[Observer1940]

Hello Martin and Peter

Thanks, there is a lot more information on some, details about what was damaged, several references to bail-outs etc. I have rechecked the list against photos and made a few slight corrections, the main one being the Oxford a/c noted in the amendment box.

Only a few have "enemy action", but many have all sorts of reasons such as striking obstructions etc., etc. A few are quite detailed as to damage, several just reporting the occurrence. Most are non-injury, or slight injury.

Some years ago, I found lists of recovered aircraft (Type and RAF Serial) and visits of Crash Inspectors, with the place given (mostly nearest town, village) for 1940, so I photocopied some of these 49MU ORB pages. I enquired with the RAF Museum to find any corresponding Accident Cards or Forced Landing Cards and came to the conclusion that some F.L. or Accident Cards must have been withheld from filming, squirelled away somewhere, or been lost. The Spitfire accidents seem to be represented the worst on the microfilm.

It would appear from other TNA, Kew, files that some RAF Fighter losses suggested as 'enemy action' by some, were originally classed as accidents (having an aviation cause, some probably exacerbated by war flying stresses/conditions). Although the fighter had been in action, there were no bullets lodged in the crashed aircaft, nor any holes found.

Mark