103 SQ Battle Losses during the Phoney War

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

The EOE Working Group is working on Battle losses on the continent through the end of the WC of 1940. Right now we are seeking photo sources for the following 103 SQ Battle incidents during the Phoney War period. I also need full first names and crew positions for the people listed. Can anyone help?

27 September 1939: Battle K9271. First attacked by French Curtiss H-75s then severely damaged by Bf109s of JGr.152 during photo-reconnaissance over the frontier between Bouzonville and the Rhine. Forced-landed on one wheel near Rohrbach 1.40 p.m. Flying Officer A. L. Vipan unhurt. Sergeant J.H. Vickers critically injured; died of wounds 5.10.39. AC1 J. E. Summers unhurt. Aircraft PM*G a write-off.
Sergeant Vickers, who was buried in the French Military Cemetery at St. Louis Les Bitche, was decorated with the French Medaille Militaire, the first such award to a member of the BEF. He was later reinterred in Choloy War Cemetery.

25 March 1940: Battle K9269. Returned to Bétheniville tail and port wing damaged by AA fire during leaflet raid on Frankfurt 1.10 a.m. Sergeant C. D. Perry, Sergeant Davison, and AC A. R. Layfield unhurt. Aircraft repairable.

26 March 1940: Battle P2256. Hit trees on take-off for night bombing exercise over the ranges at St-Hilaire-le-Grand. Crashed into woods near Moronvilliers and burned out 10.15 p.m. Pilot Officer I. P. Hinton, Sergeant D. C. Findlay and AC2 J. A. Sharpe killed. Aircraft a write-off.

Regards,

[Andy Saunders]

Arthur Lushington VIPAN.

Not sure if I have any others....though casualties should be available from CWGC.

[Martin Gleeson]

Hallo Larry,
.
Unfortunately, as you doubtless know by now, 103 Squadron is the least well recorded Fairey Battle squadron. Sorry to report I know of no photos for any of these three Battle losses, but hopefully some will surface soon.
.
K9271 The crew were;
F/O Arthur Lushington Vipan 39191 Pilot (KIFA 16-10-1944)
(first names confirmed on London Gazette and CWGC websites)
Sgt.(Obs.) John Henry Vickers 516606 Observer
(first names on CWGC website)
AC1 John Ernest Summers 534586 WOp/AG
(Summers flew operationally with 103 Sqn. from September 1939 to at least July 1940. He was awarded the DFM for consistant and gallant service, including shooting down a Bf 109 during September 1939. The DFM was dated 26 May 1940 and recorded in the London Gazette on 5 November 1940. All the details for Summer came thanks to 'Douglas' and 'Amrit' on the RAF Commands forum last night.)
Crew positions are extrapolated from the order of the crew names in the 103 Sqn. ORB (AIR 27/813), and also from the ranks given for Vickers (CWGC website) and Summers.
.
K9269
Sgt.(Pilot) Charles David Perry 561615 Pilot (KIA 14-6-1940)
(By an amazing coincidence CD Perry features prominently in a thread titled 'Five Would Be Pilots' on the RAF Commands forum, including a post by his grandson. Last night it was directly under my appeal for information on Summers ! See http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/sho...ould-be-pilots )
Sgt. ? Davison Observer
AC(sic) A.R. Layfield WOp/AG
I cannot find any more detailed - or indeed subsequent - mention of Davison or Layfield (with the exception of the May 14th mission) in the 103 Sqn. ORB up to the end of July 1940. I do not have a copy beyond that date but one or both men might appear again before the end of that year. No 'Layfields' were lost in the RAF during WW2 according to the CWGC website.
.
P2256
P/O Ian Percival Hinton 40592 Pilot
(first names confirmed on London Gazette and CWGC websites)
Sgt.(Obs.) Duncan Cameron Findlay 565318 Observer
AC2(WOp/AG) John Alexander Sharpe 617513 WOp/AG
(first names for Findlay and Sharpe from the CWGC website. Same comment on the crew positions as per K9271)
.
.
Hope this helps,
.
Martin.

[Pieter H]

Larry,

I have a series of pictures of the No 103 Sqn Battle L5236 PM-M that crashed on March 2, but I suppose you have that one already.

Pieter

[Larry Hickey]

Pieter,

Thanks for your post; yes I do have that photo series in the EOE Photo Data Base.

Regards,

[Larry Hickey]

Andy, Martin & Pieter,

Thanks for your comments. I didn't list No 103 Sqn Battle L5236 PM-M that crashed on March 2 because we have several photos of this crash, but I still need the first names and crew positions for this incident. Martin?

Regards,

[paulmcmillan]

K9269
Sgt.(Pilot) Charles David Perry 561615 Pilot (KIA 14-6-1940)

Note: Techically should be DoW not KIA (14-6-1940) ..

Has annyone seen this

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A3294768

[Larry Hickey]

Paul, et al.

Should have posted this before: I'm actually looking for three first names and crew positions for the March 2, 1940 Battle loss for 103 SQ:

2 March 1940: Battle L5236. Hit a tree and broke up during forced-landing at Chandon, near Amboise, having lost bearings and run low on fuel during night cross-country exercise 3.00 a.m. Flying Officer A. J. Carver broken ankle, LAC Madkins broken wrist, and Sergeant Lloyd fractured skull; all admitted to hospital in Tours-sur-Loire. Aircraft PM*M a write-off.

[Larry Hickey]

Paul,

Thanks for the clarification on Perry, and the reference to the web posting, which I was not familiar with. Excellent info there, which I'm sure will be poured over by our EOE Working Group members dealing with this part of the project. Thanks for sharing that.

Regards,

[Frank Olynyk]

Larry,
According to The Air Force List of May 1940 there was one A J Carver in the RAF in May. Service number 39062, appointed FO on Feb 15, 1940. Name given as Carver, Arthur James.

Enjoy!

Frank.