Date:	Friday 31 May 1940
Time:	16:00 LT
Type:	de Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide
Owner/operator:	24 Sqn RAF
Registration:	W6457
MSN:	6445
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	near Auneuil, Oise department, Hauts-de-France, SW of Beauvais -   France
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Beauvais–Tillé Airport (BVA/LFOB)
Destination airport:

Narrative:
First Registered as G-AFSO [C of R 9076] on 21.4.39 to Western Airways Ltd, London W.1 (aircraft based at Weston-super-Mare, Somerset). C of A 6554 issued 22.5.39. Operated by 24 Squadron, RAF Hendon, Middlesex, from 10.10.39. Registration G-AFSO cancelled 4.1.40 as sold.

Impressed into RAF as W6457 on 23.1.40, retained by 24 Squadron. Forced landed near Auneuil, Oise Department, Hauts-de-France [at approximate Coordinates: 49°22′15″N 1°59′52″E] on 31.5.40 during evacuation, and destroyed by German machine gun fire. It was apparently attacked by three Luftwaffe Bf.110s, forced to land and then strafed at 16:00 hours (local time) on 31.5.40. I believe the location was near Auneuil, Oise Department, just South West of Beauvais. According to an entry in the 24 Squadron RAF Operation Record Book:

"31 May 1940: Flying Officer Ogilvie and three passengers and one wireless operator forced down after several successful manoeuvres near Aneuil. Enemy set fire to aircraft with machine-gun fire, causing total loss to DH 89A No. W6457. No casualties"

Struck off charge 3.6.40.

1. 24 Squadron Operational Record Book (Record of Events for the period 1 to 31 May 1940): National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/293/9 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8409763
2. https://www.ab-ix.co.uk/pdfs/dh89.pdf
3. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-AFSO.pdf
4. http://www.orpheusweb.co.uk/vicsmith/OldAccs/May40.html
5. http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=23091
6. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/p064.html
7. http://afleetingpeace.org/index.php/aeroplanes/15-aeroplanes/80-register-gb-g-af
8. http://www.24sqnassociation.royalairforce.net/issue7.htm
9. http://www.airliners.net/photo/Western-Airways/De-Havilland-DH-89-Dragon-Rapide/2275793
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auneuil

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
17-May-2008 11:10	ASN archive	Added
01-Jan-2012 21:47	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Date, Registration, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Nature, Source, Damage, Narrative, ]
26-Jun-2012 12:09	Nepa	Updated [Operator, ]
26-Oct-2017 22:11	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Cn, Total occupants, Location, Source, Narrative, ]
26-Oct-2017 22:13	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative, ]
26-Oct-2017 22:14	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, ]
22-Feb-2018 16:06	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Departure airport, Source, Narrative, ]
22-Feb-2018 16:08	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Narrative, ]
18-Feb-2019 21:07	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, ]
18-Mar-2019 21:15	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative, ]
20-Mar-2025 03:06	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative, Category, ]