Seeking info & photos of Blenheim L9185 of 18 SQ that FL at Wimereux, France on 21 May 1940

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

For the EoE Project, I'm trying to determine if photos exist of this Blenheim which FL at Wimereux about 5 km N of Boulogne, France on 21 May. In addition to photos of the FL a/c, we're seeking information on the possibility that it was accidentally shot down by a British 610 Squadron pilot.

Who can help with either issue?

[Bertrand H]

Hi Larry,

This one ? Given as lost close Wimereux.

An old auction (2009).

Bertrand

[Larry Hickey]

Bertrand H.

Thanx for sending this. I have several photos of this Blenheim in the EoE Photo DB, but none show a clear SN. Your clue that this is close to Wimereux may just be the clue we need to confirm its identity with the one we are seeking.

[Pieter H]

Hi Larry & Bertrand,

I have two copies of this picture. On one a vague code is visible, which I've tried to photo-edit to make it clearer.
I can see L918, but then the last number is a problem.
The lower part is round, but to be fair the central and upperpart more ressemble an 8 or 6 than a 5.
But hopefully it helps.

Regards, Pieter

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

Pieter, you editing work on the SN of WVoN is very helpful. What you're reporting is exactly what Peter Cornwell is seeing. That last digit is problematic for L9185, which is the accepted SN for the Blenheim lost at Wimereux on 21 May. We've checked a lot of our resources and can find no other photo that shows the SN of this FL a/c. There are three photos of it in the ECPA collection, including most of the starboard side, but alas none show a SN. To settle this, we badly need a better photo of that SN on WVoN. Does anyone have such a photo? We'd really like to settle this one.

[andy bird]

Hi Larry,

Stupid question, but I guess you've the Accident Cards and Movement Cards relating to L9185 ?

From the early typed notes I have from the late Graham Warner: "No. 610 Squadron shot down Blenheim L9185 pilot thought it was a Junkers 88, crash landed, crew safe."

Also as the unit it still operational at RAF Odiham, they may still (as many do) retain unit photo albums.

Regards
Andy Bird

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

Andy et. al.

Thanx for the additional comments. Peter Cornwell has just accepted that the photo posted by Bertrand Hugot, and others we have--three from the ECPA-D Collection--, do, in fact, show L9185, WVoN down at Wimereux, France, on 21 May 1940. The last number of the SN shown in the Pieter Hooijmans enlargement is still not entirely clear, but after Martin Gleeson did a thorough review of the four possibilities for the other SN used by the SQ, this is the only conclusion that makes sense. Peter also accepts the info that it was accidentally shot down by a Spitfire flown by Sq.Ldr A.L. Franks of 610 SQ.

So this one is solved, although eventually it is hoped that a clear photo of the SN L9185 on this a/c will eventually surface to further confirm this.

If anyone has copies of photos that would help tell the story of this incident, including from the referenced 610 SQ photo albums, your help with this would be appreciated.

My appreciation to you all for your efforts. Truly a team effort to solve this one.