Info on 103 Fairey Battle losses on the continent during mid-May, 1940

[Iain Torrance]

Peter

No problem, this topic was actually discussed back in 2009 in this Forum on the thread Fairey Battle P21.., 103 Squadron RAF.My comments below.

(Incidentally from memory I think Chorley has the plane IDs and pilots below interchangable. Presumably only the loss date is on the plane records. )

Kind regards

Iain

K9374 is PM-J the Sgt Perry a/c crash landed near Machault very near Betheniville. There are a lot of photos of this plane including Gillet’s Betheniville book. Have also seen photos with attribution bei Machault (zwischen Sedan und Reims)


Perry DFM rec:
PERRY, Charles David (561615) Sergeant (Pilot)
D.F.M. (immediate) London Gazette 14 June 1940
Recommended 18 May 1940

This N.C.O. was seriously wounded by two bullets in the thigh and stomach during a low flying attack against the enemy on 14.5.40. Sgt Perry piloted his aircraft to the vicinity of his base until finding himself fainting he force landed.The action of this N.C.O.showed great courage and stamina.
Sadly he died in England a month later of bullet wounds to the stomach.

P2191 is PM-K the Fitzgerald crash landing. Location is not known to me only that it was in a forward area, possibly in a French Sector.
I have copy of his logbook which confirms P2191, the crash date. And a phoney war photo which ties P2191 to PM-K and there have been recent photos of the crashed PM-K showing the Srl No P2191.

FITZGERALD, Thomas Bernard (40783) Flying Officer (Pilot)
D.F.C. (immediate) London Gazette 14 June1940
Recommendation:

In May, 1940, Flying Officer Fitzgerald carried out a successful and daring low flying attack against the enemy at Sedan. During a second raid a few days later, he was wounded but succeeded in effecting a forced landing and saving the lives of his crew

Fitzgerald was wounded in the arm and evacuated to England. The DFC rec is wrong in refering to lives of his crew - he was flying with only one crew.
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