Date:	Friday 10 May 1940
Time:	day
Type:	Fairey Battle Mk I
Owner/operator:	98 Sqn RAF
Registration:	K9202
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Location:	south west of Bourgneuf-en-Retz, Vendee, -   France
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	Chateau Bougon near Nantes, France
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Fairey Battle Mk.1 K9202 (VO-N) of 98 Squadron, RAF: Lost on operations - officially described as "Battle K9202 force landed south west of Bourgneuf-en-Retz, Vendee, France, 10 May 1940". On 16 April 1940, 98 Squadron moved to France where it was quickly established at Chateau Bougon near Nantes. However, it was not destined for operations but over the next few weeks received crews from England to complete their training in theatre. This task increased following the heavy losses suffered by the Battle squadrons after the German attack which began on 10 May. It is not believed that No.98 flew any operations itself before it was withdrawn to the UK. Thus it moved to Gatwick in mid June to rebuild. Battle K9202 force landed shortly after take off from Chateau Bougon near Nantes, France. Recovered back to Chateau Bougon, the aircraft was possibly repairable, but was abandoned on the squadron's evacuation from France in June 1940. The three crew of Battle K9202 were injured:

Pilot Officer Arthur Kavhan Round (pilot)
Sergeant T M G Young (observer) and
Leading Aircraftman J A Wills (Wireless Op/Air Gunner)

It is worth noting that Pilot Officer Arthur Kavhan Round (Service Number 36201) is probably the same pilot that was killed on May 26 1941 in the crash of Battle P2330/VO-D, also of 98 Squadron, on a glacier in Iceland. Due to the remoteness of the crash location, and the wreckage being deeply buried in ice and snow, his body (still inside Battle P2330) was not discovered until 1999.

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 81/226: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14142051
4. http://www.rafjever.org/98squadhistory2.htm
5. http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/98-squadron-france-1940.39196/#post-475239
6. http://francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=7576
7. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2940630/round,-arthur-kavhan/
8. http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showpost.php?p=126442&postcount=11
9. http://www.anciens-aerodromes.com/?p=33864

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
17-Jun-2019 19:43	Dr. John Smith	Added
17-Jun-2019 19:43	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
17-Jun-2019 19:45	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
18-Jun-2019 02:42	stehlik49	Updated [Operator]