Whelan, 88 Sqn 23/5/40.

[Owen]

Had a query from one of our members about this chap.
Mathew Whelan 19 years of age his number of was 630351 wireless operator Royal Air Force.
He died 23rd May 1940.
CWGC :: Casualty Details

He was in 88 Sqn.
They had Fairey Battles .
Can anyone else help out?

I've found this page.
World War 2 - RAF 88 Squadron, May/June 1940

Type: Fairey Battle 1
Serial number: P2356, RH-?
Operation: Battle Area
Lost: 23/05/1940
Pilot Officer (Pilot) Albert E. Wickham, RAF 36200, 88 Sqdn., age 22, 23/05/1940, Durnbach War Cemetery, D
Sergeant (Obs.) Edward Hibbert, RAF 564863, 88 Sqdn., age unknown, 23/05/1940, Durnbach War Cemetery, D
Aircraftman 2nd Class (W. Op./Air Gnr.) Matthew Whelan, RAF 630351, 88 Sqdn., age 19, 23/05/1940, Durnbach War Cemetery, D
Airborne from Les Grandes Chappelles. Shot down in the battle area.

Was the mission over Germany or did he die as a POW after being shot down in France?
Ah CWGC says this.

The great majority of those buried here are airmen shot down over Bavaria, Wurtemberg, Austria, Hessen and Thuringia, brought from their scattered graves by the Army Graves Service.

Bit more on 88 Sqn.
No. 88 Squadron (RAF) during the Second World War

Location
17 July 1937-2 September 1939: Boscombe Down
2-12 September 1939: Auberive
12 September 1939-16 May 1940: Mourmelon
16 May-3 June 1940: Les Grandes Chappelles

Group and Duty
September 1939-June 1940: Bomber squadron with No.1 Group, 75 Wing, Advanced Air Striking Force

More info on 88 Sqn.
RAF History - Bomber Command 60th Anniversary

I see they scored the RAF's first kill of WW2.

On 20th September 1939, during a reconnaissance patrol over the enemy's front lines, one of its Battles scored Britain's first air combat "kill" of World War 2 when it shot down a Bf.109. (The person actually responsible for this "kill" was Sergeant F Letchford, an air observer; he was flying in an aircraft piloted by Flying Officer LH Baker.)

[Harry Ree]

This loss appears to be a strange one at first sight.The target was the "Battle Area" which very fluid at this point in the Battle for France.The roll up of the BEF was at a crucial point at this date, being approximately 2 weeks after the German blizkrieg had started on the Western Front.However problems with navigation resulted in some aircraft taking tracks unrecognised by the crew, in fact I think they were lost but probabily would be unaware of this until they were brought down.

The clue is their resting place.Durnbach is a concentration military cemetery as stated and this crew must have been interred within the Durnbach catchment area as defined post war.

I suspect the crew had a fault with their navigation equipment which them to stray over southern Germany where they were brought down.Where their intial resting place is unknown to me.

On the same day in May 1940 a No 61 Squadron Hampden on a similar operation from Hemswell was lost in a similar incident due a a faulty gyro compass and the crew made a landing, out of fuel in what they thought was Scotland, in fact it was near to Stuttgart and all four crew, all pre war regulars went into the bag.

I knew the widow of one of this crew and she related to me that the the pilot, Chiefy Ross made a perfect landing in a meadow which he thought was in Scotland and said to her husband after landing."Pop down to the village, ring the squadron and ask them to pick us up". Her husband went to the village and came running back followed by locals and exclaimed "We are in Germany" (I think the language was a bit stronger) Her husband remained a POW until May 1945 when he had attained the rank of Warrant Officer during captivity.

From that I told her that the loss of her husbands aircraft was recorded in W R Chorley's excellent reference source which she later obtained. A very nice lady.

[erana]

Hello Harry

My name is Erana Morgan (nee Whelan). My half brother Mathew Whelan (born to my dads first wife) died ages 19 (630351 88th squadron royal air force) and I would like to know if anybody has any photos at all of the men?

Thank you so much for all the information you have supplied - I never knew Mathew he died 10 years before I was born although I have been fortunate to visit his grave in Durnbach. I want to pass this information on to my Grandchildren - one called after him !

[Harry Ree]

Sorry for the delay.

I think that there is a likelihood that there should be some photographs around from this era.

Until recently the squadron had a strong squadron association.However the Squadron Association Secretary, Mr Barry Collins,11 Gulliane Drive, Warmsworth Doncaster ,DN4 9NW may be able to field information etc about the squadron.(Public Domain address)

Looking at the fate of the aircraft, it would appear that the aircraft was detailed to attack enemy ground forces in the vicinity of Sedan on the Meuse in an attempt to stem the breakthrough of German forces at a critical period in the Battle for France

From their final resting place at Durnbach, it is highly probable that the aircraft was brought down in the Baden Wurttenberg Lander (similar to a English Shire and on the east bank of the Rhine ) and their initial burial was in this Lander.It is possible that the British Government were notified of this place by the German authorities via the Protecting Power (Swiss) / ICRC .If this was the case then the CWGC would be aware of this.On the other hand, the initial grave site may have been discovered early postwar by the RAF Graves investigation teams whose main function was to account for missing RAF casualties.The CWGC would ultimately be aware of this for their task of reinterring the area casualties in the concentration military cemetery at Durnbach.

As regards the aircraft's fate, the Air Historical Branch of the Royal Air Force may have the aircraft included in its Aircraft loss record system. It also has a record of RAF casualties

The address is: Air Historical Branch (RAF)
Building 266
RAF Bentley Priory
Stanmore.
Middlesex
HA7 3HH

and the CWGC
2 Marlow Road
Maidenhead
Berkshire SL6 7DX

I hope this may be of some assistance.

[erana]

Hello Harry

Thank you so much for replying to my e mail and for the information you've sent me . I will write to the address you've sent me for more details about Mathew and let you know of the outcome.

Erana