Date:	Sunday 7 July 1940
Time:	13:09
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire Mk Ia
Owner/operator:	54 Sqn RAF
Registration:	R6711
MSN:	765
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	near Deal, Kent, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Hornchurch, Essex
Destination airport:	RAF Hornchurch, Essex

Narrative:
R6711: Spitfire Ia (c/no.765) First Flown 9-6-40. Delivered to the RAF at 9 MU Cosford 10-6-40. Issued to 54 Squadron 12-6-40. Shot down near Deal Kent 7-7-40. Struck Off Charge 12-7-40 as Cat.C(3)

According to the official Air Ministry file into the incident (File AIR 81/1033): "Spitfire R6711 lost in air operations, 7 July 1940. Pilot Officer A R McL Campbell: injured"

Airborne from RAF Hornchurch, Esssex for a combat air patrol off Dover, Kent between 13:05 and 13:22 hours. Shot down and crashed (force landed) near Deal, Kent, with the pilot of the Spitfire being wounded. Some sources claim that Spitfire R6711 was shot down by a Heinkel He 111 of 4/KG 55. However, Luftwaffe victory claims note that a Spitfire was shot down by a Bf 109 of Ofw. Arthur Dau of 7./JG51, 6 km South of Dover at 14:09 hours (=13:09 hours BST). The location time and date seems to strongly coincide with the loss of Spitfire R6711.

The corresponding RAF losses log states "Sunday, July 07, 1940; Alan Roberts McLeod Campbell (Canadian), 54 Squadron, Spitfire, R6711, Wounded. Patrol, take off 1300. Shot down by Me 109 off Deal".

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft R1000-R9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1980 p 41)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/1033: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14502899
3. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p009.html
4. https://www.asisbiz.com/il2/Bf-109E/JG51.II.html
5. http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/CampbellARM.htm
6. First of the Few: 5 June - July 1940 By Brian Cull
7. Men of The Battle of Britain: A Biographical Dictionary of The Few (page 74) By Kenneth G. Wynn

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
08-Oct-2019 18:34	Dr. John Smith	Added
10-Oct-2019 16:36	juza7	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator]