Operation: Sedan France

Date: 14th May 1940 (Tuesday)

Unit No: 150 Squadron, 1 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Fairey Battle Mk I

Serial: K9483

Code: JN:?

Base: RAF Ecury-sur-Cole, France

Location: South of Bulsont, France

Pilot: Plt Off. Arthur Francis Posselt 41319 RAF Age 21. KiA

Obs: Sgt. Donald Joseph Bowen 581262 RAF Age 22. KiA

WOp/Air Gnr: AC2. Norman Victor Vano 630788 RAF Age 18. KiA

REASON FOR LOSS:

During an attack on a pontoon bridge across the Meusee just south of Sedan during the early afternoon when attacked by Bf 109s.

The above photograph of the crash site were taken looking south from Bulson

Thought to have been probably shot down by Uffz. Willi Ghesla of 2./JG53. The aircraft came down at 15:20 hrs at le Petit Pont.

(Above) Pilots of 1./JG53 taken in September 1940 - Left to Right: Uffz. Ludwig Reibel, Lt. Alfred Zeis, Uffz. H. Ruehl, Hptn. Hans-Karl Mayer, Uffz. Willi Ghesla, Oblt. Hans Ohly, Lt. Ernst-Albrecht Schulz.

The nephew of Sgt. Donald J. Bowen, Tom Bowen, has extensively researched his uncle and made the results available here. The research shows never before seen photographs of the crash site and other information about the squadron and the crew of the aircraft.

Above: A photograph taking in the mid 1930s of a young Donald J. Bowen, 1st from the right,
with his father and brother. (Courtesy Tom Bowen, the nephew of Sgt. Bowen)

Also lost from the Squadron on the same operation:

Fairey Battle I L4946 - Flown by Fg Off. John Ing 39987 RAF - killed with all crew.
Fairey Battle I P2182 - Flown by Plt Off. John Boon 40597 RAF - killed with all crew.
Fairey Battle I P5232 - Flown by Flt Sgt. George Thomas Barker 563835 RAF - killed with 1 other crew member. LAC Alan Summerson evaded capture, despite being badly burnt and wounded in the leg.

Burial details:

Plt Off. Arthur Francis Posselt. Choloy War Cemetery Lorraine, France. Coll. grave 1A.A.10-12. Grave inscription reads: “WAS IT FOR THIS THE CLAY GREW TALL? EARTH, RECEIVE AN HONOURED GUEST”. Born on the 16th August 1918. Son of Mr. and Mrs. F.W.T. Posselt of Mbabane, Swaziland.

Sgt. Donald Joseph Bowen. Choloy War Cemetery Lorraine, France. Coll. grave 1A.A.10-12. Grave inscription reads: “OF YOUR CHARITY, PRAY FOR HIS SOUL. MY JESUS MERCY.” Born on the 18th July 1918 in Belfast. Son of David John (deceased in 1936) and Annie (née Donnelly) Bowen of Belfast, Northern Ireland.

AC2. Norman Victor Vano. Choloy War Cemetery Lorraine, France. Coll. grave 1A.A.10-12. Grave inscription reads: “A LIFE GIVEN IN THE BLOOM OF YOUTH. NO MORE CAN MORTAL GIVE”. Born on the 12th September 1921 in Newton Abbot, Devon. Son of Nunco ‘Norman’ and Florence Victoria (née Wyatt) Vano of Liverpool, England.

Researched for Aircrew Remembered by Michel Beckers - July 2016. With thanks to Gordon Poultney Plumtree School for pilot photo, Ben for grave photographs, others from the Michel Beckers collection. Thank to Tom Bowen for sharing his research on his Uncle, Sgt. Bowen. Thanks to Tom Bowen for the video (Sep 2024)

Other sources listed below:

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