Missing airman : RAF matricule 48949

[arnaud]

Bonjour

I wonder if someone could identify this RAF matricule No. 48949 shot down in an aircraft whith this No. "R263" or something : aircraft shot down on May 14th 1940 near Tournai Belgium

Source : local archive.

Thank you

[Andy Saunders]

On 14 May we have Hurricane P2635 of 79 Sqn lost east of Renaix.

However, the service number (matricule) of its pilot, P/O L L Appleton was 40497.

Could it be that fire/crash damage had made the P seem like an R, and perhaps the matricule was similary difficult to read?

Arnaud - I will try to look at your other query later.

[arnaud]

Bonjour Andy,

This is a good possibility indeed. I will wait for a week any other possibilities given by readers.

I will keep you and readers in touch with my further investigations.

For the other case, it could be P/O Hallifax's Hurricane (May 15th 1940) No. N2422 of No. 3 Squadron : pilot baled out and was taken prisoner.

Thank you

[rafcommands]

According to the Online London Gazette the service number was issued to R K Ray.

However it was not in use in the 1940s.

P/O N D Hallifax was service number 33404

Regards
Ross

[paulmcmillan]

What Ross means when he says not in use in 1940's was that it was not allocated in 1940...

It was in London Gazette in 1942 when 562276 Richard Knox RAY was commisioned and allocated a new Service Number 48949

[arnaud]

Bonjour,

Thank you very much for giving the name of this Service Number, I have searched it for a long time without success. Thank you again…

Obviously this Service Number recorded in the local archive is wrong. I guess the person who wrote it down during the war had some difficulties to read it.

Andy gave a good match, but let’s wait for other possibilities. I do some further investigations.

Wait and see

See you later

[ClinA-78]

Lew Appleton is still missing, crashed most probably in the Lessines area.
The crashsite should be in a swampy land near/under an highway.

[arnaud]

Bonjour ClinA-78,

Yes! I think there is in Lessines a little memorial on the bridge over that motorway, isn't it ?

Do you or does anyone know how people identify this Hurricane and pilot?

Bon vol à tous

[ClinA-78]

Hello Arnaud,

You are right. Don't know how rightly they identify him.

[arnaud]

Dear ClinA-78,

I have found a witness for the Hurricane shot down at Lessines saying he saw in a lying helmet found on the ground "Allen" for, I suppose, F/O Allen, 39840, missing, 15/05/1940, in Hurricane No. P2701.

Could anybody explain why they identify this pilot as Appleton?
Could anybody add anything about F/O Allen loss?

Bon vol à tous