Civil Airliner losses Battle of France

[paulmcmillan]

I have dug out the following from AB Impressments file (baring in mind info now 50 years old)

ARMSTRONG WHITWORTH A.W.27 ENSIGN I
Twelve Ensigns were used by N.A.C. from September 1939 until June 1940. During the evacuation from France three Ensigns were lost : G-ADSZ ' Elysian ' was attacked by the Me 109s and destroyed by fire at Merville on 23.5.40. G-ADTA ' Euryalus ' was returning from Merville soon after the destruction of 'DSZ when it was fired on by German ground units. Two engines put out of action and the Ensign limped into Lympne and crash-landed. G-ADSX ' Ettrick ' was abandoned at Le Bourget A/P on June 1st after a severe air raid had rendered the airliner unserviceable.
Two Ensigns, G-ADST ' Elsinore ' and G-ADTB ' Echo ', were delivered to No. 24 Sqn. at Hendon from Birchan Newton on 11.5.40 and were attached to ' E ' Flight. They retained their civilian status and were returned to B.O.A.C. towards the end of 1940.

DOUGLAS DC-E (Dakota)
Two DC3s of Sabena, 00-AUH and 'AUI, escaped to the U.K. in May 1940 and were taken over by the RAF. There are conflicting stories concerning their fate and the offical Air Ministry one is, in our opinion, the least likely. They claim that both aircraft were returned to Sabena and during February 1942 they left the U.K. for the Belgian Congo, but something went wrong en-route and they were interned by the Vichy authorities.

Their more likely stories are detailed below.

2093 OO-AUH Nil 11.5.40. S.A.B.E.N.A. Delivered to No. 24 Sqn. on the 11th from Speke and used by "E" Flight. Returned to Sabena in June and flown to Algiers where it was interned on August 27th 1940 by Vichy France. Most likely taken over by the Germans in 1942 and flown by
Lufthasa in civil markings.

2098 00-AUI Nil 11.5.40. S.A.B.E.N.A. Delivered to No. 24 Sqn on the
11th from Speke and attached to "E" Flight. On the morning of May 23rd, OO-AUI was being loaded with food and ammunition at Croydon, in company with five Ensigns and two S.73s, for isolated troops at Merville,
France. The formation arrived safely at their destination, but during the unloading they were attacked by two Bf 109s; one Ensign was destroyed and the engines of one S.73 were made u/s by cannon shells. The remaining aircraft took-off and flew back towards the U.K., but were fired at by ground units en route and both the S.73 and OO-AUI were shot down near Calais.

SAVOIA-MARCHETTI S.73
The S.73 had accommodation for a crew of four and eighteen passengers. Of Italian design, it followed the current Continental trend towards three engines and monoplane wing. The first five delivered to the Belgian airline SABENA were Italian built, but in 1936/137 seven S.73's were built under licence in Belgium by S.A.B.C.A. for SABENA.
Seven managed to escape to the U.K. in May 1940 and were taken over by the RAF. OO-AGL, 'GO, 'GQ and 'CS were powered by three Gnome-et-Rhone K.9s, while OO-AGX. 'GY and 'G2 had been re-engined with Wrigbt
Cyclone GR.1820-G.2 motors.

30001 OO-AGL Nil 11.5.40. S.A.B.E.N.A. Delivered to No. 271 Sqn. on the 12th and returned to SABENA on the 31st. lnterned by the Vichy authorities in Algiers on 22.9.40 and not heard of again.

30005 OO-AGO Nil 11.5.40. S.A.B.E.N.A. Delivered to No, 271 Sqn. on the 12th and returned to SABENA on the 31st. Interned by the Vichy authorities while en route for the Congo on 22.9.40.

OO-AGQ Nil 11.5.40. S.A.B.E.N.A. Delivered to No. 271 Sqn, on tbe
12th and returned to SABENA on the 31st. OO-AGQ disappeared during the war and was probably interned by the Vichy authorities along with 'AGL

OO-AGS Nil 11.5.40. S.A.B.E.N.A. Delivered to No. 271 Sqn. on the 12th (May 1940) and was shot down near Calais, while flying back from Merville, on 23.5.40. (See under DC-3 for full story.)

OO-AGX NU 11.5.40. S.A.B.E.N.A. Delivered to No. 24 Sqn. from Speke the same day and attached to "E" E'lt. Went missing at 19.00 hrs. from France on 23.5.40 and was SOC on the 27th.

OO-AGY Nil 14.5.40. S.A.B.E.N.A. Delivered to No. 24 Sqn on the 15th and attached to "E" Flt. Went missing at 19.00 his. from France on 23.5.40 and was SOC on the 27th.

OO-AGZ NI1 11.5.40. S.A.B.E.N.A. Delivered to No. 24 Sqn from Speke that same day and attached to "E" Flt. Captured by the Germans at Merville, France, after being damaged by a strafing Bf 109 on 23.5.40.

I note that more inconsitences on this - Mentions 2 S.73 going to Merville but there are 4 losses (OO-AGS, OO-AGX, OO-AGY, OO-AGZ) on 23.5.40!

I would be interested to see what Colin Cummings book on Transport losses during WW2 has on this subject