RAF fighter losses on the 14.06.40
 

Hi,

I wonder if somebody could help me with RAF fighter losses suffered on the 14.06.40:
- 242 Sqn P/O Stansfeld 16.05 hours lost to Bf110s from the III/ZG26, I`m looking for serial and information if they were other RAF losses?
- 1 Sqn F/L Brown and F/L Warcup - I`m looking for serial, place, time and reason of these losses
And general question if another losses were recorded on this day.

TIA

Regards

Robert

Re: RAF fighter losses on the 14.06.40
 

Hello Robert,

The only RAF fighter losses I have on 14 June, 1940, are as follows:

BRITISH AIR FORCES IN FRANCE

1 SQUADRON, NANTES-CHÂTEAU BOUGON

Hurricane. Failed to return from shipping escort patrol over St-Nazaire, details not recorded. Flight Lieutenant F. Warcup baled out and captured. Aircraft a write-off.

Hurricane. Failed to return from shipping escort patrol over St Nazaire, details not recorded. Flight Lieutenant M. H. Brown baled out unhurt. Aircraft a write-off.

242 SQUADRON, LE MANS

Hurricane. Became separated and lost bearings following combat with Bf110s of 9./ZG26 over Conches 4.05 p.m. Wrecked undercarriage by hitting a ditch during forced-landing near Blain, north of Nantes. Pilot Officer N. K. Stansfeld unhurt. Aircraft a write-off.

Re: RAF fighter losses on the 14.06.40
 

Hi Peter,

thanks for information.

Regards

Robert

Re: RAF fighter losses on the 14.06.40
 

Hello Robert and Peter,

I do agree with Peter's answer excepted that F/Lt M H Brown didn' t bale out but force landed near Caen.


Air 2/6085 :Since the beginning of the war Flight Lieutenant Brown has destroyed at least sixteen enemy aircraft. On 14th June, when leading his flight on patrol, he encountered nine enemy bombers, two of which were destroyed. Later he attacked nine Messerschmitt 109s, destroying one and driving the remainder off. As a result of bullets entering his aircraft he force landed near Caen, and was unable to rejoin the squadron before it withdrew from France. Flight Lieutenant Brown has shown courage of the highest order, and has led many flights with great success and determination when consistently outnumbered by enemy aircraft.


Peter I am looking forward to read your book.


Cheers.


Bernard.

Re: RAF fighter losses on the 14.06.40
 

Hi Bernard,


it`s very interesting. Thanks a lot.

Regards

Robert

Re: RAF fighter losses on the 14.06.40
 

Hi,
From what I have-
73Sqn lost P/O D N W Anthony killed.
1 Sqn lost two a/c pilots Brown & Warcup.
245 Sqn one a/c
111 Sqn one a/c

Alex

Re: RAF fighter losses on the 14.06.40
 

Hi Alex,

Are you sure about this one from 111 Sqn?

Regards

Robert

Re: RAF fighter losses on the 14.06.40
 

Alex,

P/O D. N. W. L. Anthony of No. 73 Squadron crashed on landing at Ruaudin on June 13, 1940, and was badly injured. He died the following day.

Also, I suspect that the No. 245 Squadron loss you have listed is a transcription error & is actually the No. 242 Squadron casualty mentioned in my earlier post.

I have no record of any No. 111 Squadron losses on June 14, 1940.

Bernard,

Thank you for the information regarding F/Lt 'Hilly' Brown of No. 1 Squadron. With details of his loss lacking in the ORB (NAPRO: AIR27/1) I had relied on Shaw's 'Twice Vertical' p150.

Re: RAF fighter losses on the 14.06.40
 

Hello Robert,

I accept there may have been an error with the 245 and 242 but I had these numbers written down for some time now and do not recall at this time the references.
As for 111 sqn this may well have been an accident and the a/c returned to service or the pilot may have been injured. I just cannot recall.

Alex

Re: RAF fighter losses on the 14.06.40
 

OK Alex,

I just wanted to see your sources.

Regards

Robert

Re: RAF fighter losses on the 14.06.40
 

Hi Robert,

Sources were -
For 73 sqn FCL vol 1.
For 1,245 and 111 Sqns FCWD vol 1.

Alex

Re: RAF fighter losses on the 14.06.40
 

OK Alex thanks.
Does your source list the involved pilot from the 111th Sqn?

Regards

Robert

Re: RAF fighter losses on the 14.06.40
 

Hi Robert & others

For what it's worth I have the following noted for 14 June (unless I have incorrect date) in addition to what has already been written:

1245-1435 19 Hurricanes from 111 and 615 Sqns patrol Dieppe-Le Havre-Rouen-Poix-Abbeville. Sgt EW Pascoe (111 Sqn) missing (later returned)

1430-1600 12 Hurricanes 245 Sqn patrol as above - P/O JS Southwell shot down (returned); Sgt banks aircraft damaged by AA fire.

Cheers and Happy New Year

Brian

Re: RAF fighter losses on the 14.06.40
 

Hi Brian,


thanks and Happy New Year

Regards

Robert

Re: RAF fighter losses on the 14.06.40
 

Further to Brian's contribution, the ORBs of all three squadrons he mentions confirm that there was nothing reported, no enemy aircraft encountered, and no losses recorded on June 14, 1940.

Sgt PASCOE of No. 111 Squadron landed L2052 at Hawkinge at 14.30 hours, probably to refuel, following a routine patrol. The rest of the squadron had returned to Croydon & he followed later, landing there at 21.00 hours.

Similarly, P/O SOUTHWELL of No. 245 Squadron forced-landed P3577 without damage near Brighton at 16.40 hours due to oxygen failure & also returned later. No mention of any damage to Sgt BANKS' aircraft that I found.

Re: RAF fighter losses on the 14.06.40
 

Hi Peter,

thanks for additions. So the Germans fought only with 1 and 242 Sqns as well as with DAT Tours fighters?

Regards

Robert

Re: RAF fighter losses on the 14.06.40
 

Robert,

If you only concerned with fighter engagements on June 14, 1940, then that is how it seems to me - with the single addition of DAT Chateaudun.

Re: RAF fighter losses on the 14.06.40
 

Ok. Thanks.

Robert

Re: RAF fighter losses on the 14.06.40
 

Hello
You

Re: RAF fighter losses on the 14.06.40
 

Hello
You indicated that 242 squadron is based at Le Mans during 14 june 1940. Meanwhile I noted the presence of this squadron at Nantes Chateau-bougon in the same time with 1 squadron and 73 squadron to execute cover patrol over St Nazaire during operations of reembarkement.
Have you additional informations about the move between Le Mans and Nantes?
Many thanks
Alain

Re: RAF fighter losses on the 14.06.40
 

Hello Alain,

No. 242 Squadron were only at Le Mans for one day arriving there from Chateaudun on June 14, 1940. They moved to Nantes the following day and withdrew to Coltishall via Tangmere on June 18, 1940.

Source: The Battle of France Then & Now p178

Re: RAF fighter losses on the 14.06.40
 

many thanks Peter;
Between 14 and 18 june Nantes airfield was saturated by the arrival of many aircrafts (RAf and French Air Force) in refuelling before rejoining England or the South of France. So It 's not easy to obtain a good idea about all the arrivals. Thanks you very much. Friendly
Alain

Re: RAF fighter losses on the 14.06.40
 

Hi all,

during checking my archive with photos, I match these 4 imagines to one and same Hawker Hurricane - on the last photo there is visible squadron code - LE.

Is possible, that this is same plane like from Peter Cornwell quote?

Source of photos - old e-bay.de

Thanks

Faenor

Re: RAF fighter losses on the 14.06.40
 

Faenor,

No.242 Squadron codes that much is sure. And the situation certainly matches what was recorded about STANSFELD's forced-landing on 14 June 1940. Serial could be L1922 ? That would tie-in neatly with the early L-series radio mast but there others much better qualified than I to pronounce on that. None of which makes it STANSFELD's machine I'm afraid but nevertheless still an intriguing possibility. Regretably, in BoFrT&N I note that I have attributed L1922 as that lost with CHAMBERS on 18 May 1940. In the absence of any information to the contrary this was based upon Brian CULL's version of events but on what precise evidence I know not.