Date
Location
Force
Aircraft
From-To
Crew
18-12-1943
Cabo de S. Vicente (in the sea)
RAF 270 Sqd
Short Sunderland III DW106
Pembroke Dock → Gibraltar → Africa
F/O Vernon Maurice Sparkes GB †
F/Sgt Charles Albert Mark Barber Australia †
F/Lt John Eric Wood GB †
F/Sgt Frederic Raymond Brown GB †
F/O Edward James Jay GB †
F/Sgt Francis Mcphee GB †
F/O Reginald Robert Terance Crump GB †
F/Sgt Eric Piggott Botting GB †
P/O Neil Procter Chapman Australia †
F/O Norman Edmond Hanna Canada †
Sgt Stanley Kidd GB †
F/O Raymond John Elderfield GB †
Sgt William Henry Cryer GB †
Sgt William Peter Houston GB †
Sgt Henry Leonard Thompson GB †
Sgt Maurice Robert Hunt GB †
Sgt Edmund Albert Hooker GB †
Sgt Samuel Hughes GB †
F/Sgt Leslie Robinson GB †
The aircraft took off from Pembroke Dock at 23.45 hours on the 17 December 1943 and went missing on the way to Gibraltar without any further sign.
The only information available about the possible destiny of the aircraft was given by another Sunderland that was following, as it received a distress IFF signal near Cape St. Vincent.
On the same day several researches were made by aicraft that departed from Gibraltar, but no trace of the men or the airplane were found.
The aircraft was temporarily under the orders of 308 FTU and on the way to North Africa to join 270 Squadron.
There were 19 people on board, two complete crews and some other reinforcements for the squadron overseas.
All the men were considered missing in action and are remembered in the Runnymed Memorial.
Resources:
* National Archives of Australia
