Date:	Thursday 13 June 1940
Time:	day
Type:	Fairey Battle Mk I
Owner/operator:	142 Sqn RAF
Registration:	L5474?
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	North of Dreux, Eure-et-Loir 28 -   France
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Villiersfaux, France
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Fairey Battle Mk.I (serial unknown - possibly L5474) 142 Squadron, RAF: Written off (presumed destroyed) when lost (Failed To Return) from combat operations over Northern France. All three crew survived, but one was taken as a PoW. According to the official Air Ministry file into the incident (File AIR 81/948): "Leading Aircraftman R J Utteridge: prisoner of war; aircraft crashed north of Dreux, France, 12 June 1940"

Airborne from Villiersfaux. Tasked with attacking enemy Panzer tank columns in the area of Forêt de Gault. Shot up by Bf 109s and after the Observer baled out, as ordered, the pilot crash-landed in a field, North of Dreux and South of Rouen (Seine-Maritime), France. Flight Lt Hewson and Sgt Kitto made their way to Allied Lines, but LAC Utteridge was later reported to have been captured and interned in PoW Camps L1/L6/357, as PoW No.741. Awarded the DFM (Gazetted 16 August 1940).

Crew of Fairey Battle
Flight Lt John Minchin Hewson (pilot) - survived, evaded capture, returned to unit 15/06/1940
Sgt R.V.T. Kitto DFM (Observer) - bailed out, evaded capture, returned to unit 15/06/1940
LAC R.J. Utteridge DFM (Wireless Op/Air Gunner) RAF 536916; wounded in action, survived, captured, and taken as a PoW

On July 20, 2006 the medals awarded to LAC Utteridge were put up for auction; the auctioneers catalogue contained a biography of LAC Utteridge, and the part for 12 June 1940 was as follows

"D.F.M. London Gazette 16.8.1940 (536916) Leading Aircraftman Robert James Utteridge, No. 142 Squadron, The Recommendation states, 'Whilst acting as Air Gunner on a bombing raid on 13th June, 1940, with Flt. Lt. Hewson as pilot, he shot down one Me. 109, one Me. 110 and disabled a second Me. 109. But for this airman's skill and courage, it is probable that the aircraft would have been shot down before being able to reach the cover of the clouds.Throughout his service with the squadron, this airman has maintained a very high standard of efficiency, both in air gunnery and as W/T operator.'

The pilot of this Fairey Battle, Flt Lt J M Hewson, evaded capture, and returned to England. A biography of Flt Lt Hewson for this period reads as follows

"Hewson led a section of three Battles to attack German troops near Rouen on 13th June 1940. On the way home they were jumped by German fighters. Hewson's aircraft was set on fire. He ordered his wireless operator to bale out and because the gunner was wounded and unable to leave the aircraft, Hewson stayed on and made a successful forced-landing. He reached his aerodrome and two days later returned to England with the remnants of 142 Squadron. For the action on the 13th, he was awarded the DFC (gazetted 6th August 1940)."

The Observer, Sgt R.V.T. Kitto, DFM, who had baled out as instructed by Flt Lt J M Hewson evaded capture. Kitto’s DFM may also have been awarded on account of his actions on the day. Probably awarded arising from Flt Lt Hewson’s debriefing. At the time No. 142 Squadron was operating out of Villiersfaux and No 150 Squadron was located next door on the Houssay airfield, a location just west of Orleans which must have been “fall back” bases in face of the German thrust south-west over the Seine.

Since no Serial Number is recorded, due, undoubtedly to the chaotic conditions that prevailed during the Fall of France, it is not possible to be 100% accurate about the identity of this aircraft, or the other two 142 Squadron Fairey Battles that were lost on this day. Any records that were created - presuming that they were created in the first place - were destroyed when the squadron evacuated from France back to England

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft L1000-L9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1978)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/948: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14502580
3. The Battle File (Sidney Shail, Air Britain, 1997)
4. http://francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=6234
5. http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/142_squadron.html
6. https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/an-outstanding-1940-battle-of-france-d-f-m-gro-149-c-iye7h39uge
7. http://www.aviationarchaeology.org.uk/marg/men_of_142.htm
8. http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Hewson.htm
9. https://wallyswar.wordpress.com/other-pows/
10. LAC Utteridge's Personal Papers: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/accessions/2008/08returns/08ac67.htm .

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
07-Aug-2008 10:17	Anon.	Added
31-Jan-2012 01:28	Nepa	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport]
29-Sep-2019 23:21	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Date, Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative]
29-Sep-2019 23:29	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Source, Narrative]
29-Sep-2019 23:30	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
29-Sep-2019 23:31	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]
29-Sep-2019 23:33	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
30-Sep-2019 15:47	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
02-Oct-2019 09:17	stehlik49	Updated [Operator]