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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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13 Squadron Crest
15.05.1940 No. 13 Squadron Lysander II L6885 (L4813) P/O. Ollerenshaw

Operation: Recconaisance

Date: 15th May 940 (Wednesday)

Unit: No. 13 Squadron 50 Wing British Expeditionary Force (motto: Adjuvamus tuendo - 'We assist by watching')

Type: Westland Lysander II

Serial: L6885 (L4813)

Code: OO-?

Base: RAF Doual, France

Location: Meerdaal Forest, Leuven, France

Pilot: P/O. Alan Christie Ollerenshaw 41729 RAF Age 19. Killed

Air/Gnr: LAC. Charles Francis Lucas 937157 RAFVR Age 23. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at around midday on the 15th May and it is understood that they were shot down by Oblt. Willi Fronhöfer of 9./JG-6 crashing in the forest at Meerdaal shortly afterwards.

note: We have listed two serial numbers of this Lysander as it is unclear which one he was flying at the time. Open to new evidence.

Burial details:

P/O. Alan Christie Ollerenshaw. Leuven Communal Cemetery. Row A. Grave 6. Son of Reginald Allen Ollerenshaw and Sarah Jane Ollerenshaw, of Aldergate Road, Hillsborough, Auckland, New Zealand.

LAC. Charles Francis Lucas. Leuven Communal Cemetery. Row A. Grave 7. Son of Charles and Lena Lucas, of Heaton, Newcastle-on-Tyne, England. Grave inscription reads: "The Souls Of The Righteous Are In The Hand Of God".

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to the research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Weekly News of New Zealand, other sources as quoted below:

KTY 13.05.2019

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and Captain François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Andrew Mielnik: Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Polish graves: https://niebieskaeskadra.pl/, PoW Museum Żagań, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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