55 Squadron Blenheim losses 6 Apr 41

[Andy Marden]

In Warner (P488 of the second edition) he states that (on 6 Apr 41) "L6657, T2180, T2344 and T2383, 55 Squadron; unservicable or damaged, abandoned at Gazala North on evacuation, destroyed by British Army."
The problem is that T2383 is also listed as being shot down on 20 Apr 41 (crew of Rawlings and Huxstep killed). There is an earlier thread relating to this at:
http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/sho...n-code-letters
The same serial is quoted in AIR 81/5979:
http://discovery.nationalarchives.go...ls/r/C16755277
I have looked at the relevant 55 Sqn summary of events (AIR-27-517-9), but this makes no mention of the abandonment event. There is no Record of Events, presumably because a lot of the records were lost.
There are of course a few options. Maybe only three aircraft were abandoned, or maybe the serial of the fourth is incorrect?
Can anyone please add any more?
Andy

[Don Clark]

In Gunby & Temple RAF Bomber Losses...Middle East..., neither Vol 1 no Vol 2 corrections mention T2383 on either date.
However, they incl Z5862 on 6 Apr, adding "probably" to the matching destroyed by Army note (Halley's earlier RAF Aircraft X Z etc notes SOC* 19 Apr!).
This is interesting, as Temple collaborated with Warner over the Blenheim losses, from his own db work.
Halley's earlier RAF Aircraft T1000 - V9999 merely notes T2383 as 55 Sqn, SOC* 21 Apr 41

*Struck off charge dates being as they were, may mean almost anything.

Warner's 6 Apr entry incorrect; 20 Apr entry correct

All I can spot, Andy

[Andy Marden]

Don,
Thanks for your input, which would indeed seem to give another candidate for the events of 6 Apr 41.
Andy

[Zoran Petek]

...There is no Record of Events, presumably because a lot of the records were lost...

AIR 27/517/2 (7)	No.55 Squadron Record of Events	Sqn:55. Records of Events: Y.	1941-01-01 - 1941-01-31
AIR 27/517/1 (7)	No.55 Squadron Summary of Events	Sqn:55. Summary of Events: Y.	1941-01-01 - 1941-01-31
AIR 27/517 (6)	No.55 Squadron	No 55 Squadron: ORBs	1941-01-01 - 1942-12-31
AIR 27/517/4 (7)	No.55 Squadron Record of Events	Sqn:55. Records of Events: Y.	1941-02-01 - 1941-02-28
AIR 27/517/3 (7)	No.55 Squadron Summary of Events	Sqn:55. Summary of Events: Y.	1941-02-01 - 1941-02-28
AIR 27/517/6 (7)	No.55 Squadron Record of Events	Sqn:55. Records of Events: Y.	1941-03-01 - 1941-03-31
AIR 27/517/5 (7)	No.55 Squadron Summary of Events	Sqn:55. Summary of Events: Y.	1941-03-01 - 1941-03-31
AIR 27/517/8 (7)	No.55 Squadron Record of Events	Sqn:55. Records of Events: Y.	1941-04-01 - 1941-04-30
AIR 27/517/7 (7)	No.55 Squadron Summary of Events	Sqn:55. Summary of Events: Y.	1941-04-01 - 1941-04-30
AIR 27/517/9 (7)	No.55 Squadron Summary of Events	Sqn:55. Summary of Events: Y.	1941-05-01 - 1941-09-30
AIR 27/522 (6)	No.55 Squadron Appendices	Sqn:55. Appendices	1941-05-30 - 1941-12-31
AIR 27/517/10 (7)	No.55 Squadron Record of Events	Sqn:55. Records of Events: Y.	1941-09-01 - 1941-09-30
AIR 27/517/11 (7)	No.55 Squadron Summary of Events	Sqn:55. Summary of Events: Y.	1941-10-01 - 1941-10-31
AIR 27/517/12 (7)	No.55 Squadron Record of Events	Sqn:55. Records of Events: Y.	1941-10-01 - 1941-10-31
AIR 27/517/13 (7)	No.55 Squadron Summary of Events	Sqn:55. Summary of Events: Y.	1941-11-01 - 1941-11-30
AIR 27/517/14 (7)	No.55 Squadron Record of Events	Sqn:55. Records of Events: Y.	1941-11-01 - 1941-11-30
AIR 27/517/15 (7)	No.55 Squadron Summary of Events	Sqn:55. Summary of Events: Y.	1941-12-01 - 1941-12-31

Hope it helps
Zoran

[Andy Marden]

Zoran,
Thanks, but there is no Record of Events for May 1941 in the list you provided! May, June, July and August are all missing....
Andy

[Don Clark]

Something I'm not quite understanding, Andy.

The events were in April, not May, and the April monthly Form 540 Summary of events and the daily Form 541 Record of events both exist
The refs are indeed AIR 27/517/7 and AIR 27/517/8 and the images are at
http://discovery.nationalarchives.go...ils/r/D8451767
and
http://discovery.nationalarchives.go...ils/r/D8451768

I've skimmed these quickly to spot

The Form 540
notes the 5 Apr strafe, damaging 5 Blenheims (+ other a/c), the following attempts to repair, 6/4 repair work ordered to stop and Army destroys 2 a/c by fire...
the 5/4 and 6/4 accounts of Blenheim a/c destroyed are potentially confusing. No ids.
notes loss of Rawlings and Huxstep 20 Apr

The Form 541
5/6 Apr a/c not noted - not the place.
20 Apr notes (image 22) the loss of Rawlings and Huxstep, and recording the a/c id as N.K - not the only such annotation.


They were busy & under pressure but kept fair records, considering

Excuse me getting out the blue pencil...wishing you well and fare well

[Andy Marden]

Mea culpa! I had what might best be described as a brain fart when looking at the May records!
Anyway, thanks to Zoran and Don for their contributions, even though it seems this problem will never be resolved.
Maybe two were actually destroyed, with the others already being too badly damaged to be worth destroying?