Date:	Thursday 13 June 1940
Time:	19:15
Type:	Fairey Battle Mk I
Owner/operator:	12 Sqn RAF
Registration:	L5580
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	near Chateau de la Noue, North of Sézanne, Marne -   France
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Sougé, France
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Fairey Battle Mk.I L5580 (PH-X) 12 Squadron, RAF: Written off (destroyed) when lost (Failed To Return) from combat operations over France. Of the three crew, all survived, but were captured and taken as PoWs. According to the official Air Ministry file into the incident (File AIR 81/961): "Battle L5580 lost in air operations, 13 June 1940. Aircraftman 1st Class D A MacDonald, Sergeant A R Morris and Pilot Officer R C L Parkhouse: prisoners of war"

Airborne 18:05 hours from Sougé to bomb Panzer columns reported to be refuelling in the Forêt de Gault, near Montmirail. Hit by intense Flak/ground AAA fire and crashed in the target area, near the Chateau de la Noue, north of Sézanne, Marne. All three crew survived, but were captured, and taken as PoWs.

Crew of Battle L5580:
Pilot Officer Rupert Charles Langridge Parkhouse (Pilot) RAF 33575; survived, captured, taken as a PoW. Interned in PoW Camps 9AH/L3,as PoW No.469.
Sergeant A R Morris (Observer) RAF 528047: survived, captured, taken as a PoW. Interned in PoW Camp L6, as PoW No.372.
Aircraftman 1st Class D A MacDonald (Wireless Op./Air Gunner) RAF 755699; survived, captured, taken as a PoW. Interned in PoW Camp 4A, PoW No.371.

The reported crash location of Sézanne is a commune in the Marne department and Grand Est region in north-eastern France, at approximate Coordinates: 48°43′11″N 3°43′25″E

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft L1000-L9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1978)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/960: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14502411
3. The Battle File (Sidney Shail, Air Britain, 1997 p 148)
4. http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/12_squadron.html#1306
5. http://francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=5529
6. http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=25329
7. http://olivier.housseaux.free.fr/AVIONS/L5580/equipage.htm
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%A9zanne
9. https://aviationcollectables.co.uk/catalog/jscc79c-battle-france-signed-rupert-parkhouse-p-660.html

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
01-Oct-2019 18:50	Dr. John Smith	Added
01-Oct-2019 18:51	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
02-Oct-2019 09:18	stehlik49	Updated [Operator]