Date:	Tuesday 14 May 1940
Time:	05:30 LT
Type:	Fairey Battle Mk I
Owner/operator:	103 Sqn RAF
Registration:	K9374
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Machault-Cauroy Sector, 20 km SSE of Rethel -   France
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Betheniville, France
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Fairey Battle Mk.I K9374 (PM-J) of 103 Squadron, RAF: Written off (damaged beyond repair) when lost (failed to return) from combat operations on 14 May 1940. One crew member killed, one unhurt. According to the official Air Ministry file on the incident (File AIR 81/356): "Leading Aircraftman E R Layfield: uninjured. Sergeant C D Perry: injured, later died; Battle K9374 force landed on return from an operational flight, 14 May 1940; report of death from wounds on 14 June 1940".

Battle K9374 was airborne at 05:00 from Betheniville, France, with the objective of bombing a pontoon bridge over the River Meuse. During the attack at low level, Battle K9374 was hit by heavy flak/AAA, and the pilot was wounded. The damaged Fairey Battle tried to limp back to base, but was unable to do so, and force landed in the Machault-Cauroy Sector, 20 km SSE of Rethel, France, and approximately 5 miles north east of its home airfield. Although both crew survived, the pilot was seriously injured, and died a month later in hospital in England after being repatriated.

Crew of Battle K9374:
Sgt Charles David Perry DFM RAF 561615 (Pilot, aged 29) – Died of wounds to the stomach and thighs due to injuries sustained. Died after repatriation to UK, on 14th June 1940; buried at Benson (St Helens) Churchyard Extension.
Sgt E R Layfield (Wireless Op./Air Gunner) - survived unhurt

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft K1000-K9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain. 1976 p 77)
2. The Battle File (Sidney Shail, Air Britain, 1997 p 135)
3. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/356: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14502160
4. https://www.northlincsweb.net/103Sqn/html/103_squadron_-_op_sedan_bridges_-_14-05-40_-_sgt_charles_d_perry.html
5. http://aircrewremembered.com/wells-maurice.html
6. http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/103_squadron.html
7. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2421366/perry,-charles-david/
8. http://francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=7577
9. https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/perry-cd/ ..

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
10-Jul-2019 22:38	Dr. John Smith	Added
10-Jul-2019 22:41	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
10-Jul-2019 22:42	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
11-Jul-2019 09:26	stehlik49	Updated [Operator]