3 SQUADRON - Fighter, Hawker Hurricane Mk I
63 (Fighter Wing) - No 3 and No 79 Sqdn 9
History | Losses | Sources | Links | Books | Questions and/or remarks
No 3 Sqn received Hurricanes just as the Second World War started at Biggin Hill. A brief stint as part of the BEF in France was followed by relocation to Scotland on night-patrol duties.
Over the winter and spring of 1939-40 it was retained the Great Britain, but when the great German offensive began on 10 May 1940, No. 3 Squadron was one of several extra units rushed to France. Ten days later the squadron was back in the U.K., having lost 18 Hurricanes (almost its entire strength) during the collapse.
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Losses 01/01/1940 - 30/06/1940
11/03/1940, Exercise, UK. 1 Plane lost, 1 KIA
10/05/1940: Patrol, F and UK. 2 Planes lost
13/05/1940: Patrol, F. 3 Planes lost, 2 KIA, 1 POW (DOW)
14/05/1940: Patrol, F. 4 Planes lost, 1 KIA, 1 WIA
15/05/1940: Patrol, B. 4 Planes lost, 1 KIA, 1 MIA, 1 POW
16/05/1940: Patrol, F. 1 Plane lost, 1 MIA
17/05/1940: Patrol, F. 2 Planes lost, 1 WIA
18/05/1940: Patrol, F. 1 Planes lost
19/05/1940: Patrol, F. 1 Planes lost
04/06/1940: 1 DOW in captivity (see 13/05/1940)
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11/03/1940, Exercise, UK
Type: Hurricane Mk 1
Serial number: L2123, QO-?
Operation: Exercise
Lost: 11/03/1940
Sergeant (Pilot) Ernest H. Lomax, RAF 512633, 3 Sqdn., age 28, 11/03/1940, Edgware (St. Margaret) Churchyard, UK.
Carried out dummy attack on a Lysander and crashed Folkstone Golf course, Kent.
Sources: CWGC and Henk Welting on RAF Commands Forum: Sgt E.H. Lomax
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10/05/1940: Patrol
Type: Hurricane Mk 1
Serial number: L1923, QO-?
Operation: Patrol, Lille
Lost: 10/05/1940
F/O Raymond Lines-Roberts - safe
Took off from Merville. Engine damaged by return fire from He 111 of I./KG27 engaged over Lille. Crashed in dead-stick landing in forest near Fieffe. 21.30 hrs. See 13/05/1940
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Type: Hurricane Mk 1
Serial number: N2333, QO-?
Operation: Patrol
Lost: 10/05/1940
F/O A.R. Ball - safe
Took off from Merville. 'Dickie' Ball bailed out his plane at 22.30 hrs, unable to find an aerodrome after attack on He 111 over Lille. Location: St. Margaret's Bay, near Dover RDF Station.
Sources: Peter D. Cornwell, The Battle of France, Then and Now, 2008; Norman L.R. Franks, Fighter Command Losses, Vol 1, 1939-1941, Second edition, Midland, 2008
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13/05/1940: Patrol, F
Type: Hurricane Mk 1
Serial number: N2654, QO-?
Operation: Patrol
Lost: 13/05/1940
Flying Officer (Pilot) Wilfred S.C. Adams, RAF 27100, 3 Sqdn., age 33, 13/05/1940 Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres, F
Collided with aircraft of F/O Lines Roberts. Both planes exploded, at 18.00
hrs.
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Type: Hurricane Mk 1
Serial number: N2653, QO-?
Operation: Patrol
Lost: 13/05/1940
Flying Officer (Pilot) Raymond B. Lines Roberts, RAF 39883, 3 Sqdn., age 23, 13/05/1940, Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres, F
Collided during combat with aircraft F/O Adams. Both planes exploded, at 18.00
hrs.
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Type: Hurricane Mk 1
Serial number: L1901, QO-?
Operation: Patrol
Lost: 13/05/1940
Flying Officer (Pilot) Albert R. Ball, RAF 40069 (Canada), age 25 - PoW, DOW
'Dickie' Ball. Shot down by a Do17, crash-landed and captured. Died of wounds 04/06/1940. He is buried at Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany.
Sources: (a.o.) CWGC, Norman L.R. Franks, Fighter Command Losses, Vol 1, 1939-1941, Second edition, Midland, 2008
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14/05/1940: Patrol, F
Type: Hurricane Mk 1
Serial number: L1591, QO-?
Operation: Patrol, F
Lost: 14/05/1940
Sergeant (Pilot) Dennis A. Allen, RAFVR 740882, 3 Sqdn., age 20, 14/05/1940, Villers-Cernay Communal Cemetery, F
Shot down by Ju 87, near Sedan.
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Type: Hurricane Mk 1
Serial number: L1932, QO-?
Operation: Patrol, F
Lost: 14/05/1940
P/O Frank R. Carey, DFM - WIA, safe
Damaged by Do17 of 3(F)/11 near Hamme-Mille. Made a forced landing. Injured.
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Type: Hurricane Mk 1
Serial number: N2546, QO-?
Operation: Patrol, F
Lost: 14/05/1940
P/O M.M. Stephens - safe.
Made a forced landing near Sedan, south of Annelles.
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Type: Hurricane Mk 1
Serial number: L1908, QO-?
Operation: Patrol, F
Lost: 14/05/1940
P/O C.G.S.D. Jeffries
Damaged by Me110 in Sedan area, bailed out and returned to unit.
Sources: (a.o.) CWGC, Norman L.R. Franks, Fighter Command Losses, Vol 1, 1939-1941, Second edition, Midland, 2008
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15/05/1940: Patrol, Belgium/France
Type: Hurricane Mk 1
Serial number: N2534, QO-?
Operation: Patrol, B/F
Lost: 15/05/1940
Flight Lieutenant (Pilot) Mark M. Carter, RAFVR 70119, 3 Sqdn., DFC, age 27, 15/05/1940, Maubeuge-Centre Cemetery, F
Shot down by a Me110 of II/ZG76 near Vouziers (= Vouzières), France.
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Type: Hurricane Mk 1
Serial number: L1645, QO-?
Operation: Patrol, B
Lost: 15/05/1940
Sergeant James L.C. Williams, RAFVR, 741421, 3 Sqdn., age 21, 15/05/1940, missing - Runnymede Memorial
Shot down by a Me109 of III/JG26 near Dinant, 12.40 hrs.
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Type: Hurricane Mk 1
Serial number: L1610, QO-?
Operation: Patrol, B
Lost: 15/05/1940
Squadron Leader Pat Gifford, DFC - safe
Made a forced landing near Wevelghem. Returned to unit.
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Type: Hurricane Mk 1
Serial number: N2422, QO-?
Operation: Patrol, B
Lost: 15/05/1940
P/O Noel D. Hallifax, PoW
Shot down by Me110 of II/ZG76 near Zeebrugge and captured.
Sources: (a.o.) CWGC, Norman L.R. Franks, Fighter Command Losses, Vol 1, 1939-1941, Second edition, Midland, 2008
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16/05/1940: Patrol
Type: Hurricane Mk 1
Serial number: P2825, QO-?
Operation: Patrol
Lost: 16/05/1940
Squadron Leader Patrick Gifford, RAF (AAF) 90188, 3 Sqdn., age 30, DFC, 16/05/1940, missing
Shot down by Me110 from ZG 1
Sources: CWGC, Norman L.R. Franks, Fighter Command Losses, Vol 1, 1939-1941, Second edition, Midland, 2008
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17/05/1940: Patrol, F
Type: Hurricane Mk 1
Serial number: L1899, QO-?
Operation: Patrol
Lost: 17/05/1940
Sergeant (Pilot) Peter Hillwood - injured
Made a forced landing near Vitry, being damaged by a Do 17 of 5/KG76 near Cambrai and a Me 109 of 1/JG3. Aircraft burned. Injured.
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Type: Hurricane Mk 1
Serial number: L1609, QO-?
Operation: Patrol
Lost: 17/05/1940
F/O D.A.E. Jones
Damaged by Do 17 of 5/KG76. Pilot baled out near Merville and returned to unit. 17.30 hrs.
Source: Norman L.R. Franks, Fighter Command Losses, Vol 1, 1939-1941, Second edition, Midland, 2008
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18/05/1940: Patrol, F
Type: Hurricane Mk 1
Serial number: N2464, QO-?
Operation: Patrol
Lost: 18/05/1940
P/O P.M. Gardner
Made a forced landing, after being damaged by a Do17 of 2/KG76 near Douai. P/O Gardner set the wreck afire. Returned to unit.
Source: Norman L.R. Franks, Fighter Command Losses, Vol 1, 1939-1941, Second edition, Midland, 2008
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19/05/1940: Patrol, F
Type: Hurricane Mk 1
Serial number: N2535, QO-?
Operation: Patrol
Lost: 19/05/1940
P/O Jack Rose
Made a forced landing, after being damaged by a Me109 of I/JG77 near Seclin. Returned to unit.
Source: Ciel de gloire - RAF Squadron 3; Norman L.R. Franks, Fighter Command Losses, Vol 1, 1939-1941, Second edition, Midland, 2008
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Sources
Air of Authority - 3 Squadron
Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database
Australian War Memorial
Bail-outs for 1940
Belgian place names in Dutch, French and German (Wikipedia)
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Ciel de gloire - RAF Squadron 3
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The London Gazette
No. 3 Squadron during the Second World War
Royal Air Force - 3 Squadron
Royal Air Force Squadron page
RAF against odds (Time, USA, 27/05/1940)
RAF - Campaign Diary - The Battle of France (May-June 1940)
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, by Major L.F. Ellis, 1954
War over Holland
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Books
Peter D. Cornwell, The Battle of France, Then and Now, 2008
Norman L.R. Franks, RAF Fighter Command losses: Volume 1, 1939-1941, Midland Publishing Limited, 2nd edition, 2008
P Joubert 'The fated sky: autobigraphy of ACM Sir Philip Joubert' (3 Sqn WW1) (Hutchinson 1952)
Long 'Threes company: an illustrated history of 3 (Fighter) Squadron' (2005)
Cecil Lewis 'Sagittarius Rising' (RFC 1915) (Peter Davies 1936)
Cecil Lewis 'All my yesterdays' (RFC 1915) (Element 1993)
R W Pottinger 'A view from the office' (2004)
P R Reid 'Winged diplomat' (Story of A/C "Freddie" West VC, CBE; observer 3 Sqn flying Morane Parasols) (Chatto & Windus 1962)
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Links
Discussion Groups
Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum
RAF Commands Forum
Other
Abbreviations used in the Royal Air Force
Code Names & RAF Vocabulary
Air Aces
Airwar over Denmark
Allied World War II Casualties in the Netherlands
Armée de l'Air - Order of Battle, 10th May 1940
Australian Wargraves
Axis History Factbook
Battle-of-Britain.com
De Belgen in Engeland 1940-1945 (in Dutch)
Belgian Aviation History Association Archaeological Team
Biplane Fighter Aces from the Second World War
British Aircraft Directory
British Aviation Archaeological Council - Books and research links
Canada's Air Force History
HMS Cavalier
Ciel de Gloire (in French) RAF Squadrons
CWGC Cemeteries Germany
CWGC Cemeteries Netherlands
Czechoslovak airmen in the RAF 1940-1945
Danish WW2 Pilots
Dutch Pilots in RAF Squadrons
Eagles Squadrons (American pilots in the RAF)
Foreign Aircraft Landings in Ireland 1939-1946
'High flight', poem by John Gillespie Magee
An Irish Airman Foresees His Death, poem by W.B. Yeats
Jagdgeschwader 27 (in German)
Luchtoorlog ('Arial War', in Dutch, with many photos)
Land Forces of Britain, the Empire and Commonwealth
The Luftwaffe, 1933-1945
Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum
The National Ex-Prisoners of War Association
Naval History.net
Nordic Aviation during WW2
Order of Liberation (in French/English/Spanish)
Pilotfriend.com: aircraft of WW2
Polish Air Force 1940-1947 Operations Record Books
RAF Battle of Britain
RAF Upwood
RAF WWII 38 Group Squadrons Reunited
De Slag om de Grebbeberg (Dutch)
Test Flying Memorial
Warbird Alley
War over Holland
World War II Aircraft wrecksites in Norway
www.bomber-command.de
Aircraft crashes on the North Yorkshire Moors, England
Bills-Bunker.de
The Lancastershire Aircraft Investigation Team
Luftfahrt-Archäologie in Schleswig Holstein (in German)
North East Diary 1939-1945
Wartime Leicester and Leicestershire
The Aerodrome - Aces and Aircraft of World War 1
WW1 Cemeteries
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This page is dedicated to the men of No. 3 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
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