Operation: Bridge attack

Date: 14th May 1940 (Tuesday)

Unit: No. 103 Squadron (motto: Noli me tangere - 'Touch me not')

Type: Fairey Battle I

Serial: L5516 (see note)

Code: PM-E

Base: Betheniville, France

Location: West bak of River Meuse, Mouzon, France

Pilot: P/O. Vernon Allan Cunningham 36212 RAF Age 24. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: ACI. Joseph Johnson 617968 RAF Age 20. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 15:30 hrs with 7 others to try to prevent the rapidly advancing German army. They were directed to bomb pontoons on the River Meuse. These had also been attacked the previous day.

The squadron had previously suffered many losses with valuable aircrew and so they had decided to use the outdated Fairey Battle with just two crew, leaving off the observer.

Although few encounters with the Luftwaffe they came under intense light ant-aircraft fire, three aircraft were lost from the Squadron - Battle K9374 flown by F/O. Thomas Fitzgerald with his air gunner Cpl. Madkins were also hit, but managed to force land and managed to return to their unit the following day. Battle P5446 flown by Sgt. Beardsley also hit, but managed a crash landing. Further details here.

Above: as described - courtesy David Fell, see credits. (originally supplied by Oleg Marin)

Note: Squadron records were understandably not kept up to date as much as perhaps they should have been during this period. Therefore there are variations in other publications on the serial numbers of the aircraft made in this brief summary of events.

Burial details:

P/O. Vernon Allan Cunningham. (shown left) Remilly-Et-Aillicourt Communal Cemetery. Joint grave 2. Born on the 24th April 19176 at Wellington, the son of Thomas Francis Cunningham and Frances Jane Cunningham (née O'Connor), of Wellington City, New Zealand. A clerk for Blue Start Shipping before he was chosen fo a short service commission on the 04th October 1938.

ACI. Joseph Johnson. Remilly-Et-Aillicourt Communal Cemetery. Joint grave 2. Son of Joseph and Kate Johnson, of Acocks Green, Birmingham, England. Grave inscription: 'Sweet And Loving Memories Of Our Beloved Joe. Gone But Not Forgotten R.I.P'.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to Jenifer Lemaire and to the extensive research by ErrolMartyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, also to David Fell for the crash site photograph and his research into 103 Squadron, Auckland Library Heritage Collection, Weekly News of New Zealand, other sources as quoted below:

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
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