Base; Thorney Island.
Take off time: Unknown.
Op: Recon. Cherbourg.
Blenheim IV N3590 'F' of 59 Squadron, Thorney Island, failed to return from a reconnaissance of Cherbourg. Pilot Officer H.L.N Davis and Sergeant G.H Coulton were posted missing in action and recorded on the Runnymede Memorial. The body of Sergeant B.W Beaumont was washed ashore and is buried at Hautot-sur-Mer, France.
The ORB notes that on this day - that P/O Davis and crew took off from Thorney Island at 1550hrs on a HACH patrol and failed to return. My understanding of a HACH patrol, is that it was an anti-invasion patrol, during which time reconnaissance was undertaken, looking for any signs of invasion. Also during this day, 59 Sqn aircrews were involved in the first major air conflict between the Luftwaffe and the RAF during the Battle of Britain. This convoy was codenamed, convoy Peewit. read more
All lost:
 | |  |
 | Crew awarded the Battle of Britain Clasp - Although entitlement was revoked by the Air Ministry in 1960 (read more) |
During WWII, the RAF used three-letter codes to identify their aircraft from a distance. Two large letters were painted before the roundel, which signified the squadron to which the aircraft belonged, and another letter was painted after the roundel which indicated the individual aircraft. Aditionally, there was the individual serial number for each aircraft, which was painted in a much smaller size, usually somewhere at the rear of the aircraft: (more)
Codes used by RAF 59 Squadron:
PJ Sep 1938 - Sep 1939
TR Sep 1939 - Oct 1942
1 Aug 1943 - Jul 1944
WE Jul 1944 - Oct 1945
BY Oct 1945 - Jun 1946, Dec 1947 - Oct 1950