Traces of World War 2 
RAF - 40 Squadron
10/05/1940 - 30/06/1940

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40 SQUADRON - Bomber, Bristol Blenheim Mk IV

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


In the Second World War 40 Squadron operated in several theatres: flying Blenheims and Wellingtons from bases in England it bombed targets in France, the Low Countries and Germany; flying Wellingtons from bases in the Middle East it bombed targets in North Africa, Sicily, Sardinia, Rhodes, Crete, Greece, Pantellaria, Lampedusa and Italy; and flying Welling tons and Liberators from a base in Italy (Foggia Main) it bombed targets in Italy and the Balkans.

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Operations and losses 10/05/1940 - 31/06/1940

Only operations with losses listed.

10/05/1940: Reconnaissance, NL. 2 Planes lost, 3 POW
10/05/1940: Ypenburg airfield, NL. 3 Planes lost, 8 KIA, 1 POW
15/05/1940: Dinant-Celles, B. 2 Planes lost, 6 KIA
23/05/1940, Arras-Boulogne, F. 2 Planes lost, 4 KIA, 1 POW
25/05/1940: Rety, F. 1 Plane lost, 2 KIA, 1 POW
06/06/1940: St-Valéry, F
. 5 Plane lost, 3 MIA, 8 POW
12/06/1940: St-Valéry, F. 1 Plane lost, 1 MIA, 2 POW
14/06/1940: Battle Area, F. 2 Planes lost, 4 KIA
27/06/1940: Reconnaissance, F. 1 Plane lost, 3 MIA

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

Aircraftman 2nd Class James F.B. Lewis, RAF 644842 (Canada), 40 Sqdn., age 21, 14/04/1940, missing

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10/05/1940: Reconnaissance, NL (take off at 09.15 hrs)

Type: Bristol Type 142/M/L, Blenheim Mk.1/1V
Serial number: L8776, BL-K
Operation: reconnaissance
Lost: 10/05/1940 (3 POW)
Sergeant J.R. Brooker, POW
Flying Officer R.M. Burns, POW
Corporal G. Hurford, POW
Airborne 0915 from Wyton. Shot down in the vicinity of Den Haag (Zuid Holland). The crew were all wounded and taken prisoner. Sgt J.R.Brooker was interned in Camps L1/357. PoW No.288. F/O R.M.Burns in Camp L3. PoW No.595. Cpl G.Hurford in Camps L3/L1, PoW No.37338.

Type: Bristol Type 142M/L, Blenheim Mk.1/1V
Serial number: L8833, BL-?
Operation: reconnaissance
Lost: 10/05/1940 (-)
Squadron Leader B. Paddon
Sergeant J.A.D. Beattie
P/O W.G. Edwards
L8833 was one of five 40 Sqdn Blenheims lost on this day. Airborne 0905 from Wyton. Attacked by a Ju88 soon after crossing the Dutch coast. On return to base an engine caught fire and the Blenheim crashed landed at 1220, the crew escaping injury.
Pilot Officer (Air Gnr.) William G. Edwards died on 23/05/1940, on another 40 Sqdn. operation.


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10/05/1940: Ypenburg airfield, NL
(take off at 15.44 hrs)

10th May 1940: 12 Blenheims of 40 Sqdn. despatched to bomb Ypenburg airfield. 8 or 9 aircraft bombed primary, 1 bombed a landing ground 5 miles W of Leyden and 1 also strafed enemy aircraft parked along beach from The Hague to Noordwick. 3 a/c failed to return, 1 of these being shot down by enemy aircraft after bombing primary.

Type: Bristol Type 142M/L, Blenheim Mk.1/1V
Serial number: L8831, BL-?
Operation: Ypenburg
Lost: 10/05/1940 (3 KIA)
Leading Aircraftman (W. Op./Air Gnr.) Harold Bridson, RAF, 539332, 40 Sqdn., age 20, 10/05/1940, The Hague (Westduin) General Cemetery
Sergeant (Obs.) Victor Spurr, RAF, 561257, 40 Sqdn., age unknown, 10/05/1940, The Hague (Westduin) General Cemetery, NL
Sergeant (Pilot) Ivor L. Thomas, RAF, 580177, 40 Sqdn., age 24, 10/05/1940, The Hague (Westduin) General Cemetery, NL. From Peterborough (Northamptonshire).
L8831 was one of five 40 Sqdn Blenheims lost on this day. Airborne 1544 from Wyton. Cause of loss not established. Crashed in the vicinity of Den Haag (Zuid Holland).

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Type: Bristol Type 142M/L, Blenheim Mk.1/1V
Serial number: L8828, BL-?
Operation: Ypenburg
Lost: 10/05/1940 (3 KIA)
Flying Officer (Pilot) Percifal J.H. Rowan, RAF, 36133, 40 Sqdn., age unknown, 10/05/1940, Rozenburg General Cemetery, NL
Corporal (W. Op./Air Gnr.) Temple F.S. Clark, RAF, 535562, 40 Sqdn., age 21, 10/05/1940, Rockanje (Zeeweg) General Cemetery, NL
Sergeant (Obs) George Beardwood, RAF 526936, 40 Sqdn., age 27, 10/05/1940, 's Gravenzande General Cemetery, NL
L8828 was one of five 40 sqdn Blenheims lost on this day. Airborne 1549 from Wyton. Cause of loss not established. Crashed into the sea off Rotterdam, Holland. The bodies of the crew were eventually washed ashore onto the beaches of Zuid Holland.

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Type: Bristol Type 142/L Blenheim Mk.1V.
Serial number: P6901, BL-?
Operation: Ypenburg
Lost: 10/05/1940
Airborne 1549 from Wyton. Cause of loss not established. Crashed near Voorburg (Zuid Holland), in the SE outskirts of Den Haag,
Sergeant (Obs.) Francis Checkley, RAF, 580605, 40 Sqdn., age 21, 10/05/1940, Voorburg Eastern General Cemetery, NL
Sergeant (Pilot) Alfred J. Roberton, RAF, 590388, 40 Sqdn., age 26, 10/05/1940, Voorburg Eastern General Cemetery, NL
Aircraftman 1st Class J.A.Webster was interned in Camps L1/L3, PoW No.152.


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15/05/1940: Dinant-Celles, B

On 15 May Squadron Leader Lance Smith (Hurricane P2870) of 607 Squadron led five Hurricanes of 607 Squadron's B Flight and six Hurricanes of 615 Squadron's A Flight in a escort of a dozen Blenheims (three of 15 Squadron and nine of 40 Squadron), which were to bomb the bridges over the Meuse in the Dinant-Celles area.

Before reaching the target they encountered Bf110Cs plus Bf109s from Stab III/JG 53 at 11,000 feet. In the ensuing combat Squadron Leader J. R. Kayall of 615 Squadron claimed two Bf110s while Flying Officer H. N. Fowler (Hurricane P2622) from the same squadron claimed a probable Bf109 before being shot down himself (he parachuted safely but was later taken PoW). 607 Squadron claimed two Bf109s shot down, one by Whitty, who reported seeing the pilot bale out of the aircraft he attacked, and the other by newly attached Pilot Officer Bob Grassick of 242 Squadron's B Flight. Squadron Leader Smith was shot down and killed in this combat.

Three Hurricanes were claimed by III/JG 53 and were credited to Hauptmann Werner Mölders, Oberleutnant Heinz Wittenberg and Leutnant Georg Claus, while two of the Blenheims were shot down by Bf109s of 1/JG 3 encountered when north-west of Charleroi.

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Type:
Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV
Serial number: N6217, BL-?
Operation: Dinant-Celles
Lost: 15/05/1940 (3 KIA)
Wing Commander (Pilot) Ernest C. Barlow, RAF 15181, Cdg. 40 Sqdn., age unknown, 15/05/1940 (Ecaussinnes d'Enghien Communal Cemetery, B)
Sergeant (Obs.) Edward Clarke, RAF 580485, 40 Sqdn., age 20, 15/05/1940 (Ecaussinnes d'Enghien Communal Cemetery, B)
Leading Aircraftman (W. Op/Air) Albert E. Millard, RAF 615087, 40 Sqdn., age unknown, 15/05/1940 (Ecaussinnes d'Enghien Communal Cemetery, B)
Airborne 0930 from Wyton. Shot down near Ecaussinnes d'Enghien (Hainaut), 18 km NE of Mons, Belgium, together with P4913.

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Type: Bristol Type 142L, Blenheim Mk. IV
Serial number: P4913, BL-?
Operation: Dinant-Celles
Lost: 15/05/1940 (3 KIA)
Flying Officer (Pilot) John E. Edwards, RAF 36151, age 26, 40 Sqdn., 15/05/1940, Ecaussinnes d'Enghien Communal Cemetery, B
Leading Aircraftman (W. Op./Air) Stanley Johnson, RAF 541085, 40 Sqdn., age unknown, 15/05/1940, Ecaussinnes d'Enghien Communal Cemetery, B
Sergeant (Obs.) Charles T. White, RAF 580429, 40 Sqdn., age 23, 15/05/1940, Ecaussinnes d'Enghien Communal Cemetery, B
Airborne 0930 from Wyton. Shot down near Ecaussinnes d'Enghien (Hainaut), 18 km NE of Mons; together with N6217.

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23/05/1940, Arras-Boulogne

Type:
Bristol Type 142L, Blenheim Mk.IV
Serial number: P4909, BL-?
Operation: Arras-Boulogne
Lost: 23/05/1940 (2 KIA)
Wing Commander (Pilot) John G. Llewelyn, RAF 26060, 40 Sqdn., age unknown, 23/05/1940, Beuvry Communal Cemetery, F
Sgt J.A.D.Beattie
Pilot Officer (Air Gnr.) William G. Edwards, RAF , 40 Sqdn., age unknown, 23/05/1940, Sailly-Labourse Communal Cemetery, F
Airborne 1010 from Wyton. Shot down by Flak and crashed between Beuvry and Sailly-labourse )Pas-de-Calais), the former 3 km ESE of Béthune, France. Sgt Beattie later returned safely to his Squadron. W/C Llewelyn was No.40 Squadron Commander.

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Type: Bristol Type 142M/L, Blenheim Mk.1/IV
Serial number: L8834, BL-?
Operation: Arras-Boulogne
Lost: 23/05/1940 (2 KIA, 1 POW)
F/O R.H. Jacoby, PoW
Sergeant (Obs.) Peter A.M. Burrell, RAF 580941, 40 Sqdn., age 19, 23/05/1940, Miraumont Communal Cemetery, F
Leading Aircraftman (W. Op.) Peter R. Whittle, 611596, 40 Sqdn., age unknown, 23/05/1940, Miraumont Communal Cemetery, F
Airborne 1010 from Wyton to attack enemy troop columns. Shot down at Miraumont (Somme), 13 km NNE of Albert, France. Sgt F/O R.H.Jacoby was interned in Camp L3, PoW No.581

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25/05/1940: Rety, F

type: Bristol Type 142L, Blenheim Mk.1V
serial number:
P4920, YH-?
operation: Rety
lost: 25/05/1940 (2 KIA, 1 POW)
Sergeant (Obs.) Jack L. Alexander, RAF 562397, 40 Sqdn., age 28, 25/05/1940, Rety Communal Cemetery, F
Leading Aircraftman (W. Op) Dennis Goffe, RAF 551547, 40 Sqdn., age 20, 25/05/1940, Rety Communal Cemetery, F
Airborne 1027 from Wyton to attack targets along the line Rety- Fienmnes-Guines. Shot down near Rety (Pas-de-Calais), 5 km ESE of Marquise, France. Sgt S.I.Tonks PoW. Sgt Tonks was interned in Camp 357, PoW No.31113.


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06/06/1940: St-Valéry, F

Type: Bristol Type 142L, Blenheim Mk.IV
Serial number: P4927, BL-?
Operation: St-Valéry, F
Lost: 06/06/1940 (3 POW)
Sgt D.J. Rice PoW
Sgt R.C. Moffatt PoW
Sgt D.E. Peters PoW
Airborne 0815 from Wyton. Cause of loss and crash-site not established. Sgt R.C.Moffatt was interned in Camps 8B/L6/357, PoW No.20260 with Sgt D.E.Peters, Pow No.20261. Sgt D.J.Rice in Camps L1/L6/357, PoW No.349.

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Type:
Bristol Type 142L, Blenheim Mk.IV
Serial number: R3692, BL-?
Operation: St-Valéry, F
Lost: 06/06/1940
P/O Vaughn G.W. Engstrom (NZ) Evd - see his page on the Cenotaph Database
Sgt M.R. Chouler PoW
Sgt D. Liddle PoW
Airborne 0815 from Wyton. Force landed in the battle area and two of the crew were soon captured. although wounded, P/O Engstrom made his way to safety and was later admitted to RAF Hospital Uxbridge.
He became an instructor and died in a training accident in 1943, five weeks after the birth of his twin daughters. (source of last sentence: Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum)
Sgt M.R.Chouler was interned in Camp 357. PoW No.739. Sgt D.Liddle was initially confined in Hospital before internment in Camp 9C. No PoW No. Subsequently repatriated.

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Type:
Bristol Type 142M/L, Blenheim 1.IV
Serial number: L8827, BL-?
Operation: St-Valéry, F
Lost: 06/06/1940 (3 POW)
S/L B. Paddon PoW
Sgt V.C. Salvage PoW
Sgt T.A. Foreman PoW
Airborne 0815 from Wyton. Cause of loss and crash-site not established. S/L Paddon escaped captivity and was awarded the DSO for his 'home run' Aug42.

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Type: Bristol Type 142M/L, Blenheim Mk.IV
Serial number: L9410, BL-?
Operation: St-Valéry, F
Lost: 06/06/1940 (3 MIA)
Pilot Officer Blake B. James, RAFVR 77464, 40 Sqdn., age 24, 06/06/1940, missing
Sergeant John E. Garcka, RAF 580425, 40 Sqdn., age unknown, 06/06/1940, missing
Sergeant Willie Furby, RAF 537429, 40 Sqdn., age 23, 06/06/1940, missing
Airborne 0815 from Wyton. Lost without trace. All are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

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Type: Bristol Type 142L, Blenheim Mk.IV
Serial number: P9417, BL-?
Operation: St-Valéry, F
Lost: 06/06/1940 (3 WIA)
P/O P.F.T. Wakeford Inj
Sgt Wallace Inj
Sgt Baker Inj
Airborne 0815 from Wyton. Battle damaged and force landed in Allied held territory. P/O Wakeford and Sgt Wallace were treated in the UK, but Sgt Baker was detained in a French Hospital.

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12/06/1940: St-Valéry, F

Type:
Bristol Type 142L, Blenheim Mk. IV
Serial number: R3893, BL-?
Operation: St-Valéry, F
Lost: 12/06/1940 (1 MIA, 2 POW)
Sgt C.D.W. Bartlam PoW
Sergeant David L.Dorris, RAFVR 749549, 40 Sqdn., age unknown, 12/06/1940, missing
Sgt E. Rodgers PoW
Airborne 1130 from Wyton. Shot down by Flak at Eletot (Seine- Maritime), 7 km NE of F_camp; France. Sgt Dorris has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Sgt C.D.W.Bartlam was interned in Camps L1/L6/357. PoW No.109 with Sgt E.Rodgers, PoW No.110.

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14/06/1940: Battle Area, F


Type: Bristol Type 142L, Blenheim Mk.IV
Serial number: N3592, BL-C
Operation: Battle Area
Lost: 14/06/1940 (3 KIA)
Squadron Leader (Pilot) Gerald W.C. Gleed, RAF 37558, 40 Sqdn., age 24, 14/06/1940, Fresney Churchyard, F
Sergeant (Obs.) Ronald W. Burge, RAF 563432, 40 Sqdn., age 26, 14/06/1940, Fresney Churchyard, F
Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Alen F.W. Sammells, RAF 540079, 40 Sqdn., age 26, 14/06/1940, Fresney Churchyard, F
Airborne 1345 from Wyton. Cause of loss not established. Crashed at Fresney (Eure), 13 km SE of Evreux, France.

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Type: Bristol Type 142L, Blenheim Mk.IV
Serial number: R3693, BL-?
Operation: Battle Area
Lost: 14/06/1940 (1 KIA)
P/O Lewis
Sgt Currie
Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Sydney W. Johnson, RAFVR 937626, 40 Sqdn., age 19, 14/06/1940, Garancieres-en-Drouais Communal Cemetery, F
Airborne 1345 from Wyton. Cause of loss not established. Crashed at Garancières-en-Drouais (Eure-et-Loir), 8 km SW of Dreux, France. It is presumed that Lewis and Currie were eventually able to return to their Squadron. Pictures of the grave of Sgt Johnson can be seen on the site of L'Association Forced Landing.

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27/06/1940: Reconnaissance, F

Type: Bristol Type 142L, Blenheim Mk.IV
Serial number: R3778, BL-?
Operation: Reconnaissance
Lost: 27/06/1940 (3 MIA)
Sergeant James L. Morton, RAFVR 741362, 40 Sqdn., age 25, 27/06/1940, missing
Sergeant Alexander D. Kelso, RAF 581155, 40 Sqdn., age unknown, 27/06/1940, missing
Sergeant Joseph C. Winston, RAFVR 935571, 40 Sqdn., age unknown, 27/06/1940, missing
Airborne 1655 from Wyton to reconnoitre movements along the Guines- Boulogne-Nesles-Dannes road. Lost without trace.All are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

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Sources

Air Force POWs 1939-1945
Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database
Australian War Memorial
Bail-outs for 1940
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Lost Bombers
Prisoners of War captured in Europe 1940
The Royal Air Force, 1939-1945
Royal Air Force - Bomber Command - 40 Squadron
RAF - Campaign Diary - The Battle of France (May-June 1940)

Royal Air Force Squadron page
New Zealanders in the Royal Air Force
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
W.R. Chorley, Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War, Volume 1, 1939/40, Midland Counties Publications, ISBN 0 904597 85 7
See: www.rafinfo.org.uk/BCWW2Losses/ for updates.
D Gunby 'Sweeping the skies: 40 Squadron RFC/RAF 1916-59' (Pentland 1995)
Chris Ward '40 Squadron' (Bomber Command Profile no. 12)
Graham Warner, Bristol Blenheim: A Complete History. 2nd Edition. (Manchester, U.K.: Crecy Publishing, 2005)

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Links

Discussion Groups
Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum
RAF Commands Forum

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Other
Abbreviations used in the Royal Air Force
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
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
Håkans aviation page (from Sweden, in English)
'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
Pilotfriend.com: aircraft of WW2
Polish Air Force 1940-1947 Operations Record Books
RAF Battle of Britain
RAF Upwood
De Slag om de Grebbeberg
(Dutch)
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 40 Squadron.

© Bart FM Droog / Rottend Staal Online 2007. 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