LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Alwyn Harold SANDS
Service No: 402064
Born: Auckland, New Zealand, 21 January 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 29 April 1940 (at Sydney NSW)
Unit: No. 73 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 73 Squadron Hurricane aircraft BN282), Libya, 27 May 1942, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Alfred George and Armorel Adelaide R. Sands, of Manly, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Manly NSW
Remembered: Column 265, Alamein Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 130, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 27 May 1942, Flight Sergeant Sands was detailed to fly BN282 from El Adem to Gambut West. He did not leave with the rest of the Squadron as the aircraft was temporarily unserviceable. He left at a later time but BN282 did not arrive at its destination. Although initially reported as missing, Flight Sergeant Sands remains was found in the Sollum-Tobruk area by the Second Cameroons, identified by a pay book and buried with the grave being marked by a cross. Following post war searches when the grave could not be located, the search was abandoned in 1946.
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 Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/160/167