WIX Archives

Dutch Defiants - How I see it!

Posted by Paul McMillan on Sat Jan 12, 2002 08:01:28 AM

From various references:

If the Defiant wreckage in the museaum is 'PS-M' as flown by G. E. Chandler the it is L6960 Construction Number 11/ delivered to 6 MU 29/11/39, then to 264 Sqn 9/12/39 (B Flight) Shot down by Bf 109 of 5/JG 26 on May 13th 1940 (not on the 12th May 1940) 15 miles south east of Rotterdam. At the time of this it had 23.20 flying hours.
(Source Brew: Defiant File)

This was one of 6 Defiants of B Flight 264 Sqn (escorted by Spitfires of 66 Sqn) that were attacking either 15 JU52 that were on the Beach at the Hague (Gull) or German troop movements (Brew) . In this mission a total of 5 Defiants and 1 Spitfire were lost. (Source: Gull et al: 12 Days in May and Brew)

The crew of L6960 were

Pilot P.O. Gordon Emery Chandler (Serial 33559) Killed Aged 20, Buried Made-En-Drimmelen Protestant Churchyard, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands

Gunner LAC Douglas Leslie McLeish (Serial 581467) Killed Aged 20 Buried at: Wekendam Protestant Cemetery, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands

(Source: CWGC)

Interesting another Defiant L6958 (c/n 9) was also lost at Biesbosh (Source: Franks - Fight Command Losses) lists both these Defiants as crashing at Biesbosh). In this aircarft the Gunner LAC John Stuart Mee Bromley Serial 521432 was killed aged 24 (the Pilot P/O Thomas bailed out and evaded).

IMHO. I think this second Defiant is the one that Cees mentioned about being recovered and a body desecrated. The facts match up, especially as the Gunner is listed as missing and as such is Commemorated on the Runnymead Memorial.

Cees, do you know if his remains were ever retrieved from the &^%$"!* ?$%^ who had them on his mantle piece?

As Brew or Franks do not mention a Sqn Code, and the reference has no aircraft ID then I wondering which of these Defiants is in the museam


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