WW2 Sabena-planes shot down May 1940 in France

[fredcompa]

Hello to you!
I'm trying to find out some information about :
1. a SAVOIA S73 00-AGS of the 272 RAF Sqdn, shot down May 25,1940 France

2.a Douglas DC3 00-AUH of the RAF 24 Sqdn, shot down May 23,1940, France.
Both planes were Belgian SABENA-planes.
Many thanks in advance for your kind help!
Fred

[Brian]

Hi Fred

What information do you actually seek? I may be able to help.

Cheers
Brian

[fredcompa]

Hallo Brian ! Thanks for your quick response!
What we need is the information about the cause, crews, shot down by..., where etc. We have very few info on this two planes.
Your help would be highly appreciated !
Thanks in advance!
Fred

[Leendert]

Fred,

There's some info about OO-AGS on the website epibreren.com:

On the 23rd May, some of the Squadron's SM.73P's and civil airliners had landed at Merville, in France, to deliver stores, but while there the airfield was strafed by a formation of Bf-109's, destroying an Ensign and damaging an SM.73P. When the remainder of these aircraft flew back to Britain, they were fired on near Calais and an SM.73P was lost.

Type: SM.73P
Serial number: ?, OO-AGS
Operation: flight Merville, F-England
Lost: 23/05/1940
Pilot Officer (Pilot) John R. McLaren, RAFVR 78975, 271 Sqdn., age 26, 23/05/1940, St. Pol War Cemetery, France.
Ex-Sabena aircraft, more or less "impressed" by the R.A.F. and used by No. 271 Squadron from Doncaster. After having taken off from Merville airfield, OO-AGS was shot down by Bf-109s. Belgian flight engineer Armand Peeters (Sabena) jumped from the planes seconds only before she crashed and survived. Belgian airline pilot Victor Moreau (SabenaA) was also killed in the crash.

Groet,

Leendert

[Leendert]

Fred,

Please note that the DC-3 lost on 23 May 1940 was not OO-AUH, but OO-AUI.
This DC-3 was lost near Calais.

OO-AUH ended up in Algeria (Vichy France), went to the Italians, and then to Germany as D-ATZP, only to be destroyed in May 1945.

Meanwhile from the same website epibreren.com:

23/05/1940: ?, France

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
Over Calais 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.

Groet,

Leendert

[Brian]

Hi Fred

Leendert beat me to it!! Thanks Leendert.

Leendert - any comment re the Thornley enquiry (see my post) shot down near Tombeek?

Cheers
Brian