Date:	Saturday 13 July 1940
Time:	17:45
Type:	Hawker Hurricane Mk 1
Owner/operator:	56 (Punjab) Sqn RAF
Registration:	N2432
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	English Channel, 2 miles off St. Margarets Bay, Dover, Kent, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF North Weald, Essex
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Hawker Hurricane N2432, 56 Squadron, RAF: Written off (destroyed) when lost (Failed To Return) from a combat air patrol off the coast of Kent. Pilot Killed. According to the official Air Ministry file into the incident (File AIR 81/1115): "Hurricane N2432 shot down over the English Channel, 13 July 1940. Sergeant J R Cowsill: missing presumed dead"

At about 17:30 hours, twelve Ju 87 Stuka dive-bombers from II/StG 1, escorted by nineteen Bf 109s from II/JG 51, attacked Dover Harbour and the convoy codenamed BREAD. Hurricanes from No. 56 Squadron together with Spitfires from No. 64 Squadron intercepted the enemy aircraft, shooting down one Bf 109 and damaging two Stukas. Two 56 Squadron Hurricanes were also lost and two Spitfires were damaged by AA fire, force-landing at Hawkinge. During the attack, the British destroyer HMS Vanessa was badly damaged and had to be towed back to port.

On 13th July 1940 Sgt J R Cowsill was involved in the combat engagement; he damaged a Ju87 which crash-landed on the beach at Cap Griz Nez. Following this action Cowsill was shot down in Hurricane I N2432, probably by Fw. H. John of 4/JG51 and the Hurricane crashed into the English Channel two miles off St. Margarets Bay, Dover, Kent. A MTB (Motor Torpedo Boat) set off immediately to the spot but only found a small piece of wreckage bearing the aircraft serial number.

Crew of Hurricane N2432:
Sgt. James Roy Cowsill (Pilot) RAF 741936, aged 20 - killed in action 14/07/1940, body not found/not recovered. Sgt Cowsill was 20 years old and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, panel 13.

Note that the exact location of the crash of Hurricane N2432 is stated to be "Calais, France" by some sources, implying that the combat took place near the coast of France than that of Kent, England. However, this may be due to confusing the loss of Hurricane N2432 with the loss of Hurricane P2922. Both were 56 Squadron aircraft, and were shot down within 30 minutes of each other. (P2922 at 17:15 BST, and N2432 at 17:45 BST). The time of the crash is also stated as 16:45 instead of 17:45 - the one hour time difference being accounted for by BST (British Summer Time)

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft N1000-N9999 (James J. Halley, Air Britain, 1977 p 13)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/1115: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14502927
3. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1085119/cowsill,-james-roy/
4. https://battleofbritain1940.com/entry/saturday-13-july-1940/
5. http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Cowsill.htm
6. https://www.netweather.tv/forum/topic/63129-the-battle-of-britain-weather-diary/page/2/
7. https://www.battleofbritain1940.net/0021.html
8. https://es-la.facebook.com/BritishTroopsRemembered/photos/15sgt-jrcowsill-was-on-patrol-with-no-56-squadron-in-a-hurricane-n2432-on-the-13/2436538093242849/
9. http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/battle-of-britain-casualties-r-a-f-or-fleet-air-arm-during-the-period-10-july-to-31-october-1940.24927/page-3#post-305145
10. The Fallen Few of the Battle of Britain By Nigel McCrery, Norman Franks

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
15-Oct-2019 18:17	Dr. John Smith	Added
15-Oct-2019 18:17	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
15-Oct-2019 18:37	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
16-Oct-2019 04:37	juza7	Updated [Operator]
27-Nov-2019 23:10	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator]
29-Apr-2023 15:29	Nepa	Updated [[Operator, Operator]]