Date:	Saturday 11 May 1940
Time:
Type:	Fairey Battle Mk I
Owner/operator:	218 Sqn RAF
Registration:	P2326
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	near Saint Vith, Liège -   Belgium
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Auberive-sur-Suippes, France
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Fairey Battle Mk.1 P2326 (HA-X) of 281 Squadron, RAF: Lost on combat operations - officially described as "Battle P2326 crashed near Amelscheid, Germany, 11 May 1940". Airborne 09:30 hrs Auberieve-sur-Suippes. Hit by ground fire and abandoned in the target area at St. Vith. One of four Fairey Battles of 218 Squadron, RAF (P2326, P2203, P2249 and K9325) that were all lost in the same operation in the area of St. Vith on this date.

Took off to attack enemy columns at St-Vith. It is doubtful whether one of them succeeded in causing damage to the enemy column. The only crew that returned, their Battle was badly damaged by Flak on the way there, saw three Battles being knocked down by heavy Flak on the way to the target above the Ardennes. Seven aircraft were lost in total. Of the three crew of Battle P2326, one was killed, and two survived to be captured and taken as PoWs

Crew of Battle P2326:
Flying Officer C.A.R. Crews (Pilot); captured and taken as PoW
Sgt T.S. Evans (Wireless Op/Air Gunner); captured and taken as PoW
Sergeant (Observer) Cedric M. Jennings, RAF 580427, age 20, killed in action 11/05/1940, Heverlee War Cemetery, Belgium

Flying Officer Crews was repatriated in September 1944. Flying Officer C.A.R.Crews (also spelled Crewes) was interned in Camp L1, probably injured, no PoW No known

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft P1000-P9999 (James J. Halley, Air Britain, 1978 p 13
2. The Battle File (Sidney Shail, Air Britain, 1997 p 137)
3. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/245: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14142070
4. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2777627/jennings,-cedric-maurice/
5. http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=10342
6. https://218squadron.wordpress.com/fairey-battles/

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
18-Jun-2019 22:32	Dr. John Smith	Added
21-Jun-2019 10:47	stehlik49	Updated [Operator]
05-Nov-2022 14:24	Ron Averes	Updated [Location]