Date:	Tuesday 14 May 1940
Time:	16:10 LT
Type:	Fairey Battle Mk I
Owner/operator:	142 Sqn RAF
Registration:	L5517
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Chehery, 9 km SW of Sedan, Ardennes -   France
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Berry-au-Bac, France
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Fairey Battle Mk.I L5517 (QT) 142 Squadron, RAF: Written off (destroyed) when lost (failed to return) from combat operations in the Sedan area on 14 May 1940. According to the official Air Ministry file on the incident: "Battle L5517 crashed at Chehery, south west of Sedan, France, 13 May 1940 [*sic]. Sergeant H F Trescothic, Temporary Corporal H Todd and Acting Flight Lieutenant K R Rogers: report of deaths".

The events of 14th May determined both of the A.A.S.F. and of the campaign. 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.

Then came the turn of the A.A.S.F. Between 15:00 and 16:00 hours the entire force of available Battles and Blenheims was flung against the same objectives. But the Bf.109's absent in the morning, were now on guard. No. 12 Squadron lost four aircraft out of five; No. 105 Squadron, six out of eleven; No. 142 Squadron lost four, No. 150 Squadron, four out of four; No. 139 Squadron, four out of six; No. 218 Squadron, ten out of eleven. In all, from the seventy-one bombers which took off, forty did not return. No higher rate of loss in an operation of comparable size has even been experienced by the Royal Air Force.

Battle L5517 took off from Berry-au-Bac, France to attack bridges and roads in the area around Sedan, with the bridge at Douzy as the primary target. Written off (destroyed) 14 May 1940 when shot down by 'friendly fire' from Moranes of GC III/7 and crashed near Chehery, 9 km south west of Sedan, Ardennes. (One source stats "in a meadow between the road and the River Bar"). All three crew killed.

Crew of Battle L5517:
Flight Lieutenant (Pilot) Kenneth Russell Rogers, RAF 39473, age 23, killed in action 14/05/1940.
Sergeant (Observer.) Herbert Frank Trescothic, RAF 563511, killed in action 14/05/1940
Corporal (Wireless Op./Air Gunner) Henry Todd, RAF 539637, age 21, killed in action 14/05/1940,

All three crew fatalities were buried at Chehery Communal Cemetery, Ardennes, France

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft L1000-L9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1978 p 36)
2. The Battle File (Sidney Shail, Air Britain, 1997 p 152)
3. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/414: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14502085
4. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2689653/rogers,-kenneth-russell/
5. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2689655/trescothic,-herbert-frank/
6. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2689654/todd,-henry/
7. http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/142_squadron.html#1405
8. http://www.oldhaltonians.co.uk/pages/rememb/ROH/20.htm
9. http://francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=203

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
19-Jul-2019 22:00	Dr. John Smith	Added
22-Jul-2019 09:14	stehlik49	Updated [Operator]
15-Sep-2019 13:34	ALAN MACKAY	Updated [Narrative]
30-Jun-2022 05:03	Ron Averes	Updated [Location]