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Date: | Saturday 11 May 1940 |
Time: | |
Type: | Fairey Battle Mk I |
Owner/operator: | 218 Sqn RAF |
Registration: | P2326 |
MSN: | |
Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 3 |
Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
Location: | near Saint Vith, Liège -
Belgium
|
Phase: | Combat |
Nature: | Military |
Departure airport: | Auberive-sur-Suippes, France |
Destination airport: | |
Narrative:Fairey Battle Mk.1 P2326 (HA-X) of 281 Squadron, RAF: Lost on combat operations - officially described as "Battle P2326 crashed near Amelscheid, Germany, 11 May 1940". Airborne 09:30 hrs Auberieve-sur-Suippes. Hit by ground fire and abandoned in the target area at St. Vith. One of four Fairey Battles of 218 Squadron, RAF (P2326, P2203, P2249 and K9325) that were all lost in the same operation in the area of St. Vith on this date.
Took off to attack enemy columns at St-Vith. It is doubtful whether one of them succeeded in causing damage to the enemy column. The only crew that returned, their Battle was badly damaged by Flak on the way there, saw three Battles being knocked down by heavy Flak on the way to the target above the Ardennes. Seven aircraft were lost in total. Of the three crew of Battle P2326, one was killed, and two survived to be captured and taken as PoWs
Crew:-
Pilot : Flying Officer Charles Arthur Reginald Crews MiD RAF 37795 [PoW, repatriated]
Observer : Sergeant Thomas Stephen Evans RAF 536059 [PoW]
Rear Gunner : Sergeant Cedric Maurice Jennings RAF 580427 [Killed]
Flying Officer Crews was repatriated in September 1944. Flying Officer C.A.R.Crews (also spelled Crewes) was interned in Camp L1, probably injured, no PoW No known
Sources:
1. Royal Air Force Aircraft P1000-P9999 (James J. Halley, Air Britain, 1978 p 13
2. The Battle File (Sidney Shail, Air Britain, 1997 p 137)
3. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/245:
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14142070 4.
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2777627/jennings,-cedric-maurice/ 5.
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=10342 6.
https://218squadron.wordpress.com/fairey-battles/ 7. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database
Revision history:
Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
18-Jun-2019 22:32 |
Dr. John Smith |
Added |
21-Jun-2019 10:47 |
stehlik49 |
Updated [Operator] |
05-Nov-2022 14:24 |
Ron Averes |
Updated [Location] |
10-May-2024 07:00 |
Rob Davis |
Updated [Source, Narrative] |