrative] |
| 04-Aug-2013 07:08 | JINX | Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative] |
| 01-May-2015 14:17 | Quentin | Updated [Operator] |
| 23-Apr-2019 23:03 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Phase, Source, Narrative] |
| 03-Jun-2019 22:54 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Date, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 04-Jun-2019 04:16 | stehlik49 | Updated [Operator] |
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