Date:	Tuesday 14 May 1940
Time:	afternoon
Type:	Fairey Battle Mk I
Owner/operator:	150 Sqn RAF
Registration:	P5232
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Raucourt-et-Flaba, Ardennes -   France
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Ecury-sur-Coole, France
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Fairey Battle Mk.I P5232 (JN-?) 150 Squadron, RAF: Written off (damaged beyond repair) when lost on combat operations 14 May 1940. All three crew killed. According to the official Air Ministry file on the incident (File AIR 81/331): "Battle P5232 failed to return from an operational flight, 14 May 1940. Sergeant G T Barker and Sergeant J D F Williams: report of deaths. Leading Aircraftman A K Summerson: prisoner of war, later reported as safe".

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.

In the afternoon all available Battles and Blenheims were dispatched to the same target. This time Bf109's were present and 150 Squadron lost, in air to air combat, all four of the Fairey Battles that were dispatched.

Battle P5232 was airborne at 15:20 hrs from Ecury-sur-Coole to attack bridges and roads in the area around Sedan. Crashed - probably shot down by AAA/Flak and/or enemy fighters - while attacking a pontoon bridge at Remilly-Aillicourt, killing two of the three crew (the pilot and his observer). Wireless Op./Air Gunner LAC Summerson, the third crew member, evaded capture and escaped to the Allied lines. The Fairey Battle is believed to have come down within 300 metres of Raucourt-et-Flaba, Ardennes, Grand Est Region, France (at approximate co ordinates 49°36'11"North, 4°57'29" East).

Crew of Battle P5232:
Flight Sergeant (Pilot) George T. Barker, RAF 563835, age 27, killed in action 14/05/1940
Sergeant (Observer) James D.F. Williams, RAF 562632, age 27, killed in action 14/05/1940
LAC A.K. Summerson (Wireless Op./Air Gunner) - survived injured (burns and a leg wound) but evaded capture, returned to his unit.

Both crew fatalities were buried at Choloy War Cemetery, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft P1000-P9999 (James J. Halley, Air Britain, 1978)
2. The Battle File (Sidney Shail, Air Britain, 1997)
3. National Archives (PRO Kew) file AIR 81/331): https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14502325
4. http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/150_squadron.html
5. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2319615/barker,-george-thomas/
6. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2320022/williams,-james-douglas-frederick/
7. http://www.oldhaltonians.co.uk/pages/rememb/ROH/B.htm
8. http://aircrewremembered.com/posselt-arthur-francis.html
9. http://39-45.auzeau.fr/france/54-meurthe-et-moselle/54-choloy-war-cemetery-13/
10. http://francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=212
11. https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raucourt-et-Flaba
12. https://travellinginacampervan.wordpress.com/2020/04/11/my-next-planned-trip-was-to-visit-the-grave-of-uncle-donald-j-bowen-150-squadron-who-died-14-05-1940-in-sedan-france/ .

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
05-Jul-2019 19:59	Dr. John Smith	Added
05-Jul-2019 20:01	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
08-Jul-2019 05:48	stehlik49	Updated [Operator]
22-Jun-2020 20:05	Anon.	Updated [Photo]
25-Aug-2020 17:16	tom bowen	Updated [Narrative]
29-Aug-2020 06:07	tom bowen	Updated [Time, Country, Source]
16-Oct-2020 01:29	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Country, Source]
30-Jun-2022 05:06	Ron Averes	Updated [Location]