Traces of World War 2 
Losses of French Air Force
in the Netherlands
10/05/1940 - 30/06/1940

      home - latest update 14 March 2008


Losses of the French Air Force, Netherlands, May 1940

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See War over Holland for an account of the activities of the French Army, Navy and Air Forces during the opening parts of the Battle of France in The Netherlands.

The data of the French soldiers and airmen killed in the Netherlands are gathered by Allert Goossens.

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French Air Force

Losses in The Netherlands

10/05/1940: 1 Mureaux loss? Herkingen?
11/05/1940: Zeeland and Noord-Brabant; German losses by French planes
11/05/1940: 2 Potez 631's; 1 LeO451 lost
12/05/1940: Morane's of GC III/3
shoot down 3 He 111's
12/05/1940: 1 Bloch 152
lost
13/05/1940: Morane's of GC III/3
claim 4 Me 109's
13/05/1940: 1 Potez 63.11; 2 Morane Saulnier 406's; 1 Curtiss-Hawk 75A lost
14/05/1940: One Ju 88 shot down by French fighter, Aardenburg?
14/05/1940: 1 Amiot 354 lost
15/05/1940: GB I/34 on operation above the Netherlands

16/05/1940: AB/1 bombs bridge Kapelle
16/05/1940: Moranes of GC III/1 destroy a Do 17
16/05/1940: AB/2 bombs locks at Hansweert
16/05/1940 (1 ground crew KIA?)
17/05/1940: 3 Curtiss Hawk 75A's lost
17/05/1940: Vlissingen; AB/3 - one Chance Vought V lost
17/05/1940: AB/1 bombs targets on Walcheren
17/05/1940: AB/2 bombs targets on Walcheren
17/05/1940: AB/1 bombs artillery targets on Walcheren
17/05/1940: AB/2 bombs artillery targets on Walcheren
18/05/1940
19/05/1940
20/05/1940


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10/05/1940, Herkingen?

Type: Mureaux 115 or 117
Serial number:
?
Escadrille: ?
Operation: ?
Lost:
10/05/1940
This plane is reported to have crashed or force-landed at Herkingen, near 'Boerderij Geluk' (Geluk farm), Netherlands. A picture seems to exist that clearly shows the tail with the characteristic Armee de l'Air tricolor tail panel and the often used French style big number 2.

French aerial historians deny however the possibility of this type of aircraft crashing in the Netherlands in May 1940.

See also these discussions on the TOCH-Forum: Mureaux (1) and Mureaux (2).


Sources: Dutch Studygroup Airwar 1939-1945, Pieter H, TOCH Forum, Allert Goossens.

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11/05/1940, Zeeland and Noord Brabant

He-111 P-2 of 7/KG 27 (1G+..) force-landed near Kapelle, shot down by Dutch Flak and Potez-631 patrol. Olt Wolf Bodenberger, Fw Otto Fiedler, Uffz Klaus Migge and Uffz Willi Hettich are made prisoners of war. Uffz died of wounds, buried at Ysselsteyn German War Cemetery (grave BA-226).

Source: German aircraft losses in the Netherlands, May 1940, by Lt. Col (ret) E.H. Brongers; one of his sources dates this crash on 12/05/1940

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He-111 from 1/KGr 126 crashed at Oosterhout. Was attacked above
Zuid-Beveland by French Morane Saulnier M.S.406 fighters and tried to reach Germany on one engine.

Source: German aircraft losses in the Netherlands, May 1940, by Lt. Col (ret) E.H. Brongers

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He-111H from 3/KGr 126 shot down by French Morane Saulnier M.S.406 fighters at approx. 18.00 hrs (Dutch time, GMT + 20 min) near Woensdrecht (farm at Doelstraat). Bordmechaniker Uffz Heinz Gütteck and Uffz/Funker Ernst Fischer were killed. Originally buried in Goes, now Ysselsteyn German War Cemetery, graves BA-88 and BA-89. Uffz Otto Kippschull and Ofw Paul Wittich were wounded and taken POW.

According to Dr.Heinrich Weiss, 'Luftkrieg über Holland 10-15 Mai' and Studiegroep Luchtoorlog 1939-1945 this happened on 12/05/1940.

Source: German aircraft losses in the Netherlands, May 1940, by Lt. Col (ret) E.H. Brongers

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11/05/1940, Biervliet, Middelburg

Type: Potez 631
Serial number:
?
Escadrille: AC2
Operation: ?
Lost:
11/05/1940
Lieutenant de Vaisseau Folliot
Crashed near 'De Pyramide', Biervliet.

Sources: Allert Goossens and
Slagveld Sloedam

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Type: Potez 631
Serial number:
?
Escadrille: AC2
Operation: ?
Lost:
11/05/1940
Georges Samery, Pilot, (Maître) (French Naval Air Arm), Escadrille AC2, 11/05/1940, buried originally in Middelburg; now Kapelle E-1-11 or -12 as unknown.
Eugène Louis Le Maresquier, Quartermaster (Maître) (French Naval Air Arm), Escadrille AC2,11/05/1940, buried originally in Middelburg; now Kapelle E-1-11 or -12 as unknown.
Crashed on 17.20 hrs (Dutch time) on a house in the Verkuyl Quakkelaarstraat te Vlissingen

Sources: Allert Goossens and
Slagveld Sloedam

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Type: LeO451
Serial number:
46
Unit: GBII/12
Operation: ?
Lost:
11/05/1940
Sous Lieutenant R Morel.
Crashed at 18.00 hrs (Dutch time, GMT +20 minutes) in Granville Beaulieuweg in ?

Source: Allert Goossens


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12/05/1940

Unknown number of French Morane's 406 from CC III/3 [likely to be of GC III/3] shoot down three He 111's (3/KGr 126, 9.Fliegerdivision), during or after a raid by the German bombers on the Bath defensive position.
He-111 H6 (4W+AW) crashed near Calfven, on the dirt road between Hoogerheide and Ossendrecht.
One He 111 crashed on the farm of the De Moor family, Doelstraat, Hoogerheide
One He 111 crashed at 'De Duintjes', northwest of Korteven.

Five German airmen are killed; three taken PoW (two of them were wounded).

Source: German aircraft losses in the Netherlands, May 1940, by Lt. Col (ret) E.H. Brongers

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12/05/1940, Rijsbergen (Noord-Brabant)

Type: Bloch 152
Serial number:
192
Unit: GC II/8
Operation: ?
Lost:
12/05/1940
Pilot: ?
Crashed or force-landed near Rijsbergen.

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Type: Brequet BR693
Serial number:
18
Unit: GBA 1/54
Operation: ?
Lost:
12/05/1940
Lieutenant R. Delattre
Crashed or force-landed near Vroenhoven, Belgium, near Maastricht, Netherlands.

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13/05/1940, Roosendaal area

Pilots of GC III/3 (Morane's) claim the destruction of 4 me 109's in the Roosendaal area.

Source: Ciel de Gloire, GC III/3

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13/05/1940, Oirschot

Type: Potez 63.11
Serial number:
297
Operation:
Reconnaissance sortie between Breda and Eindhoven
Lost:
13/05/1940
Louis Coqueton, 1st Lt, Groupe Aérien d'Observation 501, 13/05/1940, Oirschot / Kapelle / Quelaines
Louis Leygnac, Sgt, Groupe Aérien d'Observation 501, 13/05/1940, Oirschot / Riom

André Wiccaert, Cptn, Groupe Aérien d'Observation 501, 13/05/1940, Oirschot /
Dunkerque
Shot down by Bf109E from the 1/JG26 at 1614 or 18.38 hrs. Crashed on Café de Nachtegaal on Koppeldijk, Oirschot.
(according to Allert Goossens) / Shot down by Lt Butterweck of 1./JG26 over Poppel during reconnaissance sortie between Breda and Eindhoven. Crashed and burned out at Kapeldijk, Oirschot, 5.45 p.m. (according to Cornwell)

Sources: Allert Goossens and Peter Cornwell, The Battle of France Then & Now p259. Time quoted is BST (GMT + 1 hour).

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Type: Morane Saulnier M.S.406
Serial number:
N-967 / 549
Unit:
3e Escadre Aéronautique, GC III/3
Operation: ?
Lost:
13/05/1940
Capitaine Roger Trouillard, Cptn, 3e Groupe, 3e Escadre Aéronautique, 13/05/1940, originally buried Etten Leur; now on cemetery in
Paris
Collided with Uffz Hermann Speck in Me Bf-109 E-1, 1/JG 26.
The Morane crashed on 'Hillekens', Etten Leur (Noord-Brabant, NL). The Messerschmidt crashed at Hoeven. Uffz Speck was killed and is buried at Ysselsteyn German War Cemetery.

Sources: Allert Goossens and Lt. Col (ret) E.H. Brongers

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Type: Morane Saulnier M.S.406
Serial number:
N-954 / 532
Unit:
GC III/1
Operation:
?
Lost:
13/05/1940
Sergeant G Pralon
Crashed north of Roosendaal. Sgt Pralon made it back to his unit; he is seriously wounded on 19/05/1940.

Sources: Allert Goossens; Ciel de Gloire GC III/1

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Type: Curtiss-Hawk 75A
Serial number:
?
Unit:
GC I/4
Operation:
?
Lost:
13/05/1940
Lieutenant Jean Louis Hirschauer
Force-landed in the vicinity of Clinge, near Hulst (Zeeuws Vlaanderen). The pilot made it back to his base.

Sources: Allert Goossens and 'Aéro-Journal n° 14 : Août - Septembre 2000', via Ciel de Gloire, GC I/4; ; Slagveld Sloedam

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14/05/1940, Zeeuws Vlaanderen

Ju-88 A-1 from Aufkl.Gruppe 1(F)/121 crashed at Aardenburg - St. Kruis.
Shot down by either a Hurricane or a French fighter of (from?) Dorrory.

The crew of the Ju 88 are killed. Olt Heinz Spillmann, Ofw Richard Schnegotzki, Uffz Wilhelm Collosseus and Uffz Walter Gers were originally buried in Aardenburg, now in Ysselsteyn German War Cemetery, graves AI-257 - AI-260.

Source: German aircraft losses in the Netherlands, May 1940, by Lt. Col (ret) E.H. Brongers

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14/05/1940, Maastricht area

Type: Amiot 354
Serial number:
34 or 30 and markings white 7 or 8
Unit:
G.B.I./34
Operation: ?
Lost:
14/05/1940
Colonel François?
Crashed in the Maastricht area.

It was lost due to Flak probably in the night. Crew members:
- Lt.Col.Dagnaux WIA (plane's CO)
- Lt.Franck Fremond (pilot)

Source: Allert Goossens and Robert of TOCH Forum. See this page for recent finds on this plane.

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15/05/1940, Noord-Brabant?

Amiot 354 bombers from GB I/34 are active above the Netherlands.

Source: Edwin Hoogschagen

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16/05/1940, Train bridge, Kapelle

Unknown number of
Chance Vought V-156F (SB2U-1 Vindicator) dive bombers from AB/1 bomb the train bridge at Kapelle.
AB/1 was based at Hyères, France.

Source: Edwin Hoogschagen

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16/05/1940, Zaamslag (also spelled as 'Zaanslag)

Three Moranes of GC III/1 shoot down aDo 17 near Zaamslag, at 12.55 Belgian Time (GMT + 1 hr) during patrol over Dendermonde area. The French pilots are: (Lt) Tony Leenhardt, (A/C) Cremieux and (S/C) Cazade.

The Do 17 from 7.(F)/LG2 made a belly landing north east of Spui. The crew, Fw August Schenkelberg, Gefr Herman Reiche en Uffz Johann Gronn, were made prisoners of war.

Sources: Peter Cornwell; German aircraft losses in the Netherlands, May 1940, by Lt. Col (ret) E.H. Brongers; Aéro-Journal n° 3 : Octobre - Novembre 1998 via Ciel de Gloire GC III/1; Arnaud Gillet, Victoires de l'Aviation de Chasse Française - Tome 2 via Pieter H.

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16/05/1940, ?

René Lechene, Soldat, 22e Aviation, 16/05/1940, originally buried Kapelle, Netherlands; later buried Nogent te Bernard, France

Source: Allert Goossens

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17/05/1940, Scheldt Estuary

Nine Curtis Hawks 75A's from GC I/4 engage German planes. They claim to have shot down four Me 109's and one He 111. Three Curtis Hawks are lost in combat with Me 109's from the I/JG20 (16-17.00 hrs).

Type: Curtiss-Hawk 75A
Serial number:
?
Unit:
GC I/4
Operation:
?
Lost:
17/05/1940
Lieutenant Jean Louis Hirschauer
Bailed out Westerschelde/Hoofdplaat; injured.

Sources: Allert Goossens
and Aéro-Journal n° 15 : Octobre - Novembre 2000via Ciel de Gloire, GC I/4; ; Slagveld Sloedam

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Type: Curtiss-Hawk 75A
Serial number:
?
Unit:
GC I/4
Operation:
?
Lost:
17/05/1940
Sgt D. Bompain.
Bailed out near Middelburg. Plane crashed north of Middelburg. Taken prisoner of war 23/05/1940.

Sources: Allert Goossens
and Aéro-Journal n° 15 : Octobre - Novembre 2000via Ciel de Gloire, GC I/4; ; Slagveld Sloedam

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Type: Curtiss-Hawk 75A
Serial number:
X88484?
Unit:
GC I/4
Operation:
?
Lost:
17/05/1940
Sgt Cartier (also spelled as 'Catier')
Made a forced landing in Zeeuws Vlaanderen.

Sources: Allert Goossens
and Aéro-Journal n° 15 : Octobre - Novembre 2000via Ciel de Gloire, GC I/4

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17/05/1940, Vlissingen

Type: Chance Vought V-156F (SB2U-1 Vindicator) (dive bomber)
Serial number:
X88-484 or 84 / X-884 ?
Unit:
AB/3 [A...(?) de Bombardement] Aeronaval
Operation:
?
Lost:
17/05/1940
?
Crashed or force landed near or in Vlissingen (Flushing)
Based in Alprech.

Sources: Allert Goossens; Slagveld Sloedam

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Sources

Armée de l'Air - Order of Battle, 10th May 1940
Ciel de Gloire (in French)
Dutch Airwar Study Group 1939-1945
German aircraft losses in the Netherlands, May 1940, by Lt. Col (ret) E.H. Brongers
(in Dutch)
Order of Liberation (in French/English/Spanish)
Slagveld Sloedam (in Dutch; contains database of aircraft crashes Zeeland)
War over Holland
Wings to Victory (air war over Zeeland)

Gemeente Kapelle - Franse Militaire Begraafplaats (French War Cemetery)
Marokkanen in WO II (in Dutch)
Generals of World War II
Oorlogsmonumenten - Kapelle, Frans ereveld (French War Cemetery)
De Slag om de Grebbeberg (Dutch)


Prisoners of War captured in Europe 1940
RAF - Campaign Diary - The Battle of France (May-June 1940)
RAF Museum: British Military Aviation in 1940
The Second World War - a day by day account
The War in France and Flanders, 1939-1940, by Major L.F. Ellis, 1954

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Books

Peter D. Cornwell, The Battle of France, Then and Now, 2008
Arnaud Gillet, Les victoires de l'aviation de chasse française - Tome 1, 10 mai 1940 - 15 mai 1940 : Échec et mat, Arnaud Gillet, autoéditeur, ISBN 2-9514552-3-2
Arnaud Gillet, Les victoires de l'aviation de chasse française - Tome 2, 16 mai 1940 - 4 juin 1940 : Vers Dunkerque, Arnaud Gillet, autoéditeur, ISBN : 2-9514552-4-0

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Links

Discussion Groups
Aéroforums : Forum Histoire de l'aviation
Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum
War over Holland Discussion Forum

Other

Bunkersite.com
Overzicht Nederlandse militaire, oorlogs-, verzets- en bevrijdingsmusea (in Dutch)
Stichting Fokker G.I (Fokker G.I Foundation, in Dutch)
Vliegveld Valkenburg Mei 1940 (in Dutch)


Abbreviations used in the Royal Air Force
Code Names & RAF Vocabulary

Air Aces
Airwar over Denmark
Allied World War II Casualties in the Netherlands
Australian Wargraves
Axis History Factbook
Battle-of-Britain.com
De Belgen in Engeland 1940-1945 (in Dutch)
Belgian Aviation History Association Archaeological Team
British Aircraft Directory
British Aviation Archaeological Council - Books and research links
Canada's Air Force History
HMS Cavalier
Ciel de Gloire (in French) RAF Squadrons
CWGC Cemeteries Germany
CWGC Cemeteries Netherlands
Czechoslovak airmen in the RAF 1940-1945
Danish WW2 Pilots
Dutch Pilots in RAF Squadrons
Eagles Squadrons (American pilots in the RAF)
Foreign Aircraft Landings in Ireland 1939-1946
Håkans aviation page (from Sweden, in English)
An Irish Airman Foresees His Death, poem by W.B. Yeats
Jagdgeschwader 27 (in German)
Luchtoorlog ('Arial War', in Dutch, with many photos)
Land Forces of Britain, the Empire and Commonwealth
The Luftwaffe, 1933-1945
Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum
The National Ex-Prisoners of War Association
Naval History.net
Nordic Aviation during WW2
Pilotfriend.com: aircraft of WW2
Polish Air Force 1940-1947 Operations Record Books
RAF Battle of Britain
RAF Upwood
RAF WWII 38 Group Squadrons Reunited
Warbird Alley
War over Holland
World War II Aircraft wrecksites in Norway
www.bomber-command.de

Aircraft crashes on the North Yorkshire Moors, England
Bills-Bunker.de
The Lancastershire Aircraft Investigation Team
Luftfahrt-Archäologie in Schleswig Holstein (in German)
North East Diary 1939-1945
Wartime Leicester and Leicestershire

The Aerodrome - Aces and Aircraft of World War 1
WW1 Cemeteries

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This page is dedicated to the French soldiers, sailors and airmen who lost their lives in the defense of the Netherlands, May 1940.

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© Allert Goossens / Bart FM Droog / War over Holland / Rottend Staal Online 2008. Permission granted for use of the data gathered here for non commercial purposes, if this source is mentioned with links to http://www.waroverholland.nl and http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/france/index.html