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Operation: Wilhelmshaven
Date: 10/11th January 1942 (Saturday/Sunday)
Unit: No. 40 Squadron
Type: Wellington IC
Serial: X9824
Coded: BL-?
Base: RAF Alconbury
Location: Aircraft ditched in the North Sea near Rustersiel
Pilot: P/O. Paul Sampson Sanders 103042 RAFVR PoW No: 1438. Camp Stalag Luft Sagen and Belaria (Son of England Captain G.S. Sanders. RN, DSO)
Pilot 2: Sgt. Fred Pearson 1379640 RAFVR Age 30. Missing
Obs: Sgt. L.J. Benson 1375555 RAFVR PoW No: 90141. Camp: Stalag Hohen Fels
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Arthur Desmond Edwin St. C. Smithe 960672 RAFVR Age ? Missing.
Air/Gnr: Sgt G.W. Tode 1375355 RAFVR PoW No: 90142. Camp: Stalag Hohen Fels
Air/Gnr: Sgt. E.W. Wainwright 903679 RAFVR PoW No: 90140. Camp: Stalag Hohen Fels
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off from RAF Alconbury at 1645 hours.
Nachtjagd Combat Archives The Early Years Part 2 - Theo Boiten records that the aircraft was coned by Scheinweferstaffel and II & III Zug 1/988 (Flakgruppe Ostfriesland). Hit by light Luftwaffe Flak Abt 762 and Stabsbatterie 1-3 & 5/Marine Flak Abt 226 (Nordeney) and 2/lei Res Flak Abt 988. The aircraft ditched in flames in the North Sea near Rustersiel at 2133 hours.
Those who died are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
P/O. Paul Sampson Sanders (coursesy of his nephew, Christopher Chave)
Left: Runnymede Memorial
Burial details:Sgt. Fred Pearson. Runnymede Memorial Panel 91. Son of Ernest and Emily Pearson, husband of Mary Pearson, of Hyde, Cheshire, England.
Sgt. Arthur Desmond Edwin St. C. Smithe. Runnymede Memorial Panel 94. Next of kin details currently unavailable - are you able to assist?
With thanks to Christopher Chave. Thanks to John Jones for the Theo Boiten information. Other sources as quoted below.
RS 03.04.2019 - Update to include Nachtjagd Combat Archives The Early Years Part 2 - Theo Boiten information.
Unknown date - Initial upload
RS 03.04.2019 - Update to include Nachtjagd Combat Archives The Early Years Part 2 - Theo Boiten information.
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Binyon
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