Just heard that large parts of a Boulton Paul Defiant-I are on show in the “Biesbosch Museum” in Holland. I am looking for information on the identity of the gunner, the serial of the aircraft and the fate of the crew, did they survive or not ? I have the following data:
Type: Boulton Paul Defiant I
SQ: 264 Sq. RAF
Code: PS-M
Pilot: G.E.Chandler
Gunner : ?
Serial: ?
Shot down: May 12, 1940
I haven’t visited the museum (yet), and I don’t know the condition of the parts on show. As it isn’t an aviation museum, nobody in the aviation scene knew the aircraft was salvaged from the water, and that the remains were put on show. It has been there for at least 5 years without somebody knew about it.
By: Mark Ansell - 15th January 2002 at 12:27
RE: Defiant in Dutch museum it is L6958
Thanks Paul,
I cold not get yout link to work but I have found and read what you meant. As you say, very disturbing that someone could do this.
By: paulmcmillan - 15th January 2002 at 09:03
RE: Defiant in Dutch museum it is L6958
See the posts under the following thread for the whole story including a very distrubing bit of info about the Gunners remains
http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/vafrefugees/vafmsgboard.mv?parm_fu…
By: Mark Ansell - 14th January 2002 at 13:10
RE: Defiant in Dutch museum
This is interesting information.
I’ll pass this on to the Boulton Paul Association.
I’ve set-up a website for them at: http://mywebpage.netscape.com/markansell/bpa/
By: whalebone - 11th January 2002 at 16:46
RE: Defiant in Dutch museum
Pilot Officer 33559 Gordon Emery Chandler was from Toddington in Bedfordshire and died on the 13th May 1940 aged just 20 years. He is buried in the Made-en Drimmelen Protestant Churchyard, Noord-Brabant in Holland.
As you are probably aware 264Sqn were the first operational Defiant unit actually becoming operational on that very 12th of May as part of 12 group flying from Duxford. Chandler and his gunner must have been particularly unlucky to get the chop on the first day however they were saved witnessing the wholesale slaughter that there colleagues suffered in the following weeks once the 109/110 pilots “caught on”. I will leap (more hobble if I’m honest) into the attic over the weekend and rumagge for anything on the gunner.
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January 11, 2002 at 9:19 am