Date:	Friday 31 May 1940
Time:
Type:	Hawker Hurricane Mk 1
Owner/operator:	229 Sqn RAF
Registration:	P3553
MSN:	RE-Z
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Hawkinge, Folkestone, Kent, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Biggin Hill, Bromley, Kent
Destination airport:	RAF Hawkinge, Kent

Narrative:
Hawker Hurricane P3553/Z: Written off (damaged beyond repair) when crash landed at RAF Hawkinge on 31 May 1940, following severe battle damage in combat air patrols over the Dunkirk-Calais area.
Pilot survived, although injured.

According to the official Air Ministry file into the incident (File AIR 81/708): "Hurricane P3553 crash landed following air operations over Hawkinge Aerodrome, Kent, 31 May 1940. Sergeant D F K Edgehill: injured"

Crew of Hurricane P3553:
Sgt (45549) Douglas Francis Kitchener Edgehill (pilot) RAF: wounded in action. Suffered a bullet wound to the left elbow, and a fractured right arm.

Sgt Edgehill, recovered from his wounds, and rejoined 229 Squadron on 27 March 1941. He was promoted to Pilot Officer on 9 May 1941. On 22 August 1941 he claims a further two "kills" in air to air combat: "Three of the pilots managed to successfully engage the Stukas, of which 229 Squadron’s Pilot Officer Douglas Edgehill (in Hurricane Z4366) claimed two shot down (victories nos. 5 to 6 of a total of 7).

He was then posted to the Middle East. and was on board HMS Furious, flying off to Egypt via Malta. In the Western Desert Theatre of Operations he claimed four more victories (to make a total of seven in all) and was awarded the D.F.C. On the 7 September 1941, returning from combat in Hurricane W9326 he fractured his spine in a landing crash.

After treatment he was posted non effective sick and was sent to South Africa on medical grounds in January 1942. In August 1942, he returned to the UK, where, on 25 December 1942, he was obliged to resign his commission due to his injuries. He survived the war, and died on 10 February 1961 aged 46

NOTE: Several unofficial published sources state in error that Pilot Officer Victor Bosanquet Strachan Verity (flying Hurricane P3492/RE-B) was shot down in Hurricane P3553. Whilst this Hurricane (also of 229 Squadron) crashed on the same day (May 31 1940) having crash landed following air operations over Hawkinge Aerodrome, Folkestone, Kent, it had a different pilot. The pilot of P3553 was Sergeant D F K Edgehill was injured. Over the years the identities of Hurricanes P3492 and P3553 have became mixed up. The AIR 81 files confirm which pilot was in which aircraft.

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft P1000-P9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1978 p 20)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/708: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14502485
3. http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/229_squadron.html#3105
4. Aces High: A Further Tribute to the Most Notable Fighter Pilots of WWII, Volume 2 By Christopher Shores
5. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?8663-Douglas-Edghill-45549

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
02-Sep-2019 16:48	Dr. John Smith	Added
03-Sep-2019 19:44	stehlík49	Updated [Operator]