The No 56 Squadron Intelligence Report covering Cooney's loss. It would have been compiled from the pilots' accounts and Combat Reports.
"On 29.7.40 aircraft of 56 Squadron left Rochford at about 07.10 hours, and on being told to orbit they encountered some e/a off Dover, the formation becoming separated in searching for them.
The leader (F/Lt Coghlan) saw about 6 Me 109s at 6/8,000 feet and 25/30 Me 109s at 12,000 feet, but they all disappeared when he went in to attack the smaller formation. Some Spitfires were engaging the e/a and he saw one Spitfire shoot down three e/a, one in flames, one emitting glycol and one emitting smoke. He saw all three fall into the sea.
Blue 1 (F/O Weaver) joined a dog-fight 10 miles east of Dover and set an Me 109 on fire. This was witnessed by Blue3 (Sgt Smythe) and Blue 2 (Sgt Hillwood) and is claimed as confirmed destroyed.
Red 2 (P/O Wicks) and Red 3 (P/O Moundson) saw dive bombers attacking Dover Harbour. The former went to attack them but encountered 12 Me 109s at 11,000 feet. He attacked two with no visible effect, but saw his fire exploding on both. Red 3 was attacked by an Me 109 and was hit in port wing but e/a then disappeared.
Blue 3 (Sgt Smythe) broke away on his own, his R/T message that there were e/a on his left not being received. He attacked an Me 109 which fled at sea level, and he broke off when all his ammunition was expended.
Red 4 (Sgt Cooney) is missing and feared to be dead. F/O Weaver saw a Hurricane attacked by an Me 109 and go down emitting white smoke. It is understood that Searchlight Post No. 22 and Leathercoats Signals saw an unidentified a/c emitting white smoke crash into the sea with two loud explosions. A boat went out but found only three large oil marks."
Cooney's casualty file repeats the same information only adding that no parachute descents were seen and that only one Hurricane aircraft had come down on land, at Manston, and that it was identified and not Cooney's. It led the authorities to the inescapable conclusion that Cooney had perished when his aircraft hit the sea not far from the Goodwin Sands lightship.
The relevant section of the 'A' Flight, 56 Squadron, ORB for the day of the accident. As useless as expected in your quest! There is nothing in the 'remarks' no mention that the aircraft was lost.
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