210 Sqn loss 9 April 1940.

[John Williams]

Hi All,
Does anyone know how a Sunderland from 210 Sqn was lost on 9 April 1940, the crew of ten are now buried in Sylling Churchyard in Norway.

Cheers,

John.

[COL BRUGGY]

Hello,

From "Fledgling Eagles"

During the day (9 April 1940), three Sunderlands of 210 Squadron had been ordered to Invergordon on detachment from Pembroke Dock, arriving late in the morning, at 1300 L2167 took off on a reconnaissance to the Oslo area, but six hours later it was intercepted here by 1./ZG 76's two serviceable Bf 110s from Fornebu, flown by Oblt (Werner) Hansen and Lt (Helmut) Lent. The former shot the aircraft down, aided by his gunner, Uffz Gross. The flyingboat blew up in mid air and the radio operator/air gunner* was thrown clear, falling 1,500 feet without a parachute into the sea (actually, into deep snow), and surviving! The rest of Flt Lt P.W.H. Kite's crew were killed.

* 619031 AC1 Ogwyn Francis GEORGE RAFVR (POW). (+Tonteg, South Wales, 26 October, 1986)**

See:
Fledgling Eagles.
Shores,Christopher et al.
London:Grub Street,1991.
p.242.

See also: http://www.rafcommands.com/database/...php?uniq=L2167

NB. 745604 Sgt (Obs) Jack Clifford CARPENTER, of Sydney, was an Australian serving in the RAF.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article42264015

Likewise, 562805 LAC (Fitter/Eng.) Douglas William Bailey UPHAM RAF, was also an Australian in the RAF.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article79435598

** For an interesting account of Ogwyn George's remarkable survival on 9 April, 1940, and the loss of L2167, see the following:
Sopwith To Sunderlands - 210 Squadron 1917 to 1941.
Evans, John.
Pembroke Dock:Paterchurch Publications,1999.
pp.53 & 69-74 (Chapter VI. Oggie's Story).

Col.

[John Williams]

Hi Col,

Many thanks for the information. John Carpenter made his own aircraft but the Aviation authorities knock it back and he gave it to Penfolds wines in Minchbury where it was mounted at the entrance but over the years a wind storm and vandalism destroyed it. The winery is long gone and it’s now a new estate. A fiber glass Sabre now stands in its place on the Great Western Hwy in Western Sydney.

John.

[Argus]

Hi John,

Some info from Norway:

https://www.kirken.no/globalassets/f...irkegarden.pdf

https://www.flyvrak.info/sylling.html

Regards

Finn

[John Williams]

Hi Finn,

Thanks for the information unfortunately I can’t read Norwegian but the photos of the crash site are great.

Cheers,

John.

[AUS]

Hi John,

There’s was a doco made about Cliff Carpenter which aired on the ABC years ago called "A Very Short War". Might have some relevant information.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1591623/

I think it is available through Amazon.

regards, Drew

[John Williams]

Hi Drew,

Yes I remember that doco I think that is the one that got me interested in the story of the aircraft not far from me on the Great Western Hwy in Western Sydney.

Cheers,

John.