ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 229136
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| Date: | Sunday 9 June 1940 |
| Time: | 16:35 |
| Type: |  Hawker Hurricane Mk 1 |
| Owner/operator: | 242 ("All Canadian") Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | P2767 |
| MSN: | LE-T |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Courtisols, 13 km (8 miles) east of Chalons-sur-Marne, Marne -
 France
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Chateaudun, France |
Hawker Hurricane Mk.I P2767 (LE-T) 242 (Canadian) Squadron, RAF: Written off (destroyed) when lost (Failed To Return) from combat operations over Rheims, France. Pilot killed. According to the official Air Ministry file into the incident (File AIR 81/839): "Hurricane P2767 crashed near Reims, France, 9 June 1940. Pilot Officer D G MacQueen: report of death.
Airborne from Chateaudun, France for a combat air patrol in the Rheims-Champagne area, providing air cover to the retreating French ground forces. Shot down three Bf 109s of 4/JG 52 in an air combat engagement, before being shot down himself in the area of Saint Julien, Courtisols by two Bf 109s, also of 4/JG 52. In turn, the two Bf 109s that shot down Donald MacQueen and Hurricane P2767 were then shot down by another 242 (Canadian) Squadron Hurricane piloted by Pilot Officer Stan Turner. "Final Score" in this engagement, therefore, was five Bf 109s shot down for the lost of one Hurricane
A rough translation from French into English of the history of Courtisols contains a reference to the crash of Hurricane P2767 and the death of its pilot (see link #6 for the original French text):
"CANADIAN KILLED JUNE 9, 1940
May 10, 1940, the armies of Hitler attack Belgium and France. While Panzers' divisions depress French and British armies, German bombing destroys many Allied airplanes, reinforcing the air superiority of the Luftwaffe: Stukas strive in particular on road convoys, railroads and even the long processions of refugees fleeing the fighting. But the German advance is inexorable and, despite desperate resistance, the city of Paris is threatened. In Champagne, the fighting is fierce.
It was during these fights that the Canadian Donald Garfield MACQUEEN was killed in Courtisols. As most of the inhabitants have fled the fighting zone, this episode is not well known and, despite our research, we still have not found any witnesses. However, thanks to some archival documents and especially to information provided to us by Mr. Arnaud Gillet, from Bétheniville, we can provide some information. Donald G Macqueen, Pilot Officer No. 42142, age 20, from Calgary, Canada, piloted Hurricane P2767. He belonged to the 242 Squadron of the Royal Air Force which, on 9 June 1940, was on a mission for the benefit of the French forces around Soissons and to the east. He was shot on the territory of Saint Julien around 16 hours, probably by Messerschmitt 109 of the 4/JG 52."
Crew of Hurricane P2767
Pilot Officer (Pilot) Donald Garfield MacQueen, RAF 42142 (Canadian), age 20, killed in action 09/06/1940, buried at Courtisols (St Memmie) Churchyard, Marne, France
The reported crash location of Courtisols is a commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France, 13 kilometres (8 miles) east of Chalons-sur-Marne, at approximate Coordinates: 48°59′11″N 4°31′39″E
Sources:
1. Royal Air Force Aircraft P1000-P9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1978)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/839: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14502645
3. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2346123/macqueen,-donald-garfield/
4. http://francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=75
5. http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/242_squadron.html#0906
6. http://www.courtisols.fr/page-histoire-bulletin/des-anglais-et-des-canadiens-morts-pour-la-liberte-dans-le-ciel-de-courtisols/
7. https://www.aerosteles.net/stelefr-courtisols-anglais
8. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?1343-Sgt-Jones-MIA-In-Hurricane-N2533-11-06-1940
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courtisols
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 19-Sep-2019 18:18 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 24-Sep-2019 12:12 | stehlik49 | Updated [Operator] |
| 13-Apr-2020 14:25 | INV | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
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