LEST WE FORGET

Flying Officer David John SANDELL

Service No: 423334
Born: Goulburn NSW, 3 February 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 20 June 1942
Unit: No. 467 Squadron, RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire
Died: Air Operations: (No. 467 Squadron Lancaster aircraft LM583), North West Europe, 30 August 1944, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Frederick William and Lorna Emelia Sandell, of Killara, New South Wales, Australia.
Roll of Honour: Killara NSW
Remembered: Panel 257, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey
Remembered: Panel 111, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Concord War Memorial, Concord NSW

Brother of Flight Sergeant Ronald Oakley Sandell (411608)

The mining of the Stettin Canal (on 16/17 August 1944) and the bombing of the city temporarily immobilised the port but it was realised that the Germans would take energetic steps to reopen this vital supply centre. Accordingly on 29th-30th August No. 460 contributed 24 to a force of 403 Lancasters with a predominantly incendiary load sent to burn out as much of Stettin as possible. Despite the loss of 23 aircraft the raid was successful and additional large areas of the town and dock area were damaged. Meanwhile No. 5 Group, which had hit the eastern sector of Konigsberg and laid mines in the port on 26th-27th August, again struck at this target on 29th-30th. As at Stettin the same night the bombing was successful but enemy defences, in particular fighters, were active, and 5 out of 39 aircraft from Nos. 463 and 467 failed to return.

Extract from Herington, J. (John) (406545) Air War Over Europe 1944-1945, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1963 – Page 296

Lancaster LM 583 took off from RAF Waddington at 2031 hours on the night of 29/30th August 1944 to bomb Konigsberg. Bomb load 1 x 2000 lb (pound) (900 kg) bomb, 12 “J” clusters. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it did not return to base. Nineteen aircraft from the Squadron took part in the raid and three of these including LM 583 failed to return. The aircraft and crew were lost without trace.

The crew members of LM583 were:

Flying Officer Alan John Brady (18098) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant Joseph McWhinney (422871) (Bomb Aimer)
Flight Sergeant James William Perrie (435225) (Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Robert Henry Christopher Peut (434148) (Air Gunner)
Flying Officer David John Sandell (423334) (Pilot)
Sergeant Thomas Daniel Smith (578014) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Flight Sergeant Jack Beaumont Ware (437033) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)

No. 463 Squadron lost Lancaster LL790 (Flying Officer Morris James Roe (425809) (Pilot)) on 30 August 1944.

No. 463 Squadron lost Lancaster aircraft PD258 (Warrant Officer Noel Charles Barrett (409364) (Navigator)) on 30 August 1944.

No. 467 Squadron lost Lancaster LM267 (Flight Sergeant Maurice John Mahar (417590) (Air Gunner)) on 30 August 1944.

No. 467 Squadron lost Lancaster LM237 (Flight Lieutenant Dennis Boden Tattersall (117655) (RAFVR) (Pilot) on 30 August 1944.

References:

Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/37/529
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line

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