Hurricane losses of 229.SQ during mAy/June 1940

[Orwell1984]

I think the most likely identification is Hurricane L1802 shot down May 18/1940.
From Battle of France then and now p 312:

Hurricane L1802 Attacked by Bf109s of II.JG 26 north of Cambrai shortly after take off on escort sortie and crashed near Castilon Hill at Mons 3:30 pm Pilot Officer A . M Dillon killed. Aircraft a write-off

The aircraft of Flight Lieutenant Frederick Rosier was also shot down in this attack, exploding and burning. In his memoirs, Be Bold, Rosier describes the attack on page 44:

We scrambled and they clearly had us at a great disadvantage and tried to pick us off as we were taking off. It was at this moment that Pilot Officer Dillon was killed. Somehow I managed to take off, get my wheels up and gain some height.

As the aircraft in the photographs still has its gear down and Dillon was killed during take off and Rosier had to struggle to get his gear up after this attack, it might explain the position of the gear in the picture.

[Faenor]

Hello Mr.Orwell1984,

thanks for info - do yu have more info about 4 losses of 229. SQ Hurricanes from this day? Or do you recommend some book?

Thanks

Faenor

[Orwell1984]

Originally Posted by Faenor

Hello Mr.Orwell1984,

thanks for info - do yu have more info about 4 losses of 229. SQ Hurricanes from this day? Or do you recommend some book?

Thanks

Faenor

My first stop for the 1940 air campaign is still Battle of France then and now.

And so I'll use it to answer your first question !
from BoFTAN p 312 May 18
229 Squadron B Flight

Hurricane P2729 Shot down in combat with Bf109s of II./JG2 between Brussels and Antwerp and possibly that claimed by Lt. Hepe of 5./JG2 11:50 am Pilot Officer M.A. Bussey baled out and captured. Aircraft a write off

Hurricane P2676 Shot down in air combat with Bf109s of II./JG2 between Brussels and Antwerp and possibly that claimed by Fw. Harbauer of 4./JG2 11:57 am Pilot Officer D de C. C. Gower baled out unhurt. Aircraft a write-off.

Hurricane L1802 covered above (Dillon's loss)

Hurricane (no serial) Exploded under attack by Bf109s of II./JG 26 shortly after takeoff at 3:30 pm Flight Lieutenant F. E. Rosier baled out badly burnt, admitted to field hospital in Frevent. Aircraft a write-off.

On a side note I've found the following page useful in tracking down books on particular RAF squadrons.
http://www.aviationarchaeology.org.u...Squadron-books

Hope this helps a bit!

[Faenor]

Hello Mr.Orwell1984,

thanks for reply - book Battle of France then and now is in my library and its really a BIG BOOK :-) Unfortunately, I miss there exact description of the situations that happened - like this one, with 229. SQ - from my knowledge, a part of the squadron was sent to France (common practice after 10 of May 1940) and probably during quick start there was all losses described in your previous reply - a real massacre. Is there info about rest of the squadron during this day (return back to England) ....

Thanks

Faenor

[kaki3152]

Not to cast a doubt on the ID, but I blew up the serial number on the overturned 229 Sq Hurricane and the last number looks suspiciously like a "9".
Picture enclosed. This could possibly be P2729, flown by P/O Bussey.
It's possible that he tried to land after the Bf109 attack and overturned on landing, rather than bailing out.
Another point, is that this forced landing looks survivable.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

The book "12 days in May" describes the above 229 Sqn losses.

Please note that Bussey and Gower were lost in an earlier patrol not related to the latter action that saw Rosier and Dillon being shot down.

The books says that as the last section of three fighters (Flg Off Tommy Rose and Plt Off Barry Sundon of B Flight, 56 Sqn, and Plt Off Tony Dillon of B Flight, 229 Sqn) were becoming airborne, Bf 110s of I./ZG 26 and Bf 109s of II./JG 26 suddenly appeared and began strafing.

Only Sutton survived the attack and reported: "We had just taken off and had barely got our wheels up [please note this - Laurent] when things began to happen. Bullets began blasting and rattling all over the machine [some cut text]. Although we were at only about 300 feet, I whipped over in the beginning of a half-roll [some cut text] I managed to scrape into Vitry. No signs of Tommy and Dillon or the rest of the squadron of of what had attacked us."

According to the book, both Rose and Dillon were pursued by the Messerschmitts and were eventually shot down and killed; the former's Hurricane (N2439) came down at Brebières and the latter's (L1802) at Castillon Hill, near Mons. Pilots of I./ZG 26 claimed two Hurricanes shot down.

The book continues by saying that other climbing Hurricanes were engaged by II./JG 26. Rosier of B Flight, 229 Sqn was flying one of these [L1242 according to the book, but BofTN is a latter work so Peter Cronwell probably rejected this serial for some reason], and bailed out after his fighter was set on fire. Two other pilots of 253 Sqn were also shot down and baled out, and one pilot of 111 Sqn was killed.

[kaki3152]

And one more picture