Date:	Friday 19 July 1940
Time:	12:45
Type:	Boulton Paul Defiant Mk I
Owner/operator:	141 Sqn RAF
Registration:	L6995
MSN:	45
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	English Channel, 20 miles south of Folkestone, Kent, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Hawkinge, Kent
Destination airport:	RAF Hawkinge

Narrative:
Boulton Paul Defiant Mk.1 L6995/'TW-O' of 141 Squadron: Written off (destroyed) in combat operations 19 July 1940. At 12.45 hours, nine Defiants of No. 141 Squadron were 'bounced' by Bf 109s of III/JG 51 south of Folkestone. Six aircraft were lost in rapid succession before Hurricanes from No. 111 Squadron arrived to break up the attack and allow the remaining Defiants to return to Hawkinge. One Bf 109 was severely damaged and crashed on landing. Defiant L6995 was one of those lost, along with both crew. Note that the official file at the National Archives at Kew (File AIR81/1149 - see link #3) state: "Pilot Officer R A Howley and Sergeant A G Curley: missing presumed dead; Defiant L6995 believed crashed at sea, off Dover, 19/07/1940"
Crew of Defiant L6995:
P/O (41705) Richard Alexander HOWLEY (pilot) RAF - missing action, believed killed
Sgt (747968) Albert George Curley (AG) RAFVR- missing in action, believed killed

Neither of the two crew were recovered, and are therefore commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. 141 Squadron lost six aircraft with nine aircrew killed in this engagement and was withdrawn to Prestwick to regroup.

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft L1000-L9999 (James J. Halley, Air Britain, 1978 p 48)
2. ORB (Operational Record Book; Air Ministry Form AM/F.540) 141 Squadron RAF 1 October 1939 to 31 December 1941: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR28/969 at 3. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/h/C2503608
3. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR81/1149: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14503088
4. CWGC: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1800618/richard-alexander-howley/
5. CWGC: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/231665/albert-george-curley/
6. https://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Howley.htm
7. https://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Curley.htm
8. https://www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/141-squadron-defiant-pictures
9. https://battleofbritain1940.com/entry/friday-19-july-1940/
10. https://www.rcafassociation.ca/heritage/1914-1945/battle-of-britain/

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

8 July 1940	L6998	141 Sqn RAF	0	RAF Turnhouse, Edinburgh, East Lothian, Scotland		w/o
18 March 1943	L6994	2 (O) AFU RAF	0	RAF Millom, Cumberland, England		w/o

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
04-Jul-2022 16:03	Dr. John Smith	Added
04-Jul-2022 21:31	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Location, Source, Narrative, Operator]
05-Jul-2022 11:46	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Source, Narrative]