Re: 218 SQUADRON CREW LIST 14-05-40
 

I’ve spent considerable time researching Battle Squadrons in the Blitz period.

Firstly I’ve not found the source of the 11 planes and 10 lost?

However I believe these (with fates) were the 218 Squ a/c at Auberive on 10 May


K9251
HA-K
Abandoned – Auberive?
K9273
HA-R
Abandoned, Auberive - (Damaged in ops and/or possibly bombed on ground ) (
K9325
HA-D
St.-Vith - Shot down over the target - Pilot; F/O A.J.Hudson PoW – 11 May (Photo)
K9353
HA-J
Sensenruth (Luxembourg), 3 km N of Bouillon, Belgium - F/S J.B.Horner KIA - 12 May
L5192
HA-P
Abandoned Auberive? (Photo)
L5232

shot down Sauville (Ardennes), 19 km SSW of Sedan - Pilot P/O W.A.R.Harris Inj (Photo)
L5235
HA-W
Thelonne (Ardennes), 8 km S of Sedan - Pilot; P/O A.M.Imrie PoW (Photo)
P2183

Nouvion-sur-Meuse 7 km WSW of Sedan - Pilot; F/S F.S.Bazalgette KIA -12 May
P2189

Abandoned - Auberive?
P2192
HA-E
Abandoned - Auberive? (Photo)
P2203

On hillside to West of Basbellian, Luxembourg - Pilot; Sgt C.J.E.Dockrill KIA – 11 May
P2249
(HA-U)
St.-Vith - Pilot; P/O H.M.Murray PoW – 11 May
P2324

nr Sedan by ground fire; Pilot; F/O D.A.J.Foster PoW – 14 May
P2326

nr St.-Vith by ground fire - Pilot; F/O C.A.R.Crews PoW – 11 May
L5402

Damaged by ground fire Luxembourg - on 10 May, returned, later abandoned (Auberive)
K9323

RETURNED TO UK


Two planes further planes were received before 14 May - L5422 o 12 May and P2360 on 13 May


The following were the losses on 14 May
L5232 – PO Harris wounded, returned, Sgt Basil Herriot, Observer and AC1 William Robinson KIA
L5422 - FO Johnny Crane, KIA, AC1 Holloway POW

P2324 - FO Foster and AC1 Bryan POW
.
L5235 (HA-W) - PO Athur ‘Bale-out’ Imrie POW and LAC Alfred Taylor KIA

P2360 - PO Robert Buttery KIA and AC2 William Waterson KIA

I believe the six other planes would therefore be K9251, K9273, L5192, P2192 L5402, P2189 and K9323- the last plane eventually returned to the UK.

I’ve seen a lot of photos of K9251, K9273, L5192, P2192 as abandoned planes – but I’ve not seen photos of L5402 or P2189

In respect of aircrew from DFC/DFM recs and Malcolm’s excellent research we have.two proven crews with F/Lt. Hughes & Sgt. Marchandas the pilots

Additionally I recently found a DFM recommendation (not awarded) for a Sgt pilot Charles Dancaster OWEN, (590620) for this action.

So there is proof of three planes returning.

Conclusion if 11 planes is correct, five did not return, perhaps five DBR, one OK – hence 10 not returned or DBR…the myth of 10 ‘lost’

Lastly the Battle File and T&N need to be read with caution. The Battle File is accurate in the details of the plane records, but there are errors and omissions in those records. T&N also has errors on a/c attribution and photos.

Hope that helps

Iain

Re: 218 SQUADRON CREW LIST 14-05-40
 

Simon,
Thank you for the helpful information. It is interesting to learn that other 218 Battle photos exist.

Ian,
Great first post!

Within these few replies my knowledge of events this day has been greatly expanded and I am grateful to all those who have contributed. I am hopeful that further photo evidence will eventually be found to support the research being done.

Kind regards, Malcolm.

Re: 218 SQUADRON CREW LIST 14-05-40
 

Gentlemen,

Interesting thread. The origins of the '10 (of 11) aircraft lost' by No.218 Squadron can be found in the ORB of No.75 Wing [NA(PRO) Documents: AIR 26/112 & 115] which also reports 7 (of 8) aircraft lost by No.103 and one (of 10) by No.88 Squadron during the attack on Meuse bridges & enemy columns near Sedan on May 14, 1940.

This account had long troubled me and Martin Gleeson & Iain Torrance provide a most persuasive explanation as to how the discrepancy between these totals and actual losses arose. Clearly, only five aircraft, as documented in BoFrT&N, were lost by No.218 Squadron on that sortie but with five more returning damaged and later being abandoned. The No.75 Wing scribe certainly cannot be accused of putting any positive spin on events.

I would be most grateful to Iain if he would share with us the 'errors on aircraft attribution and photos' he has noted in BoFrT&N. Like most other members of this forum I am committed to trying to get things right.

Re: 218 SQUADRON CREW LIST 14-05-40
 

Martin
from your post on 8/9.08
(I am baffled also by the two different HA-R marked Battles shown on page 272 of The Battle of France T&N. I cannot explain this little anomaly. It needs more research - and photos of 218 Squadron Battles ! Ed West, bless him, only a few nights ago posted another photo of K9273 HA-R.)

Could I suggest a possibility arising out of the relatively poor photos? K9273 is a clear profile view and unambiguous. The other photo is not so clear and shows the a/c tangled in trees. The lower part of the HA is lost by the curve of the fuselage and shadow. Could the other be a B, with the lower part similarly lost. The style of the lettering ,which seems to "square off" the curved parts of both letters could make the upper section of R and B appear very alike and with the truncation make part of the lower B look similar to the R . The lower R is far less angled on the a/c than we are typing it here and would write it by hand
Regards
Dick

Re: 218 SQUADRON CREW LIST 14-05-40
 

Hello Simon,

I would be interested to read your article published in Air Enthusiast. Could you tell me the issue it appeared in and I will try to locate one.

Kind regards, Malcolm.

Re: 218 SQUADRON CREW LIST 14-05-40
 

Re: 218 SQUADRON CREW LIST 14-05-40
 

Pics of HA-x a/c.

Re: 218 SQUADRON CREW LIST 14-05-40
 

More HA-x

Re: 218 SQUADRON CREW LIST 14-05-40
 

HA-x

Re: 218 SQUADRON CREW LIST 14-05-40
 

Revi16,

Great photos! Many thanks for posting. I am sure they will add much to this thread. I will look in detail later this evening.

Kind regards, Malcolm.