Fairey Battle crash in Channel

[Chris Goss]

I have just obtained a photo of a Battle which has come down in the sea (on the reverse it says Dunkirk 1940). According to Peter C, there are a number of photos which is of a 142 Sqn ac. BofF T&N only has 142's Battles crashing on land unless it is either L5503 or L5582 lost attacking Boulogne 22 Aug 40. Does anyone have any thoughts?

[andy bird]

Hi Chris,

I've got the AM Daily Reports for June on my desk so will check.

Kind Regards

Andy Bird

[Chris Goss]

Thanks Andy

[andy bird]

Hi Chris,

This probably doesn't help, will carry on checking.

AB

Daily Report Dated 17 June 1940. Page No. 8

British Air Forces in France.

No reports have been received from the period ended 18.00 hours 15th June.

Organisational Changes.
The following Battle Squadrons have landed without loss at ABINGDON from France:
Nos. 12, 83, 103, 142, 150 and 226

[Chris Goss]

Thanks Andy. As you say, no help here!

[Iain Torrance]

Most likely to be a 142 Squadron plane lost on the raid - post BofF -noted in this thread. Photos of this plane of German and French origin regularly crop up and the codes are definitely Q[T] - L, the T not visible and serial number never seen. Up beach shots give a background that is, I understand, consistent with Boulogne. I have no idea which of the two Battles lost it might be & have not researched it.

Of course can't be sure if it is that plane without seeing your photo.

Kind regards

Iain

[Chris Goss]

Thanks Iain. Things have moved on since my post & I am positive that the photo is of one of the 2 lost off Boulogne 23 Aug 40

[Martin Gleeson]

I have just carried out a detailed check of the 142 Squadron ORB (F540 and F541) for August 1940. I also used relevant sections from the Eastchurch (AIR 28/243) and Detling (AIR 28/192) ORBs, plus the Detling Appendices (AIR 28/193). There is still one set of Delting Appendices (AIR 28/195, mission narratives) that I would like to view but believe there is enough evidence to identify the individual letters for the two Battles lost on 23 August 1940. These are;

L5503 (Mid. Taylor), 'QT-L'
L5582 (Sgt. Pearce), 'QT-J'

All the missions and sorties for August 1940 are recorded in standard format on the F541 with aircraft serial, crew names, times, outcomes but no aircraft letter. There are also two non-standard F541 pages which duplicate several of the missions. These have the aircraft letter but no serial or crew names ! Although certain details in the narrative of each sortie vary slightly one can match the letters given in the non-standard F541 pages to those of the serials/crews in the standard format F541.

Hope this helps,

Martin.

[Chris Goss]

Great work Martin. I suspected as much as the photo shows a parachute snagged on the rear of the cockpit & 2 of this crew were pow 1 missing?
Chris

[Larry Hickey]

Chris,

Does your photo actually show QToL, L5503, down in the sea, or rather on the beach, with the rear fuselage severed. There are several photos of L5503 showing it on the beach in this condition.

Regards,