Date:	Friday 10 May 1940
Time:	afternoon
Type:	Fairey Battle Mk I
Owner/operator:	105 Sqn RAF
Registration:	K9188
MSN:	GB-Q
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Echternach-Luxembourg road. -   Luxembourg
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Villeneuve-les-Vertus Aerodrome, Marne
Destination airport:	Villeneuve-les-Vertus Aerodrome (Fr.)

Narrative:
Fairey Battle K9188/Q: Lost on combat operations - officially described as "Battle K9188 damaged by gun fire over Luxembourg, 10 May 1940". Airborne at 15:30 from Villeneuve-les-Vertus to attack enemy troops advancing along the Echternach to Luxembourg Road. Badly shot up by ground fire (Flak/AAA), returned to base in a damaged state; probably repairable, but left abandoned at Villeneuve-les-Vertus when the Squadron retreated back to Echemines on 16 May 1940. All three crew survived, but sustained injuries
Crew of Battle K9188:
Sgt (565331) Patrick Ranby RICHARDSON (pilot) RAF : Ok
Sgt (521006) James Frederick DONLON (Obs.) RAF : injured
LAC (532666) Robert William McCARTHY (WOp/AG) RAF: badly Injured

LAC McCarthy was badly wounded in the legs and stomach, but he remained at his post throughout and showed great fortitude when lifted from the rear cockpit of the Fairey Battle. Awarded the DFM, Gazetted 28 June 1940, the Squadron's first in WWII, LAC McCarthy recovered from his injuries. Later he commissioned, he lost his life flying with 107 Squadron on 6 Dec 1942. He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft K1000-K9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1976 p 75)
2. The Battle File by Sidney Shail (Air Britain 1997 p 130)
3. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/223: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14142048
4. http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/105_squadron.html
5. http://www.anciens-aerodromes.com/?p=33864
6. http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showpost.php?p=125985&postcount=30

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
17-Jun-2019 18:38	Dr. John Smith	Added
17-Jun-2019 18:39	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
18-Jun-2019 02:43	stehlik49	Updated [Operator]