Operation: Laon France
Date: 19th May 1940
Unit: No. 142 Squadron
Type: Fairey Battle MkI
Serial: L5226
Code: QT-Q
Base: Faux-Villecerf
Location: Dagny-Lambercy, France
Pilot: Sgt. Alfred James Godsell 518260 RAF PoW No: 13109 Camp: Stalag Kopernikus - 357
Obs: Sgt. B.A. Hopgood 523148 RAF injured - confined in hospital due injuries and was repatriated 02nd February 1945 aboard 'Letitia'.
Air/Gnr: LAC. William Donald Boyle 618097 RAF Age 19. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
The aircraft had taken off from it's base at Faux-Villecerf on the 19th May to attack targets in the Laon area.
It is believed that during this attack that the aircraft was hit by ground fire and crashed near Dagny-Lambercy at 10:45 hrs.
Above: photographs taken by LAC William Boyle during an earlier ground attack operation from L5226.
Two of the crew survived and spent the rest of the war as PoW, LAC Boyle lost his life and now rests in Dagny-Lambercy Churchyard.
Burial details:
LAC. William D. Boyle. Dagny-Lambercy Churchyard. Son of William Darnell Boyle, and of Caroline Isabel Boyle, of Chippenham, Wiltshire.
Researched by Michel Beckers for Aircrew Remembered - March 2017. With thanks to Steve Barling for ground attack photographs and Pierre Vandervelden for grave photograph, others from the Michel Beckers collection.
