The 150 Squadron were active in France as part of the Advanced Air Strike Force from 2nd September 1939 to 17th June 1940. During that time there were some 480 personnel based in the unit to support and crew their quota of 16 Fairey Battle aircraft. On the 2nd September 39 the unit flew 14 Fairey Battles from Benson to Challerange along with one Miles Magister. On 12th September they relocated to Ecury sur Coole and flew 16 Fairey battles to their new base. Of the original 16 planes 10 were lost with 14 crew killed and 8 injured.
During their stay in France a total of 57 planes were allocated to the unit over the period trying to maintain 16 fully functional planes ready for combat, 29 planes were lost either through combat or accidents. The sad part is that of these brave men 36 were killed in action with a further 13 injured and 13 made prisoners of war.
Below are compiled all the aircraft involved as per the records available, it just gives a picture of 150 Squadron’s involvement with the AASF and lists what happened to the crews. It is organized in a timeline arrival to departure. Note the JN-? numbers are as accurate as possible.
We should remember these lads who put their lives in the line of fire knowing the odds. Where I have photos of them I will put them in so if you have a photo of an individual please send it to me so we can put faces on these heros.
| 2 Sep 39 150 Squadron move from Benson UK to Challerange, France | |
| L5220 | Flown Benson to Challerange Sgt Pay 2 Sep 39. Plane survived and Served at No. 5 Bombing and Gunnery School, Dafoe, Saskatchewan Canada |
| L4947 | Flown Benson to Challerange Sgt Beale 2 Sep 39 the plane ended up in Canada |
| K9392 | Flown Benson to Challerange Sgt Andrews 2 Sep 39. The plane survived then transferred to the SAAF on 09/07/41 where it became 981. |
| K9380 | Flown Benson to Challerange Barker 2 Sep 39. This plane eventually ended up in Australia and was lost in an training air collision. |
| P2394 | Miles Magister p2394 Flown Benson to Challerange by P/O Weeks 3 Sep 39 left there and later went to 103 sq. |
| K9389 | 9 Sep 1939 recon first operation for 150 squadron from Challerange |
| 12 Sep 1939 150 squadron move to Ecury sur Coole with 16 Fairey Battles | |
| L4945 | 17 Sep 1939 recon survived. Ended up in 15 Elementary Flight Training School EFTS Redhill UK |
| K9379 | 20 Sep 39 2.5 hour recon F/O Beale all ok. |
| L5225 | JN-L Crashes on takeoff from Ecury-sur-Coole on September 20, 1939. P/O James Lionel Calvert, Sgt Thomas B Woodmanson, AC John L Marsh, all killed
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| K9283 | JN-P Crash landed and destroyed at Ecury-sur-Coole on September 30, 1939 after combat. Sqn Ldr MacDonald, AC1 Alexander Murcar (inj), Sgt Fred Gardiner (inj) |
| K9387 | JN-R Shot down by Bf 109 on 30 September 1939. Fg Off Fernald Corelli kia, Sgt Leslie B. Webber bailed ok , AC Kenneth Gay kia, |
| K9484 | JN-Y Shot down by Bf 109s over Germany 30 September 1939. Plt. Off John Saunders (aged 20), and WOp/AG AC1 Donald Thomas (19) died but the observer, Sgt George J. Springett, ” Spike” baled out over German territory and was made a POW
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| N2028 | JN-T ?Shot down by Bf 109 on 30 September 1939. Plt Off M.A. Poulton with Sgt T.A. Bates and AC1 H.E.A. Rose all bailed ok. But injuries |
| N2093 | JN-W Shot down by Bf 109 on 30 September 1939.Flt Lt Laurence Hyde-Parker bailed injured, with his observer, Sgt William Cole (19 kia), and WOp/AG AC1 D.E. Jones injured. |
| L4942 | 4 Nov 39 Formation flying, replacement battle arrived from Benson on 3 Oct 1939 flown by P/O Bennett. Ended up in No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School. Ontario |
| K9204 | 9 Oct 1939 arrived as a replacement Aircraft but after testing proved to be unserviceable. Later went to 142 Sqdn. Eventually joining the RCAF in 1941 as a training aircraft. |
| K9417 | was replacement on 15/10/39 , Dec 39 Formation flying, eventually ended up in Canada as a training craft |
| L4948 | JN-F ? Crashes while landing at night in Perpignan on March 3, 1940. over ran landing strip All Ok 24/10/39 this plane was fitted with a mockup of a gun from observer position.
Is Fairey Battle JN-F L4948 ? read the examination Is Fairey Battle JN-F L4948
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| P2244 | Crashed at St Hilaire-le-Grand during an exercise on March 31, 1940. P/O David Devoto, Sgt Clifford Wall, AC William F. Taylor, all killed
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| ? | Accidentally destroyed by fire at Ecury-sur-Coole on April 22, 1940. faulty parachute flare |
| K9369 | JN-G. Damaged on May 10, 1940 and abandoned at Ecury-sur-Coole. Did a belly landing Blom, Sgt E.D. Martin, AC Clifford Cooper All safe.
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| K9390 | JN-I. Crash Landed in Merl on May 10, 1940. F/Lt Eric Parker kia, Sgt J Whalley, PoW, AC Rodney Rye, PoW |
| L5539 | JN-B Shot down near Thionville on May 10, 1940. Sgt Raymond White, Sgt CWJ Booth, LAC Robert Burrows. All returned safely on 13th |
| L5540 | JN-C. Shot down at Bonnevoie on 10 May 1940. Three PoWs. F/O A. C. Roberts, Sgt E. H. Ward, AC D Mayrick
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| P2335 | Damaged by by bombs at Ecury-sur-Coole on May 11, 1940. |
| P2334 | Destroyed by bombs at Ecury-sur-Coole on May 11, 1940.
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| P2262 | 12 May 40 attack mechanized column near Bertrik |
| P2184 | JN-P 12 May 1940 Returned to base badly damaged by AA fire during attack on enemy column between Neufchâteau and Bertrix 3.00 p.m. Sergeant S. E. Andrews, Sergeant N. J. Ingram, and LAC H. R. Figg all unhurt. Aircraft JN*P damaged but repairable – abandoned May 15. P2184 was a replacement on 4 /10/39 More info Here
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| P2336 | JN-M Shot down near Neufchâteau on May 12, 1940. Three killed. P/O Ian Campbell-Irons, Sgt. Thomas Barker and LAC Reg Hinder
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| P2179 | Plt Off Peacock-Edwards, Sgt. A Scott, AC Dearnley all ok P2179. 14/May/40 attacked pontoon bridges. P2179 was a replacement on 5/10/39 |
| L5457 | 14 May 40 attacked pontoon bridges |
| K9483 | Shot down in the Sedan sector on May 14, 1940. Plt. Off Arthur Posselt; Sgt. Donald Bowen; AC2 Norman Vano (18) Kia.
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| L4946 | JN-W Shot down at Donchéry on May 14, 1940. Ft Off John Ing; Sgt. John Turner; AC1 William Nolan (from Limerick) ,all Kia
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| P2182 | Shot down at Douzy on May 14, 1940. Plt. Off John Boon; Sgt. Thomas Fortune; AC1 Sydney Martin all Kia. P2182 was a replacement 4/10/39
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| P5232 | Shot down in the Sedan sector on May 14, 1940. Flt Sgt. George Barker and Sgt. James Williams Kia. LAC Alan Summerson injured
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| 15 May 1940 150 Squadron Abandon Ecury sur Coole and relocated to Pouan near Arcis sur Aube | |
| L5583 | JN-B Very damaged in a mission on May 19, 1940 and abandoned in Sommesous. F/O Allen D Frank , ok
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| P5235 | JN-H. Shot down in action on May 19, 1940. Three PoW’s. P/O David Ernest Osment, Sgt. G. W. Clifford, AC W. G. Slade more info here
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| L5237 | delivered to 150 Sqdn 21 May 40 from 218 Sqdn |
| L5543 | 23 May 40 Target road Echtenarch Sgt. Andrews. This plane crashed on 3 Aug 1940 at Cottesmore in Rutland |
| P2337 | 23 May 40 Target road Echtenarch P/O Long |
| L5113 | 23 May 40 Target road Echtenarch the plane eventually moved to 142 squadron |
| L5106 | 23 May 40 Target road Echtenarch P/O Frank. eventually Assigned to No. 1 Training Command in Ontario. |
| L5510 | 25 May 40 Target Monthanes F/O Blom. Ended up in No. 1 Training Command on 10 May 1941 Canada |
| L5545 | 24 May 40 Target Libramont F/Lt Beall |
| L5474 | Delivered May 25, 1940 at 150 Sq. JN-. Probably abandoned in France. ? |
| P6602 | 26/may/40 Thionvill bomb mission all returned. Moved to 142 squadron then Apr 41 to RAAF Australia |
| L5459 | JN-L Shot down at Avioth by hunters on 26 May 1940. P/O James Edward Vernon ok , Sgt. G Busby PoW, LAC A. W. Ruthland PoW
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| June 3, 1940, departure for Houssay, Loire-et-Cher, France | |
| L5579 | 7 June 40 P/O Frank new battle ? |
| L5288 | Shot down at Vergies on June 7, 1940. .P/O James Edward Vernon Kia, Sgt. George William Clawley Kia, LAC Jack Fredrick Atkins Kia |
| L5112 | JN-K Shot down near Falencourt on June 8, 1940. Three killed. P/O Reginald A Weeks, Sgt. William David Pittar, AC Leonard Grant |
| L5437 | Shot down at Merey on June 13, 1940. Three killed. F/Sgt. Roy Cuthbert Beale, Sgt. Harold. J.F Tutt, Cpl. Douglas Barfield Carter |
| L5524 | JN-V Shot down by Bf 109 at Aigleville on June 13, 1940. P/O Alfred Gulley kia, Sgt. Harold Berry PoW/escape, AC Donald Leslie Phillips PoW/escape
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| L5591 | JN-X Shot down by Bf 109 at Rebais on June 13, 1940. S/L R. M. Bradley, F/Sgt. A. Leitch, AC Rickard (inj) all ok |
| L5541 | JN-A Shot down by Bf 109 at La Ferté-Vidame on June 15, 1940. P/O E. A. Benjamin, Sgt. Armstrong, LAC Hillyard (inj), All ok but Hillyard lost his right arm.
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| K9323 | 11 June 1940 appears on a mission from Houssay, eventually ending up in Canada as a trainer aircraft |
| L5563 | 15 June 1940 Target any movement in Evraux- Vernon area F/Lt Blom. Aircraft lost with the sinking of the S.S Huntingdon en route to South Africa Feb. 1941 |
| L5593 | 15 June 1940 Target any movement in Evraux- Vernon area P/O Elliott |
| P2227 | 15 June 1940 Target any movement in Evraux- Vernon area P/O Long |
| L5528 | ? |
| Returned to Abingdon, UK 15 June 1940 | |
| Of 57 planes used 29 were lost, 36 crew Kia, 13 injured, 13 PoW | |
| Of the first 16 Fairey Battles to arrive in Ecury 10 were lost with 14 killed and 8 injured. |
Here is one we need to Identify JN-F Any Ideas which serial number it is?
travelling in a campervan 