59 SQUADRON - Bomber, Bristol Blenheim Mk IV
History | Operations and losses | Sources | Links | Books | Questions and/or remarks
The Squadron was moved to France in October 1939 and undertook reconnaissance missions before being forced out of their airfields by the advancing Germans. Withdrawn to southern England it continued to operate over France from British bases. In July 1940 the Squadron started bombing raids on the Channel ports and anti-submarine patrols and continued night attacks during the winter.
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Losses 01/01/1940 - 30/06/1940
04/05/1940: Training, France. 1 Plane lost, 3 KIA
12/05/1940: ? 1 Plane damaged, 1 WIA
14/05/1940: ?. 2 Planes lost, 6 MIA
15/05/1940: ?, B. 1 Plane lost, 1 KIA
16/05/1940: ? 1 Plane lost
18/05/1940: ?, B. 1 Plane lost, 2 KIA
19/05/1940: reconnaissance, F. 1 Plane lost
22/05/1940: ?, F. 1 Plane lost, 3 KIA
26/05/1940: ?, B. 1 or 2 planes lost, 3 KIA
29/05/1940: ?. 2 MIA
04/06/1940: transfer, UK. 1 Plane lost, 3 KIA
16/06/1940: reconnaissance, F. 1 Plane lost, 3 KIA
16/06/1940: ?, F. 1 KIA or DOW
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04/05/1940 Training, France
Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk. IV
Serial number: L4857, TR-?
Operation: Training
Lost: 04/05/1940
Pilot Officer (Pilot) Gordon O. Arscott, RAF 41145, 59 Sqdn., age 19, 04/05/1940, Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery, Hautot sur Mer, F
Sergeant (Obs.) George H. Barford, RAF 560547, 59 Sqdn., age 29, 04/05/1940, Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery, Hautot sur Mer, F
Aircraftman 2nd Class (W. Op/Air Gnr.) Peter W. Froom, RAF 619761, 59 Sqdn., age 19, 04/05/1940, Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery, Hautot sur Mer, F
Crashed and burned out attempting night overshoot at Poix.
Sources: CWGC and Peter D. Cornwell, The Battle of France, Then and Now, 2008
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12/05/1940: ?
Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk. IV
Serial number: N6169, TR-?
Operation: ?
Damaged: 12/05/1940
Damaged by anti-aircraft fire from Belgian troops near Renaix, France. One crewman wounded.
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14/05/1940: ?
Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk. IV
Serial number: ?, TR-?
Operation: ?
Lost: 14/05/1940
Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk. IV
Serial number: ?, TR-?
Operation: ?
Lost: 14/05/1940
Pilot Officer Croyden J.E. Chamberlain, RAF 40508 (NZ), 59 Sqdn., age 20, 14/05/1940, missing
Sergeant Frederick J.J. Evans, RAF 561705, 59 Sqdn., age 29, 14/05/1940, missing
Aircraftman 1st Class Frank Hands, RAF 616584, 59 Sqdn., age 21, 14/05/1940, missing
Flight Lieutenant Peter A. Hawks, RAF 25078, 59 Sqdn., age 25, 14/05/1940, missing
Sergeant George E. Seldon, RAF 563402, 59 Sqdn., age 26, 14/05/1940, missing
Aircraftman 1st Class Clifford G. Shaw, RAF 623583, 59 Sqdn., age 19, 14/05/1940, missing
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15/05/1940: ?, B
Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk. IV
Serial number: L4859?, TR-?
Operation: ?
Lost: 15/05/1940
Pilot M. Murdoch ?
Sergeant (Obs.) Cyril A. Morgan, RAF 523510, 59 Sqdn., age 22, 15/05/1940, Gembes Churchyard, B
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16/05/1940: ?,
Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk. IV
Serial number: N6168, TR-?
Operation: ?
Lost: 16/05/1940
Damaged in attack by RAF Hurricane and crashed at Vitry, France. Crew survived.
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18/05/1940: ?
Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk. IV
Serial number: ?, TR-?
Operation: ?
Lost:
Sergeant (Obs.) Robert Burns, RAF 515576, , 59 Sqdn., age unknown, 18/05/1940, Tournai Communal Cemetery Allied Extension, B
Pilot Officer (Pilot) Roy A. Durie, RAF 42112, 59 Sqdn., age 19, 18/05/1940, Tournai Communal Cemetery Allied Extension, B
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19/05/1940: reconnaissance, F
Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk. IV
Serial number: L4856, TR-K
Operation: reconnaissance
Lost: 19/05/1940
Pilot Officer Clive R. Wylie
Sergeant Liddiard
Aircraftman Houlihan, WIA
59 SQUADRON, POIX: BLENHEIM IV L4856. Lost bearings during reconnaissance sortie over LESSINES and ATH and forced-landed low on fuel at ST VAAST-EN-CHAUSSÉE, north-west of Amiens, 7.00 p.m. where later strafed by enemy aircraft. Pilot Officer C. R. WYLIE and Sergeant LIDDIARD unhurt. AC HOULIHAN injured head. Aircraft TR*K abandoned.
See: Avion anglais abattu. Pilot Officer Clive R. Wylie died on 16/06/1940, on a 59 Sqdn. mission above France
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22/05/1940: ?, F
Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk. IV
Serial number: L9266, TR-?
Operation: ?
Lost: 22/05/1940
Flying Officer (Pilot) Francis D. Bird, RAF 33300 (Ireland), 59 Sqdn., age 23, 22/05/1940, Fricourt Communal Cemetery, F
Sergeant (Obs.) Charles J.W. Brinn, RAF 563306, 59 Sqdn., age unknown, 22/05/1940, Fricourt Communal Cemetery, F
Aircraftman 2nd Class (W. Op./Air Gnr.) Gordon D. Coles, RAF 618330, 59 Sqdn., age 20, 22/05/1940, Fricourt Communal Cemetery, F
Shot down by RAF Spitfire and crashed near Fricourt, France.
F/O Francis Bird was winner of the 440 yards and equal first in the Long Jump: Inter-Services Athletic Meeting, 1937.
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26/05/1940: ?
Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk. IV
Serial number: ?, TR-?
Operation: ?
Lost: 26/05/1940
Aircraftman 2nd Class (W. Op.[Air]) Albert C. Brogan, RAF 552071, 59 Sqdn., age 18, 26/05/1940, Warneton (Waasten) Communal Cemetery (B)
Sergeant (Obs.) Gordon L. Schwind, RAF 581353, 59 Sqdn., age 21, 26/05/1940, Warneton (Waasten) Communal Cemetery (B)
Pilot Officer (Pilot) Richard E. Shaw, RAF 42575, 59 Sqdn., age 22, 26/05/1940, Jonkerbos War Cemetery, NL
It is unknown whether or not these three men were in the same crew.
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29/05/1940: ?
Sergeant Thomas W. McDonagh, RAF 581348, 59 Sqdn., age unknown, 29/05/1940, missing
Sergeant Joseph A.C. Finlayson, RAF 619739, 59 Sqdn., age 21, 29/05/1940, missing
Died during evacuation of Dunkirk?
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04/06/1940: ?, UK
Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk. IV
Serial number: R3697, TR-?
Operation: transfer
Lost: 04/06/1940
Pilot Officer (Pilot) Stanley W. Ashton, RAF 42476, 59 Sqdn., age unknown, 04/06/1940, Swindon (Radnor Street) Cemetery, UK
Sergeant (Obs.) William J. Wilson (Bill), RAF 581485, 59 Sqdn., age 27, 04/06/1940, Edgware (St. Margaret) Churchyard, UK
Sergeant (W.op/Air.Gnr) Ronald Wilson, RAF 629500, 59 Sqdn., age unknown, 04/06/1940, Ryton Cemetery, UK
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16/06/1940: reconnaissance, F
Type: Bristol Blenheim Mk. IV
Serial number: R3817, TR-?
Operation: reconnaissance
Lost: 16/06/1940
Pilot Officer (Pilot) Clive R. Wylie, RAF 41769 (NZ), 59 Sqdn., age 26, 16/06/1940, Dreux Communal Cemetery, F
Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Thomas A, Thomas, RAF 625095 (USA), 59 Sqdn., age 20, 16/06/1940, Dreux Communal Cemetery, F
Sergeant (Obs.) James W. Harris, RAF 563138, 59 Sqdn., age 26, 16/06/1940, Dreux Communal Cemetery, F
Its mission was to observe the advance of the German forces. Crashed west of Dreux.
http://pagesperso-orange.fr/forcedlanding/Commonwealth19.htm
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16/06/1940: ?
Sergeant (Obs.) George W. Taplin, RAF 580406, 59 Sqdn., age 26, 16/06/1940, Bayeux War Cemetery, F
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Sources
Belgian Aviation History Association Archaeological Team
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Lost Bombers
Royal Air Force - 59 Squadron
RAF History - Bomber Command
RAF Museum: British Military Aviation in 1940
RAF Order of Battle, France, 10th May 1940
The Royal Air Force, 1939-1945
Somme Aviation 39-45 (in French)
War over Holland
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Books
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.
Errol Martyn, For Your Tomorrow - A record of New Zealanders who have died while serving with the RNZAF and Allied Air Services Since 1915 (Vol One: Fates 1915-1942)
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
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 59 Squadron.
© Bart FM Droog / Rottend Staal Online 2008. Permission granted for use of the data gathered here for non commercial purposes, if the original sources and this source are mentioned with appropriate links. For this site: link to http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/index.html
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