13 Squadron Lysanders - France 1940

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Member for

16 years 7 months

Posts: 460

Hello,
I am helping a former RAF wireless operator to research his time attached to 13 Squadron (Lysanders) as part of the BEF in France in 1940.
Does anyone have access to the ORB which might provide information on which aircraft the unit lost between May 10, 1940 and its return to England?
Grateful for any help, however small.
Ed.

Original post

Member for

11 years 3 months

Posts: 114

Have you looked at the National Archives discovery site?

You may find that any surviving ORB's for this squadron have been digitised and are available for only a few pounds from them. I found Jan-May for a squadron I was interested in and these were only about £3-4 per month IIRC.

WZ862

Member for

16 years 7 months

Posts: 460

No, I have never heard of the NA discovery site but I will give it a try - many thanks.
Ed

Member for

18 years 3 months

Posts: 705

I've always found it very difficult to navigate the NA site. There are two parts to an ORB, summary of events and record of events. These are available to download for £3.30 for a single month. So it will cost £6.60 for the complete ORB for one month. They are available here:

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/h/C2502813

Ignor the left hand side. On the right hand side are listed the downloads for each month. Click on 'details' and then you find the 'add to basket' button.

There are also some combat reports:

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/h/C1912536

same rules, click on details.

Member for

16 years 7 months

Posts: 460

That's very helpful - many thanks antoni.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,598

Ed is your contact Arthur Taylor? Thanks Paul

Member for

16 years 7 months

Posts: 460

Yes Paul.
He made very detailed notes about his movements in France with the BEF but knows very little about the fate of the squadron's Lysanders.
Ed

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,598

Ed you need to try and get a copy of Battle of France Then and Now by Peter Cornwall

Btw does Arrhur still have his log book from the time and do you know service number thanks ?

Member for

16 years 7 months

Posts: 460

He has a diary and I will find out his service number for you.
Will get the book,
Cheers,
Ed

Member for

14 years 11 months

Posts: 894

I was at Kew, today, and, unfortunately, there is no O.R.B. A note, in the later book, says that the records for April and May were lost in France, and there were not enough details saved to resurrect them.

Member for

10 years 6 months

Posts: 22

It would be worth looking at the ORB for 50 Wing, if that survives.

EI

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 16,832

I met Arthur in Dunkerque last week

What a great bloke.

Moggy

Member for

16 years 7 months

Posts: 460

Thanks Edgar, that explains why I couldn't find it!
Thanks also EI, I will have a look for 50 Wing.
Paul - PM sent.
Regards,
Ed

Member for

10 years 6 months

Posts: 22

I just had a quick look at Discovery and it refers to a 50 Wing ORB for September '39 - August '40 under ref AIR 26/62. The record has not been digitised and so cannot be downloaded.

Friends of mine recently inspected the ORB for 51 Wing (the other BEF Lysander Wing) for May '40 at Kew. It has lots of strategic information (eg about deployments of flights and squadrons) but, from memory, it does not list individual aircraft losses.

Good luck.

EI

Member for

16 years 7 months

Posts: 460

Many thanks for that EI.
Regards.
Ed

Member for

1 year 3 months

Posts: 1

Ed,

I hope you don't mind me reopening this thread. I am currently researching - writing a book on 13 squadron during its time in France, 1940. I was very interested in the diary you mentioned.

I wondered if you could make contact on - burt.danny@yahoo.co.uk 

 

Cheers

 

Danny