Date:	Sunday 28 July 1940
Time:	night
Type:	Fairey Battle Mk I
Owner/operator:	142 Sqn RAF
Registration:	L5584
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage:	Aircraft missing
Location:	Missing (Failed To Return: Target Brussels) -   Belgium
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire
Destination airport:	RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire

Narrative:
Fairey Battle Mk.I L5584 (QT-Y) of 142 Squadron RAF: Missing without trace - failed to return - on mission to bomb aerodromes in Brussels region on night of 28 July 1940. Took off from RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire at 00:05 hours BST on night bombing mission (Target: Brussels). All three crew presumed missing in action, later killed in action.

Crew:
Pilot Officer (36254) Matthew John Alexander Kirdy (pilot) RAF - killed.
Sergeant (747748) Norman Longcluse (navigator) RAFVR - killed.
Sergeant (645617) Robert McGregor Hettle (Wireless Op/Air Gunner) RAF - killed.

Matthew Kirdy was born at Tinwald, New Zealand on 19 April 1921 and selected for a RAF short service commission in 1939. He graduated as a pilot in New Zealand prior to embarkation for the UK, where he transferred into the RAF on 9 April 1940.

1. Air Britain RAF Aircraft L1000-N9999
2. The Other Few: The Contribution Made by Bomber and Coastal Aircrew to the Battle of Britain By Larry Donnelly (page 58)
3. 142 Squadron ORB for 1-31 July 1940: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR/27/972/7: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8388679
4. http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/08186.php
5. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1802810/kirdy,-matthew-john-alexander/
6. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1078899/longcluse,-norman/
7. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1800004/hettle,-robert-mcgregor/
8. https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/110610
9. https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/113108
10. https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/114212

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
29-Mar-2008 06:34	JINX	Added
01-Feb-2013 10:32	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Narrative]
28-Sep-2018 00:56	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Time, Location, Country, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
18-Oct-2018 13:18	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Location, Operator]
24-May-2019 23:42	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location]
24-Sep-2019 16:03	ALAN MACKAY	Updated [Narrative]
28-Oct-2020 15:40	Rata	Updated [Location, Narrative, Operator]
10-Nov-2022 07:26	Ron Averes	Updated [Damage]
12-Nov-2022 23:51	Ron Averes	Updated [Location]