Civil Airliner losses Battle of France

[paulmcmillan]

Martin

I have the following from various sources

CHARTIER Raymond Emille Serial Number 258/2226 of Belgian Air Force Pilot rank 1 Sgt: Unit 24 Sqn. RAF SABENAi n service Date of Death 23/05/1940
Type: DC3
Serial number: OO-AUI
Operation:
Lost: 23/05/1940
Sergeant (Pilot) Raymond Chartier (Belgium), BAF (VR), servicenr 258/2226, initially buried at Arcques, exhumed and reinterred 5-9-1950 at Ixelles, Belgium.
Plt Off Benson Freeman - PoW
Captain John M.H. Hoare, British Overseas Airways Corporation, age unknown, 23/05/1940, Arques Churchyard, France
Aircraft was over Calais and it was hit by anti-aircraft and part of the left wing was torn off. The pilot (Raymond Chartier) made a forced landing near Arques. The navigator was killed and two of the passengers wounded, while Chartier was shot by German troops as he tried to reach French lines. The remaining passengers were taken prisoner including Plt Off Benson Freeman of 24 Squadron. The engineer, Piet Vrebos, survived the crash of OO-AUI. The German troops took him POW, but released him and sent him at home because he was a civilian.
Captain Hoare was the skipper of Armstrong Whitworth Ensign G-ADSZ ""Elysean"". This machine was straffed on the ground at Merville by Bf-109s earlier that day. So Hoare was a passenger on this aircraft to return to U.K.

Navigator/Pilot:
MOREAU Victor Pilot Rank: 1 Sgt 271 Sqn. RAF SABENA in Service V Date of Death "25/05/1940 "

I note all the inconsistences now.. two different Sqns and 2 diffferent dates and different name of Engineer! which may indicate the two losses have become mixed up OO-AUI (DC3) and OO-AGS (S.73)