Operation: Reconnaissance

Date: 29th November 1942 (Sunday)

Unit No: 2 Squadron, 34 Wing. Army Cooperation Command (motto: 'Hereward – Guardian of the Army. nickname: 'Shiny two')

Type: Mustang I

Serial: AP164

Code: XV:?

Base: RAF Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire

Location: Lost without trace - North Sea

Pilot: Fg Off. Godfrey Melville Cunningham 414260 RNZAF Age 25. MiA

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 14:09 hrs to carry out low level photo reconnaissance between the Hook and Westkapelle in the Netherlands (see map)

Fg Off. Cunningham had completed the operation and was provided a course for home by the leader. Although he was seen to be following the route five minutes earlier he failed to reply - AP164 was not heard from again and it is thought that he may have gone down in the North Sea.

Burial details:

Above: Memorial 2 Squadron at Sawbridgeworth

Fg Off. Godfrey Melville Cunningham. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 114. Born on the 24th September 1917 at Mangateretere, the son of Elizabeth Alice Cunningham and stepson of Ernest A. Flanders, of Mangateretere, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.

A labourer prior to service at Whakatu Freezing Works. A total of 393 flying hours logged.

Researched by kelvin Youngs (Webmaster) and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to the research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Weekly News of New Zealand (Jul 2019). Thanks to Antonio McDonald for the correction to the aircraft type on the photograph (Jan 2024).

Other sources listed below: