Lot 4552

Description

New Zealand Memorial Cross 1939-45. NZ413895 P/O L.W.Sanders impressed on reverse. Good very fine.

Pilot Officer Leslie William Sanders RNZAF, son of Leslie and Mary Veronica Sanders of Sydney, NSW and the husband of Joyce Sanders of Rockdale, Sydney, NSW; served with 217 Sqn RAF in the India Campaign; Killed in flying accident 30Apr1943 at Ceylon at age 26; buried at Colombo (Kanatte) General Cemetery, Sri Lanka.

Accident report Lockheed Hudson FH430 took off from RAF Vavunia at 0555 hours on 30th April 1943, detailed to carry out an anti-submarine NE detector patrol B & C. On return from the patrol the Pilot was ordered to carry out an anti-aircraft gun co-operation exercise so on returning, the pilot dived down to the runway and flew from one end to the other about 5 feet off the ground. He then pulled up sharply and climbed to approx 3,000 feet. From approx 2,500 feet he apparently sighted a gun-post position as a target and dived straight on the gun position at about a 30 degree angle of dive. He failed to pull out at a reasonable height, and it was not until he was approx 100 feet from the ground that any apparent effort was made to pull out. Owing to the high speed the aircraft had gathered in the dive and to the terrific strain imposed on pulling out, the wings of the aircraft pulled back and the fuselage continued on to crash into trees approx 50 yards from the runway at RAF Vavunia. The aircraft crashed at 1145 hours and all the crew were killed.

Crew:

RNZAF PO Sanders, L W Captain (Pilot)

RAAF 404702 PO Maddison, H L (Pilot)

RAF Flt Sgt R P Lansdale, (Navigator Bomb Aimer)

RNZAF Flt Sgt B L McDonald, (Wireless Air Gunner)

RAAF 403488 Flt Sgt P W A Armstrong, (Wireless Air Gunner)

All the crew are buried in the Colombo (Kanatte) General Cemetery, Sri Lanka.