Operation: Patrol

Date: 14th May 1940 (Tuesday)

Unit: No. 607 Squadron

Type: Hurricane I

Serial: P2713

Base: Vitry-En-Artois, France.

Location: Gembloux, Belgium

Pilot: P/O. Arthur Eugene Le Breuilly 42615 RAF Age 29. Missing

REASON FOR LOSS:

Thought to have been shot down by Fw. Siegfried Schnell (1) of 4./JG2 flying a Bf109 during an attack on Henschel Hs123s at 10:55 hrs. No further information available at this time.

He is though to have joined 607 Squadron in April 1940. Previously he had trained at: No. 1 Air Armaments School at RAF Manby, No 5 course OTU at Sutton Bridge from 11th March 1940 until 27th April 1940. (The first course with Hurricanes at Sutton Bridge) From this course, all pilots were moved straight to France. Many of the records were lost in France during this period.

2 other Hurricanes from 607 Squadron were also lost this day:

P2618 Flown by 28 year old, F/O. Gerald Ivo Cuthbert 90133 RAF killed (His father Captain James Cuthbert DSO of the Scots Guards was also killed on the 27th September 1915 - his brother 30 year old, Major Sidney John Cuthbert killed whilst also serving with the Scots Guards on the 30th July 1944)
P2621 Flown by Fl/Lt. John Lewis Sullivan 37643 RAF killed (attached from 242 squadron)

The CWGC have P/O. Le Breuilly as 87 Squadron, it is thought therefore that he was attached to 607 Squadron for this operation.

(1) Fw. Siegfried Schnell: Further details on this Luftwaffe ace can be found within the Kracker Archives within our website.

Burial Details:

Some of the aircrew lost during this period were buried by locals at the time and some graves may not have been recorded.

P/O. Arthur Eugene Le Breuilly commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Panel 9. Born on the 09th November 1911 at St. Saviour, Jersey. A farmer prior to service. He obtained his aviation certificate at the Cambridge Aero Club on the 04th December 1935. No further details available as yet.

Panel shown right - courtesy of Andrea Ruddick who has given us permission to provide a high resolution copy of the image to relatives.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of P/O. Le Breuilly. Requested by Hervé Legros from Belgium. With thanks to, Robert Dixon - for 607 Squadron information, Simon Le Breuilly for photo of P/O. Le Breuilly, Norman Franks - 'Fighter Command Losses Vol. 1', Peter D. Cornwell 'The Battle for France, Then and Now'. Alistair Goodrum for additional training information. P/O. Le Breuilly is mentioned in his first book: 'Combat Ready'. Also to our Andrea Ruddick for taking the photographs of the Runyede Memorial panel and also further details on the pilot - August 2018.

Robert Dixon has written some great books on 697 Squadron and aviation in the North East of England. He also runs a fine website on this speciality. Click onto books to take you to Robert's book section.

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