[arnaud]

Bonjour M. Andy Saunders,

First 85 Sqn is perhaps the worst squadron to study with 87 Sqn : This is just a general feeling…

For F/O Allen, we have:
1. Lessines : a British fighter shot down on May 14th 1940 : with the name “Allen” in the flying helmet.
2. This could not be Allen buried at Villers-Cernay as his aircraft and body was due identified without any difficulties (could you send me a photo of the wreckage by the way? I would be very thankful. This is for my book on Sedan…).
3. The war grave commission declared this pilot missing on May 15th 1940.
4. At Lessines, the memorial dedicated to Appleton is base without any evidence as the Hurricane is still buried very deep in the ground. If anybody could add anything on that subject, I would be very thankful.
5. O.R.B. declared F/O Allen missing on May 15th 1940 (over Belgium).
6. But O.R.B. declared missing a second time May 18th 1940.
So this is a nightmare! We have 3 information saying one thing (shot down 14th or 15th May) and the ORB giving another date (18th May). There are no details of patrols in May. In June, it is different. The mention saying F/O Allen was missing on May 18th is very strange: did the squadron receive that day the confirmation of this death on May 15th and get confused? If anybody has anything to add…

For P/O Appleton, we have:
1. A crash site near Tournai of a single engine aircraft with this number “R263”: pilot burnt and buried close. Then the grave simply disappeared: missing…
2. P/O Appleton was shot down with this Hurricane “P2635”
3. This pilot is missing indeed…
Those two numbers “P2635” and “R263” are quite similar. I wait for September to find pieces for identification of the type and the factory. If it matched with P2635, it would be a good match.

For Neuvilly:
1. This Hurricane is No. P3533.
2. There is no sign of the pilot in my report.
3. Date 18th may 1940
I have not identified the pilot of this Hurricane. But you say a missing pilot was found there. This is interesting. Could you give me the type of source and what does this source say exactly? For myself I have this only source I gave you in my last message. That is all…

Voilà… Let’s hope some people will add some more useful information…

On avance petit à petit, c'est le principal...