Date:	Tuesday 24 September 1940
Time:	09:10
Type:	Fairy Swordfish 1
Owner/operator:	810 Sqn FAA RN
Registration:	L7696
MSN:	F3430
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Atlantic Ocean, off Dakar, West Africa, -   Senegal
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	HMS Ark Royal
Destination airport:	HMS Ark Royal

Narrative:
810 Sqn. FAA Royal Navy Fairy Swordfish L7696, 'A2-L', operating from the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal, stationed in the Atlantic Ocean, 20 miles south of Dakar, Senegal, West Africa, was shot down by coastal gun batteries at Cap Manuel, when on the approach to attack warships in the port of Dakar. The crew of three baled out of the aircraft, but Pilot, Sub-Lieutenant, Gerald Mardon Mowbray Cato Wheeler and Observer, Sub-Lieutenant, Anthony Leonard Cross were killed and lost at sea. Air Gunner, Leading Airman, G. P. Dawson was rescued and became a prisoner of war.

http://www.aircrewremembered.com/RoyalNavyFleetAirArmDatabase/?q=Air+Gunner&o=Aircraft&d=asc
Royal Navy (RN) Officers 1939-1945 - W (unithistories.com)
HMS Ark Royal, British aircraft carrier, WW2 (naval-history.net)
Battle of Britain, September 1940 (naval-history.net)
A History of the Mediterranean Air War, 1940–1945: Volume Three: Tunisia and ... - Christopher Shores, Giovanni Massimello, Russell Guest, Frank Olynyk, Winfried Bock - Google Books
HMS Escapade (H 17) of the Royal Navy - British Destroyer of the E class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net
Battle of Dakar - Wikipedia
List of all Fleet Air Arm Telegraphist Air Gunners Prisoners of War (wartimeheritage.com)
Be Grateful: Brighton College's Fallen 1939–45 - David Turner - Google Books

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
24-Feb-2021 22:55	Peter Clarke	Added