ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 141382
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Tuesday 14 May 1940 |
| Time: | 15:55 LT |
| Type: |  Fairey Battle Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | 12 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | L4950 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Vrigne-aux-Bois, Ardennes, between Bouillon and Givonne. -
 France
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Amifontaine, France |
Fairey Battle Mk.1 L4950 ("PH-V") of 12 Squadron, RAF. Written off (destroyed) when crashed during raid on Sedan.
The French High Command called for a supreme effort at Sedan, where the ground forces massing for counter-attack had been rudely scattered. Arrangements were accordingly made for the whole strength of the Allied bombers in France to be hurled against the Sedan bridgehead in a series of waves, and soon after noon the few French aircraft available went into action. Attacking bridges and columns of troops, they suffered losses so severe that their remaining operations for the day were cancelled.
19 Battles from 12 Squadron, 142 Squadron and 226 Squadron of 76 Wing were first into action in mid afternoon. 12 Squadron were tasked to bomb enemy columns on the road from Sedan to Givonne. These attacks were made in the face of fierce flak and fighter opposition and four of the five Battles were shot down. (Battles P5229/PH-O, L4950/PH-V, L5942/PH-X and L5188/PH-C). The fifth managed to limp back to base at Amifontaine.
L4950 was airborne at 15:33 from Amifontaine to attack bridges and roads in the Sedan area. Two of the crew killed, one captured. L4950 was shot by flak or by fighters from 4./JG 52 and landed at 3:55 pm on "La Feudorie" in Vrigne-aux-Bois, Ardennes, between Bouillon and Givonne. The aircraft burned out completely. Two of the three crew, Flying Officer Eric Vaughan (pilot) and Sgt. Christopher Shelton-Jones (observer) died. AC.1 J.W. Wright (Wireless Op./Air Gunner) was able to jump on time from the stricken aircraft, and was captured.
Vaughan and Shelton-Jones were initially placed together in a grave next to the crash site. In 1942 they were dug up and buried as "unknown airmen" in the local cemetery.
Crew:
Sergeant Christopher Shelton-Jones, RAF 563688 (Observer), killed in action 14/05/1940, buried at Choloy War Cemetery, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France
Flying Officer (Pilot) Eric R.D. Vaughan, RAF 37838, age 22, killed in action 14/05/1940, buried at Choloy War Cemetery, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France
AC.1 J.D. Wright (Wireless Op./Air Gunner), Survived, captured, taken as POW
The crash site at Vrigne-aux-Bois is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France. It is located 14 kilometers from the neighboring town of Sedan, at approximate coordinates: 49°44′18″N 4°51′24″E
Sources:
1. Royal Air Force Aircraft L1000-L9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1978 p 32)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File Air 81/379: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14502266
3. https://www.luchtvaartgeschiedenis.be/content/fairey-battle-l4950-nabij-bouillon
4. http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/12_squadron.html#sedan
5. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2319950/shelton-jones,-christopher/
6. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2320003/vaughan,-eric-richard-dennis/
7. https://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/aircraft_history.php?Aircraft=328
8. http://www.binbrook.demon.co.uk/html/Fairey_Battle.html
9. http://www.oldhaltonians.co.uk/pages/rememb/ROH/20.htm
10. http://39-45.auzeau.fr/france/54-meurthe-et-moselle/54-choloy-war-cemetery-9/
11. http://francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=204
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 02-Jan-2012 13:45 | Uli Elch | Added |
| 10-Dec-2017 14:44 | Laurent Rizzotti | Updated [Aircraft type, Narrative] |
| 16-May-2019 21:19 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 17-May-2019 18:54 | stehlik49 | Updated [Operator, Location] |
| 19-May-2019 18:09 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location] |
| 15-Jul-2019 18:07 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation