Unaccounted airmen, Belgian Air Force, 10/05/1940
 

Who knows to which units of the Belgian Air Force these men belonged?

Lt L. Léonard, 10/05/1940. Ereperk Evere, Brussels. Row 1, Grave 5
Sdt. A. van Aerschot, 10/05/1940. Ereperk Evere, Brussels. Row 1, Grave 6
SLt Méd G. Druine, 10/05/1940. Ereperk Evere, Brussels. Row 1, Grave 10
Sgt D. Vanderbecken, 10/05/1940. Ereperk Evere, Brussels. Row 1, Grave 13
Sdt F. Van, 10/05/1940. Ereperk Evere, Brussels. Row 1, Grave 14
Lt E. Robecyn, 10/05/1940. Ereperk Evere, Brussels. Row 1, Grave 15
Sdt J. Van Ham, 10/05/1940. Ereperk Evere, Brussels. Row 1, Grave 20

Am I correct in thinking they were all ground crew?

Regards,

Bart
Belgian Air Force Losses, May 1940

Re: Unaccounted airmen, Belgian Air Force, 10/05/1940
 

Lt (Obs) Leon F.A. Leonard - 37139 - born Ath 10-1-1915 - Piloten School - killed in air raid aerodrome Goetsenhoven.
Sld Albert P Van Aerschot - 257/5594 - born Rillaar 22-1-1917 - Piloten School - killed in air raid aerodrome Goetsenhoven.
2Lt (Med) Gerard E. Druine - born Marchienne au Pont 2-10-1911 - 1st Regt - killed in air raid aerodrome Goetsenhoven.
Sgt Desire J. Vanderbecken - 116/8805 - born Bierges 24-5-1902 - III/2nd Regt - wounded air raid aerodrome Le Zoute - died hospital Brugge.
Sld Franciscus L. Van - 298/838 - born Kessel-Lo 30-7-1912 - Piloten School - killed air raid aerodrome Wevelgem.
Res.Lt Emile Robecyn - 21038 - born Espierres 25-9-1886 - 2nd Bn MG - killed in air raid aerodrome Goetsenhoven.
Sld Jan Van Ham - born Scherpenheuvel 5-4-1914 - unit not known - wounded in air raid aerodrome Le Zoute - died Hospital Brugge.

Henk.

Re: Unaccounted airmen, Belgian Air Force, 10/05/1940
 

Hello Henk,

Thanks! One question:

Res.Lt Emile Robecyn - 21038 - born Espierres 25-9-1886 - 2nd Bn MG - killed in air raid aerodrome Goetsenhoven.

As he is buried at Field of Honour, Evere he must have been an airman. Do you know if he was attached to a Belgian Air Force-unit?

Regards,

Bart

Re: Unaccounted airmen, Belgian Air Force, 10/05/1940
 

Bart,
His name is in a list "Belgian Aviation Militaire Personnel Died for their Country" compiled by my friend 'the late' Guy de Win.

Henk.

Re: Unaccounted airmen, Belgian Air Force, 10/05/1940
 

Hello Henk,

Then I assume he was with the Air Force.

If it is not too much asked: could you - if you have the time for it - check the names on the Aviation Militaire-list with the names on my Belgian Air Force losses-list? I have no idea how complete my listing is - if many names are still missing, could you send me a scan?

Regards,

Bart

Re: Unaccounted airmen, Belgian Air Force, 10/05/1940
 

Not allowed to copy but can give you the names for May/June 1940 for further research:

barbanson - braem - brebart - ceuppens - christiaens - coomans - dagneau - debast - debay - de geest - degelaen - de knop - demeere - druine - frederick - geens - germeys - goovaerts - grietens - havet - host - huart - jacobs - l.a. jacquemin - v. jacquemin - klerx - lenders - loozen - lust - michiels - moreau - motmans - nonclercq - picavet - rappelet - raskings - robecyn - rypens - seckler - servais - seynaeve - smagghe - smets - steegmans - uytterbroeck - van - van aerschot - van den bosch - van den driessche - vanderbecken - van der straeten - van goidsenhoven - van ham - van nylen - van roelen - verheyen - versin.

Henk.

Re: Unaccounted airmen, Belgian Air Force, 10/05/1940
 

Thanks, Henk!

I suppose the names I haven't found are all ground crew?

Regards,

Bart

Re: Unaccounted airmen, Belgian Air Force, 10/05/1940
 

Yes, I think so. Title of the list is: "BELGIAN 'Aviation Militaire' Personel".

There's another list titled "BELGIAN AIRMEN died in May 1940" with following names:

bailly - beelen - brel - chartier - clinquart - crabus - de briey - de greef - delannay - delvigne - dethier - de thibault de boersinghe - dufossez - glorie - keuleers - leonard - moens - pirlot - rolin-hymans - soete - timmermans - van den abeele - van uffel - warmont.

Also two names dated 2.5.40 (barthels - huenarts) but as you know for Belgium and us 'Dutchies' the war started 10.5.40 !

Henk.

Re: Unaccounted airmen, Belgian Air Force, 10/05/1940
 

Thanks, Henk!

Casualties on 02/05/1940 are relevant for me - I'm thinking about extending my research into the Phoney War period, after I'm finished with the British Army losses, May/June 1940 (which may take a couple of years).

Regards,

Bart

Re: Unaccounted airmen, Belgian Air Force, 10/05/1940
 

Adj (Obs) Jules L. Barthels - 104/79926 (1/I/3Regt) and Adj (Pilot) François H. Huenarts - 164/15189 (7/III/3Regt) were both killed when their Stampe SV.5 serial nr. 25 crashed on take-off Stene/Oostende airfield. Huenarts lies buried Evère (I/4); Barthels at St.Agatha, Berchem C.C.

Henk.