Operation: Armed Recognisance

Date: 30th July 1945 (Monday)

Unit: No. 23 (NZ) Squadron

Type: Vought Corsair F4U-1

Serial: NZ5379

Code: 379

Base: Piva Fighter Strip, Bougainville,

Location: Solomon Sea

Pilot: Fl/Lt. John Evelyn Sanders MiD. NZ/417117 RNZAF Age 24. Missing - believed killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 14:25hrs. as one of a pair and hit by flak south of the Kara airfield shortly after 16:00hrs the pilot called in and advised his throttle, mixture and pitch controls, and hydraulics were out of action.

He nursed his damaged fighter back to base and decided to ditch off Torokina beach.

A good landing was made in the water 100 yards off the west end of Torokina Reef at 16:48hrs., but the pilot failed to get clear before his Corsair sank and a crash boat on the scene moments later finding no trace of him.

Burial and further details:

Fl/Lt. John Evelyn Sanders MiD. Bourail Memorial. Panel 3. Born at Oamaru on the 28th September 1920. Educated at Waitaki Boys High School and Lincoln Agricultural College. Worked as a farmer on his father's farm near Oamaru. New Zealand Army (TF) for 2 years, Enlisted at Levin as Airman Pilot u/t 21st December 1941, to Taieri on the 7th February 1942 for his elementary flying training. Posted to No.1 Service Flying Training School, Wigram on the 03rd April 1942, Awarded his wings on the 15th June 1942 and commissioned on the 05th September 1942.

On the 16th October 1942, he proceeded to New Plymouth, for his operational training, serving later at Ohakea and Nelson before embarking for Fiji on the 12th May 19434 where he served with 4 Squadron flying the Hudson. Returned to New Zealand on the 12th May. 14th July 1943, to Pacific for 9 Sqn (Hudson) 27 July 1943. Joined 4 squadron 17th August 1943.

Returned to New Zealand on the 10th November. Commenced training on the P-40 at 20 OTU on the 06th December 1943. Joined 19 squadron on the 02nd February 1944 flying the P-40 (Warhawk). Involved in a forced landing after a fire in the air on the 07th February escaped uninjured. Posted to the Pacific with the squadron on the 15th February flying the Corsair. Survived a mid-air collision on the 24th June 1944. Returned to NZ with the squadron on the 31st August 1944.

Above: Rear: Raymond William Henderson NZ/411894, A. Cunningham, Norman Lonsdale Kiddl NZ/433307e, J.M Calder.
Centre; K.W Wright, Jack Muir Knigh NZ/4210031t, R.F Garnham, R.W Smith, Rendle Hugh Armstrong NZ/423800 , Colin Robert Carnachan N/Z/2138, R.B Johnson, J.F Green, G.T Watt, Peter Stuart Freyberg.
Front; Aubrey Albert Donald Bills, Douglas Alan Youngs NZ/401297, Peter Douglas Gifford NZ/41476, John Rutherford9 Clark Kilian NZ/1043, Dennis Edward Hogan NZ/411897, John Evelyn Sanders NZ/417117, A.M Hollings (Intelligence Officer).
Written on bomb in foreground: 'blunt end' (left) '15/8/44, 19 Fighter Sqnd (centre) and 'sharp end' (right). (Courtesy Air Museum of New Zealand)

Posted to the Pacific 25th October 1944. Again, returned with the squadron to NZ on the 07th January 1945. Joined non-effective pool on the 29th January flying both the Harvard and Warhawk, as an instructor on the 31st January 1945. Flight Leaders School, flying the Corsair on the 05th March 1945. With Central Flying School on the 01st April 1945. Posted to 23 squadron on the 28th May 1945 and with the squadron to the Pacific 20th June 1945.

He was mentioned in despatches for meritorious service in March 1946.

Son of Frank Rowland (died 09th June 1959, age 75) and Mary Decima Evelyn Sanders (Married in 1913, née Wright - died 08th August 1965, age 85), of Oamaru, Otago, New Zealand.

L-R: Rear; Reginald Frederick Upton 405345, James Garfield Lomax 405289, NJ Thorburn, Stanley Harold Mortimore 405307, BN McGregor, Gray Stenborg 402494, K Mueller, Allan O'Brien 404564.
Centre; BG Williams, Reginald William Urwin 405346, Allan Launcelot Robinson 405321, Dudley Alfred Sanders 405609, David Owen Waters 405350, JR Marks, John Keys 405285.
Front; LA Yates, LH McCarthey, AB Wheeler, Leo Clifford Webster 405352, Naughton Stephen Kennedy 405283, WH Smerton, John Evelyn Sanders 417117, Terence Barnes Pepper 405318 (Courtesy Air Museum of New Zealand)

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, New Zealand Cenotaph, Weekly News of New Zealand, Air Museum of New Zealand, Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland.

Other sources as quoted below:

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