109s, which suffered 14 losses to the Hurricanes. Eight fighter pilots were killed, seven were wounded and three taken prisoner. 20–21 May On 20 May, 73 Squadron flew one patrol, 1 and 501 squadrons being rested and no claims or losses were recorded for the AASF Hurricanes. The commander of 1 Squadron asked for the relief of tired pilots and eight were immediately dispatched, three arriving the same day. Twelve Hurricanes were shot down, at least seven by ground fire while strafing, three pilots being killed and one captured. AASF and Air Component pilots claimed forty aircraft shot down, probables or damaged, reduced by Cull et al. to 18. During the night of 20/21 May, 38 Battles were sent to bomb communications around Givet, Dinant, Fumay, Monthermé and Charleville-Mézières. Misty conditions around the Meuse led to few of the Battle pilots claiming hits on anything and one aircraft was lost. Delays caused to the German advance in these areas could have no effect on the beginning of the Battle of Arras to the west. On 21 May the AASF and Air Component Hurricanes claimed four German aircraft, three of which were recognised by Cull et al. for the loss of three Hurricanes, one pilot killed, one taken prisoner and one returned unhurt. The AASF bombers resumed daylight operations and in small flights, attacked German columns near Reims, indirectly supported by in the area. Attacks near Le Cateau and St Quentin could have been on French troops by mistake; poor air reconnaissance made it difficult to find German forces or their objectives. 21–22 May By 21 May only some Lysanders of 4 Squadron, attached to the BEF HQ, were all that remained of the Air Component in France. The pilots of the three AASF Hurricane squadrons were exhausted; most of those of 1 Squadron was replaced and 73 Squadron pilots were given notice of their replacement; the 501 Squadron pilots, having been in France only since 10 May, had to remain. Hurricane reconnaissance sorties discovered the German advance from Cambrai on Arras and the ground control organisation at Merville ordered the Hurricanes that were airborne to strafe them. When fighter squadrons on escort or fighter patrol turned for home, they began to use up their ammunition on ground targets. The fighters still attacked in tight formations and in fifty ground strafing sorties by the various British fighter forces in France, six