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           RAF - No. 57 Squadron
           01/01/1940 - 30/06/1940

            home - latest update 25 October 2014



57 SQUADRON - Bomber, Bristol Blenheim Mk IV

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



The squadron, then based at Rosières-en-Santerre in France, began bombing operations against the Germans when they invaded the Low Countries in May, 1940. With the advance of the German armies the squadron had to retreat, although even in retreat it took every opportunity to hit back. From Rosières it went to Poix, and from Poix to Crécy.

Then, on 19th and 20th May, the squadron returned to England and on the 21st reassembled at Wyton. In June it moved to Northern Scotland and from July to October - after having first made an attack on enemy-occupied Norway - was employed on anti-shipping sweeps over the North Sea. It then moved south again, converted to Wellingtons and in January 1941, joined in the strategic night-bombing offensive.



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Operations and losses 01/01/1940 - 30/06/1940

25/01/1940: Reconnaissance NW Germany. 1 a/c lost, 3 KIA
15/03/1940: Night Reconnaissance, F. 1 a/c lost, 2 KIA
27/03/1940: France. 1 DOAS
11/04/1940: Night Reconnaissance, F. 1 a/c lost, 1 KIA, 1 WIA
14/04/1940: Reconnaissance NW Germany. 1 a/c lost, 3 KIA
10/05/1940: reconnaissance, NL. 1 a/c lost, 1 a/c damaged, 3 KIA
13/05/1940: reconnaissance, B
. 1 Plane lost, 1 KIA, 2 POW
14/05/1940: reconnaissance, NL
. 1 Plane lost, 3 KIA
14/05/1940: Reconnaissance, B 1 Plane lost, 1 KIA
22/05/1940: Reconnaissance, F. 1 Plane lost, 3 KIA


DOAS = Died on active service (non-flying accident or natural causes).
KIA = Killed in action
MIA = Missing in action
POW = Prisoner of war


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25/01/1940: Reconnaissance sortie over NW Germany

Type: Bristol Blenheim I
Serial number: L1280, DX-?
Operation: Reconnaissance sortie over NW Germany
Lost: 25/01/1940
Pilot Officer (Pilot) John N. O'Reilly-Blackwood, RAF 42474, 57 Sqdn., age unknown, 25/01/1940, Reichswald Forest War Cemetery,
Sergeant (Obs.) Douglas J. Bendall, RAF 580596, 57 Sqdn., age 24, 25/01/1940, Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, D
Aircraftman 2nd Class (W.Op.) John R. Hunter, RAF 625656, 57 Sqdn., age unknown, 25/01/1940, Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, D
Shot down by Fw Scherer of 2./JGr.102. Crashed souh of Duisburg, 14.20 hrs

Sources: CWGC and Peter D. Cornwell, The Battle of France, Then and Now, 2008

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15/03/1940: Night Reconnaissance

Type: Bristol Blenheim IV
Serial number: L9249, DX-?
Operation: night reconnaissance
Lost: 15/03/1940
Flying Officer (Pilot) William W. Adam, RAF 39838, 57 Sqdn., age 25, 15/03/1940, Chambieres French National Cemetery, Metz, France
Leading Aircraftman (W. Op./Air Gnr.) Frederick J. Mantle, RAF 621138, 57 Sqdn., age 18, 15/03/1940, Chambieres French National Cemetery, Metz, France
Sgt G. Park - baled out, slightly injured
Possibly victim of Allied AA fire. Crashed near Orny, south-east of Metz, 23.45 hrs.

Sources: CWGC and Peter D. Cornwell, The Battle of France, Then and Now, 2008

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27/03/1940: ?

Corporal George E. Catmore, RAF 564599, 57 Sqdn., age 25, 27/03/1940, Rennes Eastern Communal Cemetery, France

Source: CWGC

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11/04/1940: Night Reconnaissance

Type: Bristol Blenheim IV
Serial number: L9181, DX-?
Operation: night reconnaissance
Lost: 11/04/1940
F/O A.C. Stewart - WIA
Sgt C. Simpson - unhurt
Aircraftman 1st Class (W. Op./Air Gnr.) George Li

ndsay, RAF 625870, 57 Sqdn., age 19, 11/04/1940, Le Quesnel Communal Cemetery Extension, France
Lost control in turn and crashed at Foucacourt-en-Santerre, north of Lihons, shortly after take-off, 04.30 hrs. F/O Stewart baled out but hit tailplane and broke leg. Sgt Simpson baled out unhurt.

Sources: CWGC and Peter D. Cornwell, The Battle of France, Then and Now, 2008

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14/04/1940: Reconnaissance over NW Germany

Type: Bristol Blenheim IV
Serial number: L9465, DX-?
Operation: Reconnaissance over NW Germany
Lost: 14/04/1940
Flying Officer (Pilot) Horace G. Graham-Hogg, RAF 39516, 57 Sqdn., age 27, 14/04/1940, Arnhem (Moscowa) General Cemetery, Netherlands
Sergeant (Obs.) John R. Proctor, RAF 515376, 57 Sqdn., age 26, 14/04/1940, Arnhem (Moscowa) General Cemetery, Netherlands
Aircraftman 1st Class (W.Op. [Air]) James Shuttleworth, RAF 626490, 57 Sqdn., age 21, 14/04/1940, Arnhem (Moscowa) General Cemetery, Netherlands
Attacked over Emmerich by Oblt Lignitz of 3./JG20. Crashed near Babberich, south-east of Arnhem.

Crash site subject of major excavation by the RNAF, May 1973

Sources: CWGC and Peter D. Cornwell, The Battle of France, Then and Now, 2008

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10/05/1940: reconnaissance, NL

Type:
Bristol Type 142M/L, Blenheim Mk.IV
Serial number: L9245, DX-?
Operation: reconnaissance
Lost: 10/05/1940
Leading Aircraftman (W. Op./Air Gnr.) Leslie F. Jordan, RAF, 624246, 57 Sqdn., age 27, 10/05/1940, Hook of Holland General Cemetery ek van Holland, NL
Pilot Officer (Pilot) Alban Thomas, RAF, 41332, 57 Sqdn., age unknown, 10/05/1940, Hook of Holland General Cemetery, NL
Sergeant (Obs.) Penry L. Thomas, RAF 563934, 57 Sqdn., age 27, 10/05/1940, Buurmalsen General Cemetery (Gelderland), NL.
Took off from Rosières-en-Santerre. Shot down during recce sortie and crashed at Vogelenzangsebrug at Echteld, north-east of Tiel. Possibly that claimed by Lt Fluder of 5./JG27 west of Nijmegen, 12.08 hrs.

P/O Thomas and LAC Jordan were originally buried at Echteld. Later they were reinterred in Hook of Holland. A lower torso later found in the river Linge near Zoelen, and buried there as an unknown airman, is also believed to be that of P/O Thomas. In March 1941 the remains of Sgt Perry Thomas were discovered between Buren and Buurmalsen and interred locally.

NB: after the war the Linge river was bisected by the canal from river Waal to river Rhine.


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Type: Bristol Type 142M/L Blenheim IV
Serial number: L9246, DX-?
Operation: reconnaissance, 10/05/1940
Damaged: 10/05/1940 abandoned later
F/L G.M. Wyatt, wounded in arm, admitted to hospital.
Sgt W.J. Gardiner (or Gardner)
Cpl F.T.Russell.
Cornwell: Took off from Rosières-en-Santerre. Returned badly damaged from recce sortie north of 's-Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch). Possibly that attacked by Oberlt Schäfer (Staffelkapitän) of 5./JG27 west of Nijmegen 12.50 hrs.

Chorley: Airborne 1530 from Rosières-en-Santerre. Hit by small arms ground fire, which slightly wounded the pilot. Returned to base, where it was probably abandoned when the Squadron fell back to Poix 17May40.

Flying Officer (Pilot) George M. Wyatt died on 30/06/1940, serving with 61 Sqdn.
A Flying Officer named William J. Gardiner died on 26/06/1941, serving with 194 Sqdn. It is unknown if this is the same person as the Sgt W.J. Gardiner of the L9246.

Sources: CWGC; 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

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12/05/1940: reconnaissance, B

One Blenheim of 57 Sqdn. bombed Chaulnes during an armed-reconnaissance sortie.

Type: Bristol Type 142L, Blenheim Mk. IV
Serial number: P6930, DX-?
Operation: reconnaissance
Lost: 13/05/1940
P/O G.K.R. Drimmie, PoW
Sergeant (Obs.) George F. Couzens, RAF 565544, 57 Sqdn., age 26, 13/05/1940, Vlijtingen Churchyard, B [date of death recorded by CWGC as 12/05/1940]
AC1 R.V. Shuttleworth, PoW
Airborne from Rosieres-en-Santerre. Shot down by AA fire during reconnaissance sortie over Belgium. Crashed between Vlijtingen and Kesselt, 20.00 hrs.
P/O G.K.R. Drimmie was interned in Camp L3, PoW No.5171.
AC1 R.V. Shuttleworth in Camps L1/L6/357, PoW No.72.


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14/05/1940: reconnaissance, NL

Type: Bristol Blenheim IV
Serial number: L9465, DX-?
Operation: reconnaissance
Lost: 14/05/1940 (3 KIA)
Flying Officer (Pilot) Horace G. Graham-Hogg, RAF 39516, 57 Sqdn., age 27, 14/05/1940, Arnhem (Moscowa) General Cemetery, NL
Sergeant (Obs.) John R. Proctor, RAF 515376, 57 Sqdn., age 26, 14/05/1940, Arnhem (Moscowa) General Cemetery, NL
Aircraftman 1st Class (W.Op. [Air]) James Shuttleworth, RAF 626490, 57 Sqdn., age 21, 14/05/1940, Arnhem (Moscowa) General Cemetery, NL.
At approximately 1600 hours the aircraft was shot down by a Me109, which was flown by Leutnant Liegnitz of 1/JG20, over Babberich (Gelderland, NL).
In May 1973 parts of the L9465 were recovered at Babberich, near Arnhem (recovery RNLAF-91(78).

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14/05/1940: Reconnaissance, B

Type:
Bristol 142M/L, Blenheim Mk. IV
Serial number: L9180, DX-?
Operation: Reconnaissance
Lost: 14/05/1940
P/O (Pilot) W.G. Spencer
Sgt (Obs)R. Pike
Aircraftman 2nd Class (W.Op./Air) Owen R. Beaumont, RAF 552443, 57 Sqdn., age 18, 14/05/1940, Dendermonde Communal Cemetery and Extension, B (On 'Lost Bombers' name spelt as 'O.R. Neaumont')
Airborne 0537 from Poix. Patrol area not established. Crashed 0800 near the Baaasrode - Dendermonde road (Oost-Vlaanderen), 25 km ESE of Genk.

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22/05/1940: Reconnaissance

Type: Bristol Type 142/L, Blenheim Mk.
Serial number: L9184, DX-?
Operation: Reconnaissance
Lost: 22/05/1940
Aircraftman 1st Class (W.Op./Air Gnr.) George R. Pirie, RAF , 57 Sqdn., age 24, 22/05/1940, Haucourt Communal Cemetery, Pas de Calais, F
Pilot Officer (Pilot) Roi L. Saunders, RAF 70602, 57 Sqdn., age 24, 22/05/1940, Haucourt Communal Cemetery, Pas de Calais, F
Sergeant (Obs.) Samuel F. Simmons, RAF 564409, 57 Sqdn., age 27, 22/05/1940, Haucourt Communal Cemetery, Pas de Calais, F

Airborne from Hawkinge. Cause of loss not established. Crashed near Haucourt (Pas-de-Calais), 12 km SE of Arras, France and to the N of the main road leading to Cambrai.


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Sources

Air of Authority - 57 Squadron
Air Force POWs 1939-1945
Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database
Australian War Memorial
Bail-outs for 1940
Belgian Aviation History Association Archaeological Team
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The London Gazette
Lost Bombers
Prisoners of War captured in Europe 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
The Wartime Memories Project - No. 57 Squadron

Books

J Bosomworth 'Im lucky I believe: former air gunner with 57 Squadron' (2000)
W.R. Chorley, Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War, Volume 1, 1939/40, Midland Counties Publications, ISBN 0 904597 85 7
G D Copeman 'Bomber Squadrons at War Nos 57 & 630' (Sutton Publishing 1999 ISBN 0-7509-1710-5)
G D Copeman 'Right Hand Man'
Peter D. Cornwell, The Battle of France, Then and Now, 2008
Anne Doward 'No verse can say'
R A Hammersley 'Into battle with 57 Squadron' (Private 1992)
Bill McCrea 'A chequer-board of nights'
Chris Ward '57 Squadron' (Bomber Command Profile no. 17)

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

Bills-Bunker.de
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 57 Squadron.

With special thanks to Henk Welting (†)

© Bart FM Droog / Rottend Staal Online 2008-2014. 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