Date: 10/11th January 1942
Unit: No. 40 Squadron
Type: Wellington IC
Serial: X9824
Coded: BL-?
Location: ?
Pilot: P/O. Paul Sampson Sanders P.O.W. (Son of Eng. Captain G.S. Sanders. RN, D.S.O. Interned in Camps: 6B/21B/L3 POW No: 1438)
Co/pilot: Sgt. Fred Pearson 1379640 R.A.F.V.R. Age; 30, Killed
Obs: Sgt. Benson P.O.W.
W/Op: Sgt. Arthur Desmond Edwin St. C Smithe 960672 R.A.F.V.R. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt Tode P.O.W. (Interned in Camps: 7A/383/L7 POW No: 90142)
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Wainwright P.O.W. (Interned in Camps: 7A/383/L7 POW No: 90140)
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off from Alconbury at 16.45hrs. Believed to have ditched, due to engine failure. Those who died are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
The Aircrew Remembrance Society are in contact with the relatives of the pilot P/O. Sanders and hope to have further information shortly.
P/O. Paul Sampson Sanders (Coursesy of his nephew, Christopher Chave)
Alconbury Airfield (Courtesy Mike Harrison)
Burial details:
Sgt. Fred Pearson 1379640 R.A.F.V.R. Runnymede Memorial Panel 91
Son of Ernest and Emily Pearson; husband of Mary Pearson, of Hyde, Cheshire
Sgt. Arthur Desmond Edwin St. C Smithe 960672 R.A.F.V.R. Runnymede Memorial Panel 94
No further details available at the moment.
