Operation: Anti-Shipping Sweep, south coast, Italy

Date: 9th October 1941 (Thursday)

Unit No: 107 Squadron, 2 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Blenheim IV

Serial: Z7644

Code: OM:E

Base: RAF Luqa, Malta (On detachment from RAF Great Massingham, Norfolk)

Location: Near Capo Sant’ Alessio, Sicily

Pilot: Fg Off. Neville Whitford Walders 41758 RAF Age 24. KiA (1)

Obs: Sgt. Stanley Jones 1053361 RAFVR Age 26. KiA

WOp/Air Gnr. Flt Sgt. William Karl Hunting R62717 Age 20. KiA

REASON FOR LOSS:

Four Blenheims took off on a shipping sortie off the south coast of Italy. Two of these aircraft returned shortly afterwards with engine trouble. The other two Blenheims failed to return from the operation

The next evening a report was picked up from an Italian wireless station stating that two aircraft at the approximately the estimated position of the two Blenheims, had collided in mid-air, and that they crashed in flames. One aircraft coming down on land and one in the sea near Capo Sant’ Alessio, Sicily. It is thought that at the time the aircraft were being attacked and during the combat they collided at 14:00 hrs.

The three crew of the other Blenheim Z7638 flown by Wg Cdr. Frazer Apsley Harte DFC 70839 RAFO. A passenger, Lt. Ellis Edward Arthur Talbot GC, MBE, 100411 serving with the Royal Engineers attached to the Squadron also perished.

Fg Off. Walders’ aircraft crashed on land and Wg Cdr. Harte’s in the sea.

(1) Neville Whitford Walders applied to, and was accepted, into the RAF on a Short Service Commission in 1938.

Burial details:

Fg Off. Neville Whitford Walders. Catania War Cemetery, Collective grave 1.H.19. Grave inscription: 'NOT DEAD TO THOSE WHO LOVED HIM. HIS EVERLOVING WIFE AND SON MICHAEL'. Born on the 16th December 1916 at Palmerston North, Manawatu, New Zealand. Son of Edward (died 1938) and Hilda Walders of Nelson, South Island, New Zealand. Husband to Jane W. Walders of Criccieth, Caernarvonshire, Wales.

Sgt. Stanley Jones. Catania War Cemetery. Collective grave 1.H.19. Grave inscription: 'DEARLY LOVED ONLY SON OF MADGE AND ALUN JONES'. Son of Walter Alun Jones and Margaret Jones, of Lytham, Lancashire, England.

Flt Sgt. William Karl Hunting. Catania War Cemetery Collective grave 1.H.19. Grave inscription: 'IN THE GARDEN OF REMEMBRANCE WE WALK AND TALK WITH YOU'. Born on the 7th February 1921 in Huntingville, Province of Quebec. Son of Kenneth William and Alice Maud (née Call) Hunting of Huntingville, Province of Quebec, Canada.

Researched by Kelvin Youngs (Webmaster) with the assistance of Jenifer Lemaire and dedicated to the relatives of this crew 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, also to Auckland Library Heritage Collection for the use of the photo of the pilot (AWNS194111105-34-9) (Apr 2019). Thanks to Antonio McDonald for the update to the aircraft code. Other updates by Aircrew Remembered (May 2025)

Other sources listed below:

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