Operation: Escort

Date: 28th May 1940 (Tuesday)

Unit: No. 213 Squadron

Type: Hurricane I

Serial: P3354

Code: AK-E

Base: RAF Manston

Location: Heist-aan-Zee, Belgium

Pilot: Fl/Lt. Edward George Winning 39204 RAF Age ? Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Covering the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk, several operations were made to disrupt enemy pressure around the area. The weather hampered the operations with low cloud and pouring rain.

One such operation was a raid by Blenheims from 12 Squadron to bomb Omer - 213 Squadron were instructed to act as their escort.

A disastrous day for the Squadron, losing some 5 aircraft, the others:

Hurricane I P2817 AK-B Flown by Sgt. Thomas Boyd 516716 RAF - shot down at 06:45 hrs, over the North Sea off Ostend by Bf109’s of 8./JG3 - rescued and returned to unit. (see note)
Hurricane I P2721 Flown by Sgt. Samuel Leslie Butterfield - shot down by Bf109’s of 3./JG54 at 11.45 hrs - he managed to bale out and was rescued by the paddle steamer ’Sundown’ and landed at Margate. (see note)
Hurricane I P2792 AK-C Flown by P/O. Laurence George Beauchamp Stone 43695 RAF - shot down at 11:45 hrs over the North Sea off Dunkirk - although classed as missing it is reported that his body was recovered and buried at sea by the Royal Navy. (see note)
Hurricane I P2834 AK-R Flown by Sgt. J.A. Lishman - shot down by Bf109’s of 3./JG54 at 11:45 hrs in the North Sea off Dunkirk. Wounded in the arm he was rescued and delivered to Victoria Hospital in Dover. Understood to have survived the war.

The Hurricane of Fl/Lt. Edward Winning was hit over Ostend, crashing at Heist-aan-Zee 06:45 hrs. Luftwaffe fighters from 8./JG3 claimed the kill.

Also during the huge air battles on the same day the allies lost some 13 aircraft with others returning with various degrees of battle damage.

Note: Sgt. Boyd was killed a few days later on the 31st May, flying Hurricane P3419 AK-A - shot down over Nieuwpoort at 14:40 hrs by Bf109’s of III./JG26. The Squadron lost 4 other aircraft also on this day. Sgt. Butterfield DFM. was killed on the 11th August, flying Hurricane P3789 AK-P - shot down off Portland. The Squadron lost 1 other aircraft on that day. Some days previous to his death, P/O. Stone escaped injury - flying Hurricane I N2538 after being hit by French anti-aircraft fire on the 19th May 1940, force landing at Lille. During May 1940 over 840 RAF personnel lost their lives. Thanks to Jack Brook for correcting serial number - April 2017.

Burial details:

Fl/Lt. Edward George Winning. Cement House Cemetery, Grave XXI.A.12. Next of kin details not known - are you able to assist?

Others mentioned within this article:

Sgt. Thomas Boyd. St. Joris Communal Cemetery. Grave 2. Son of James H. Boyd, and of Ann Boyd, of Bramhall, Cheshire, England.

Sgt. Samuel Leslie Butterfield. DFM. Boulogne Eastern Cemetery. Plot II. Row A. Grave 16. Son of Samuel Harold and Evelyn Butterfield, husband of Dorothy Louise Butterfield, of Windsor, London, England.

P/O. Laurence George Beauchamp Stone. Runnymede Memorial. Pane 10 - next of kin details not known, are you able to assist?

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks Franky Mahieu for grave photograph - May 2016. Jack Brook for correcting a serial number - April 2017. Other sources as quoted below:

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