Traces of World War 2 
RAF - No. 139 Squadron
10/05/1940 - 30/06/1940

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139 SQUADRON - Bomber, Bristol Blenheim Mk. IV
A.A.S.F., BEF

History | Operations and losses | Sources | Links | Books | Questions and/or remarks



At the beginning of the the war it was equipped with Blenheims and flew the first RAF sortie to cross the German frontier; and it won one of the first two decorations of the war.

After duty in France (during which it suffered very heavy casualties) the squadron returned to England, re-formed, and subsequently made many attacks on fringe targets in NW Europe - including the invasion ports - and many anti-shipping sweeps.

See also: John Smith, Retreat from France, BBC WW2, People's War.

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Operations and losses 10/05/1940 - 30/06/1940
Not all operations listed; those with losses are.

12/05/1940: Maastricht-Tongres, NL and B. 7 planes lost, 11 KIA, 4 MIA, 2 POW
14/05/1940: Sedan, F. 4 Planes lost, 4 KIA, 3 MIA
16/05/1940
: Montherme, F. 1 Plane lost, 3 KIA

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Losses 01/01/1940 - 09/05/1940 (incomplete)

Sergeant (Pilot) Norman J. Price, RAF 565189, 139 Sqdn., age 25, 14/03/1940, Mazargues War Cemetery, Marseilles, France
Sergeant Roy J. Stanley, RAF 580570, 139 Sqdn., age unknown, 14/03/1940, Mazargues War Cemetery, Marseilles, France

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12/05/1940: Maastricht-Tongres, NL and B

At dawn the British air commander sent off nine A.A.S.F. Blenheims of No. 139 Squadron to attack a column on the road from Maastricht to Tongres. Running into the swarms of fighters previously reported over the area, they lost all but two of their number—a disaster which ended the life of the A.A.S.F. Blenheims as a useful force before it had begun, for the other squadron (No. 114) had been virtually destroyed on its airfield the previous day.

The German fighter pilot Walter Adolph (1913-1941) of 2./JG 1 shot down three Blenheims of 139 Squadron on this day.

Type: Bristol Type 142M/L, Blenheim Mk.1/1V
Serial number: L9416, XD-?
Operation: Maastricht
Lost: 12/05/1940 (1 POW)
Flying Officer N.E.W. Pepper (DFC), evaded
Sergeant T.E. Hyde, evaded
Aircraftman Hill, inj, PoW
L9416 was one of seven No.139 Sqdn Blenheims lost on this operation. Airborne 0500 from Plivot briefed to bomb and strafe troop columns advancing out of the Dutch city of Maastricht (Limburg) and advancing towards Tongeren (Limburg), Belgium. Flying Officer N.E.W. Pepper (DFC) and Sergeant T.E. Hyde evaded the Germans. Aircraftman Hill was injured and confined in a hospital due to injuries. No PoW No.

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Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk.1V
Serial number: N6219, XD-?
Operation: Maastricht
Lost: 12/05/1940 (2 KIA, 1 POW)
Flying Officer G.E. Grey-Smith, PoW
Sergeant Phillip C. Gray, RAF 580511, 139 Sqdn., age unknown, 12/05/1940, missing
Sergeant Cyril Taylor, RAF 530913, 139 Sqdn., age 23, 12/05/1940, missing
Airborne 0500 from Plivot, briefed to bomb and strafe enemy troop columns advancing from Maastricht towards Tongeren. Shot down by Me109s. Flying Officer G.E. Grey-Smith was hospitalised due injuries. No PoW No. He survived the war.

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Type: Blenheim M.1V
Serial number: N6215, XD-?
Operation: Maastricht
Lost: 12/05/1940 (3 KIA)
Flying Officer Andrew McPherson, RAF 39200, DFC, 139 Sqdn., age 22, 12/05/1940, Heverlee War Cemetery, B
Sergeant Francis W. Gregory, RAF 580512, 139 Sqdn., age 23, 12/05/1940, Heverlee War Cemetery, B
Leading Aircraftman (W. Op. [Air]) Hubert F. Over, RAF 551639, 139 Sqdn., age 19, 12/05/1940, Heverlee War Cemetery, B
Airborne 0500 from Plivot, briefed to bomb and strafe enemy troop columns advancing from Maastricht towards Tongeren. Shot down by Me109s near Lanaken (Limburg), Belgium.

N6215 was the Blenheim that carried out Bomber Command's first operational sortie of the war on 3Sep39. Airborne within an hour of war being declared and operating at 20,000 feet, the crew spotted a number of capital ships with a heavy destroyer escort. Unfortunately, its W/T warning message was completely garbled and no action was taken. The crew on this epic occasion was: F/O A.McPherson.....as above; Cmdr Thompson RN and Cpl Arrowsmith "

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Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk.1V
Serial number: N6216, XD-B
Operation: Maastricht
Lost: 12/05/1940 (2 KIA, 1 MIA)
Squadron Leader William I. Scott, RAF 34225, 139 Sqdn., age unknown, 12/05/1940, Rekem Communal Cemetery, B
Sergeant Thomas W. Davis, RAF 580509, 139 Sqdn., age 22, 12/05/1940, missing
Leading Aircraftman (Air Gnr.) William A. McFadden, RAF 545595, 139 Sqdn., age unknown, 12/05/1940, Rekem Communal Cemetery, B
Airborne 0500 from Plivot briefed to bomb and strafe troop columns advancing out of Maastricht towards Tongeren. Shot down by Me109s near Rekem (Limburg), on the W bank of the Maas, 25 km E of Hasselt, Belgium.

Rekem Communal Cemetery contains the graves of eight airmen of the Second World War, one of whom is unidentifed. It is possible that Sgt Davis is the unidentified one; the other five graves are those of a crew of a plane of 10 Squadron, which flew in 1941 in Armstrong Whitworth Whitley's (crew 5) and Halifaxes (crew 4-7).

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Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk.1V
Serial number: N6229, XD-?
Operation: Maastricht
Lost: 12/05/1940 (3 KIA)
Sergeant (Pilot) Tom C.R. Harrison, RAF 580203, 139 Sqdn., age 25, 12/05/1940, Heverlee War Cemetery, B.
Sergeant (Obs.) Norman S.D. Jones, RAF 580417, 139 Sqdn., age unknown, 12/05/1940, Heverlee War Cemetery, B
Leading Aircraftman (W.Op.[Air]) Harold T. Garbett, RAF 533153, 139 Sqdn., age 24 jaa, 12/05/1940, Heverlee War Cemetery, B
Airborne 0500 from Plivot, briefed to bomb and strafe enemy troop columns advancing from Maastricht towards Tongeren. Cause of loss not established.

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Type: Bristol Type 142L, Blenheim Mk.1V
Serial number: P4826, XD-?
Operation: Maastricht
Lost: 12/05/1940 (3 MIA)
Flight Lieutenant Andrew W. Lee, RAF 37323, 139 Sqdn., age unknown, 12/05/1940, missing
Sergeant Joseph B. Keegan, RAF 580581, 139 Sqdn., age unknown, 12/05/1940, missing
Leading Aircraftman Charles C. Child, RAF 541344, 139 Sqdn., age 20, 12/05/1940, missing
Airborne 0500 from Plivot, briefed to bomb and strafe enemy troop columns advancing from Maastricht towards Tongeren. Lost without trace. They are all commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

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Type: Bristol Type 142L, Blenheim Mk.1V
Serial number: P4923, XD-?
Operation: Maastricht
Lost: 12/05/1940 (1 KIA, 2 escaped)
Leading Aircraftman John Rooney, RAF 544996, 139 Sqdn., age 20, 12/05/1940, Herstal (Rhees) Communal Cemetery, B
Airborne 0500 from Plivot, briefed to bomb and strafe enemy troop columns advancing from Maastricht towards Tongeren. Shot down at Herstal-Rhees (Liège), on the NE outskirts of Liège, Belgium. The other crew members, Squadron Leader T.G. Tideman and Sergeant Hale made it back to own lines.


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14/05/1940: Sedan

The events of 14th May determined both of the A.A.S.F. and of the campaign. The French High Command called for a supreme effort at Sedan, where the ground forces massing for counter-attack had been rudely scattered. Arrangements were accordingly made for the whole strength of the Allied bombers in France to be hurled against the Sedan bridgehead in a series of waves, and soon after noon the few French aircraft available went into action. Attacking bridges and columns of troops, they suffered losses so severe that their remaining operations for the day were cancelled.

Then came the turn of the A.A.S.F. Between 1500 and 1600 hours the entire force of 71 available Battles and Blenheims was flung against the same objectives. But the Me.109's absent in the morning, were now on guard. No. 12 Squadron lost four aircraft out of five; No. 105 Squadron, six out of eleven; No. 150 Squadron, four out of four; No. 139 Squadron, four out of six; No. 218 Squadron, ten out of eleven. In all, from the seventy-one bombers which took off, forty did not return. No higher rate of loss in an operation of comparable size has even been experienced by the Royal Air Force.

Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk. IV
Serial number: N6230, XD-?
Operation: Sedan
Lost: 14/05/1940
Pilot Officer James O. Power, RAF 40850, 139 Sqdn., age unknown, 14/05/1940, missing
Sergeant Douglas T. Stuart-Harris, RAF 580593, 139 Sqdn., age 20, 14/05/1940, missing
Aircraftman 1st Class Walter Parker, RAF 625250, 139 Sqdn., age unknown, 14/05/1940, missing
Airborne Plivot. Lost without trace. They are all commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

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Type: Bristol Type 142L, Blenheim Mk. IV
Serial number: P4827, XD-?
Operation: Sedan
Lost: 14/05/1940
Sgt Brady, evaded?
Sgt Willsher, evaded?
Leading Aircraftman (W. Op./Air Gnr.) Stanley A. Maddox, RAF 551172, 139 Sqdn., age 19, 14/05/1940, La Cassine Communal Cemetery, F
Airborne from Plivot. Cause of loss not established. Crashed at la Cassine (Ardennes), 16 km SSW of Sedan, France.

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Type: Bristol Type 142M/L, Blenheim Mk. IV
Serial number: L9179, XD-?
Operation: Sedan
Lost: 14/05/1940
Flying Officer (Pilot) Reymond H. De Montmorency, RAF 33185, 139 Sqdn., age 23, 14/05/1940, Laneuville-sur-Meuse Communal Cemetery, F
Sergeant (Obs.) Howard B. Wallis, RAF 580532, 139 Sqdn., age 22, 14/05/1940, Laneuville-sur-Meuse Communal Cemetery, F
LAC Victor S.G. Barrow Inj, evaded
Airborne from Plivot. Crashed near Laneuville-sur-Meuse (Meuse), on the left bank of the Meuse, 2 km W of Stenay, France. LAC Victor S.G. Barrow was reported to be in Hospital at Angers (Maine-et-Loire). He died on 01/08/1940, serving with 114 Sqdn and is buried at Bergen-op-Zoom War Cemetery, NL.

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Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk. IV
Serial number: N6223, XD-?
Operation: Sedan
Lost: 14/05/1940
F/O J.H. Newberry, evaded
Sgt Kendrick, evaded
Leading Aircraftman (W.Op. Air) Harold R. Baker, RAF 533587, 139 Sqdn., age 22, 14/05/1940, Choloy War Cemetery, F
Airborne from Plivot. shot down by fighters, W of Sedan (Ardennes), France. LAC Baker died, trapped in the burning aircraft.

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16/05/1940: Montherme

The two Blenheim squadrons (Nos. 114 and 139) of the A.A.S.F. (Advanced Air Striking Force) had between them nine aircraft; these joined the reconnaissance Blenheims of the Component.

Type: Bristol Type 142M/L. Blenheim Mk. IV
Serial number: L9411, XD-?
Operation: Montherme
Lost: 16/05/1940
Pilot Officer (Pilot) Kenneth M.A. De Souza, RAF 41679, 139 Sqdn., age unknown, 16/05/1940, Floing Communal Cemetery, F
Sergeant (Obs.) Edmund W. Tough, RAF 581008, 139 Sqdn., age 23, 16/05/1940, Floing Communal Cemetery, F
Aircraftman 2nd Class (W. Op. Air) William J. McCarthy, RAF 625295, 139 Sqdn., age 23, 16/05/1940, Floing Communal Cemetery, F

Airborne from Plivot. Cause of loss not established. Crashed near Floing (Ardennes), on the E bank of the Meuse river loop, 3 km NW of Sedan, France.

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Sources

Belgian Aviation History Association Archaeological Team
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Lost Bombers
Milestones - Sedan area - 14 th May 1940
Royal Air Force - 139 Squadron
RAF History - Bomber Command
RAF Museum: British Military Aviation in 1940
RAF Order of Battle, France, 10th May 1940
Royal Air Force History Section
The Royal Air Force, 1939-1945
The Second World War - a day by day account

The War in France and Flanders, 1939-1940
War over Holland

Books

W.R. Chorley, Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War, Volume 1, 1939/40, Midland Counties Publications, ISBN 0 904597 85 7
Joe Patient 'Pilot - a tale of high adventure' (Leo Cooper ISBN 0 85052 544 6)
D H Sutcliffe 'Airborne Over Burma' (Sutcliffe 1988)
Chris Ward '139 Squadron' (Bomber Command Profile no. 46)
Woolridge 'Low attack: the story of two Mosquito squadrons 1940-43' (Crecy 1993)

Links

Allied World War II Casualties in the Netherlands
Battle-of-Britain.com
British Aviation Archaeological Council - Books and research links
CWGC Cemeteries Netherlands
The National Ex-Prisoners of War Association
Pilotfriend.com: aircraft of WW2
RAF Battle of Britain
De Slag om de Grebbeberg (Dutch)
Warbird Alley
www.bomber-command.de

The Aerodrome - Aces and Aircraft of World War 1


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This page is dedicated to the men of 139 Squadron.

© Bart FM Droog / Rottend Staal Online 2008. Permission granted for use of the data gathered here for non commercial purposes, if this source is mentioned with a link to http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/index.html