Hawker Hurricane Mk.I P3486 (UF-J) 601 (County of London) Squadron, RAF: Written off (destroyed) when lost (failed to return) from combat operations over Belgium on 27 May 1940. Pilot killed. According to the official Air Ministry file into the incident (File AIR 81/631): "Hurricane P3486 crashed at Oostkerke, Belgium, 27 May 1940. Flying Officer C A Lee-Steere: report of death".
Airborne from RAF Biggin Hill, Bromley, Kent for a combat air patrol over the France-Belgium border, covering the evacuation of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force). According to a biography of the pilot (see link #10):
"Charles joined the Royal Auxiliary Air Force and trained as a pilot. On the completion of his pilot training, Charles was posted to 601 (County of London) Squadron (Auxiliary Air Force). Flying a Hawker Hurricane fighter, Charles was posted missing while covering the withdrawal of the British Expeditionary Force towards Dunkirk, and other channel ports."
The reported crash location of Oostkerke is a town in Diksmuide, West Flanders, Belgium at approximate coordinates 51.0466°N 2.797°E.
