The three "Sandilands" brothers were killed in the RAAF in Algeria, England and Bangladesh during WW2. While all deaths are sad, this epitomizes the saying for the parents who lost their only three sons: ALL GAVE SOME, SOME GAVE ALL! The three Sandilands brothers were educated at (TAS) “The Armidale School” in New South Wales. They were remembered AT THEIR ANNUAL Anzac Day Remembrance in 2014. (News clipping from the Armidale Independent) Late remembrance MEMBERS of the public are invited to The Armidale School’s Anzac Day ceremony tomorrow at 7am. Because of school holidays, TAS delayed its traditional service. The guest of honour will be RAAF Squadron Leader Scott Harris, who finished his schooling at TAS in 1997. Tomorrow’s service will include the reading of 103 former students and staff who gave their lives serving Australia from the Boer War to Afghanistan, including the three Sandilands brothers who died in World War II, and most recently, Lieutenant Michael Fussell who was killed in Afghanistan in 2008. The service will be held on Adamsfield, to the north of the school’s War Memorial Assembly Hall. DETAILS OF THE THREE CREW LOSSES. RAAF FATALITIES IN SECOND WORLD WAR AMONG RAAF PERSONNEL SERVING ON ATTACHMENT IN ROYAL AIR FORCE SQUADRONS AND SUPPORT UNITS Source: AWM 237 (65) NAA : A705, 163/160/165 163/163/310 Commonwealth War Graves records Aircraft Type: Wellington Serial number: AD 635 Radio call sign: Unit: ATTD 15 OTU TRAINING RAF Summary: Wellington AD635 crashed on 16th February 1942, when in transit from the UK to the Middle East. Information from the American Ambassador, stated that the aircraft had crashed in mountains near Kef Cum Teboul, 12 miles east of La Cala near the Tunisian border. All the crew were killed. Crew: RNZAF 404564 PO Allan O’Brien, (Pilot) RNZAF 41499 Sgt Walter Brian Stehr, (Pilot) RAAF 402433 Sgt Walter Robert Wren (Observer) RAAF 402613 Sgt John Douglas Sandilands, (Wireless Air Gunner) RAAF 400311 Sgt Alan Leslie Strang, (Wireless Air Gunner) RAF 656751 Sgt Clifford James Foote, (Air Gunner) All the crew are buried in the Bone War Cemetery, Annaba, Algeria. RNZAF 404564 PO Allan O’Brien, (Pilot) Aged 31, Son of Lucius and Rosina O'Brien, of Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand. RNZAF 41499 Sgt Walter Brian Stehr, (Pilot) Aged 22, Son of Arnold John Stehr and of Edith Patti Stehr (nee Teschler), of Auckland City, New Zealand. RAAF 402433 Sgt Walter Robert Wren (Observer) Aged 20, Son of Robert Colin and Edith Wren, of Morbank, New South Wales, Australia. RAAF 402613 Sgt John Douglas Sandilands, (Wireless Air Gunner) Aged 26, Son of James Bruce and Aline McLeod Sandilands, of Uralla, New South Wales, Australia. RAAF 400311 Sgt Alan Leslie Strang, (Wireless Air Gunner) Aged 22, Son of Leslie David and Lucy Strang, of South Yarra, Victoria, Australia. RAF 656751 Sgt Clifford James Foote, (Air Gunner) Aged 27, Son of George and Ada Foote, of St. George, Bristol. Son of James Bruce and Aline Sandilands, of Uralla, New South Wales, Australia; husband of Dorothy Mary Sandilands, of Victoria. British Columbia, Canada. His brothers John Douglas Sandilands and James Walter Sandilands DFC also fell. RAAF FATALITIES IN SECOND WORLD WAR AMONG RAAF PERSONNEL SERVING ON ATTACHMENT IN ROYAL AIR FORCE SQUADRONS AND SUPPORT UNITS 402405 Flight Lieutenant SANDILANDS, James Walter (DFC) Source: AWM 237 (65) NAA : A705, 166/37/375 Micro Film No 463 OAFH Commonwealth War Graves records. Aircraft Type: Vultee Vengeance Serial number: AN 810 Radio call sign: Unit: ATTD 82 Sqn RAF Summary: Vultee Vengance AN810 was detailed on 13th April 1944 to carry out an experimental shallow dive practice bombing using bombs, in an effort to determine the best angle of dive for use in a forthcoming operation. The aircraft took off at 1240 hours and after a preparatory circuit it went into a 70 degree dive from a height of 3000 feet approx with the dive brakes out. AN810 started to pull out at about 600 feet but ‘mushed’ downwards and hit the ground at one end of the airfield. The aircraft burst into flames on impact and was totally destroyed. Both Pilot and passenger were killed. Flt Lt Sandilands had carried out about 130 sorties against the enemy. Crew: RAAF 402405 Flt Lt Sandilands, J W DFC (Pilot) RAF LAC T G Wootton, (Fitter 11E) Pax. Both are buried in the Chittagong War Cemetery, Bangladesh. The cemetery is in the Dampara locality, No 19 Basha Mia road, 22kms from the airport and 8kms from the port on a site which was formerly a paddy field. Citation : The Citation for the award of DFC to Flt Lt Sandilands is as follows :Flt Lt Sandilands has served with distinction in both the European and Far East theatres of war. While based in England he took part in attacks on enemy shipping and intruder operations and was credited with the destruction of one enemy merchant vessel. In March 1942, this officer was captain of a Blenheim aircraft, which, in very adverse weather, kept a rendezvous with an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean and successfully navigated some Spitfires to Malta. During the last eight months, Flt Lt Sandilands has completed a large number of bombing sorties against the Japanese, leading his Squadron on fifteen of these attacks. By his excellent leadership, fearlessness and determination in pressing home attacks, Flt Lt Sandilands has contributed greatly to the success of the squadron, (London Gazette 23/5/1944, page 2350) RAAF 402405 Flt Lt Sandilands, J W DFC (Pilot) Aged 31, Son of James Bruce Sandilands and Aline McLeod Sandilands, of Uralla, New South Wales, Australia. His brothers Geoffrey Bruce Hope Sandilands and John Douglas Sandilands also fell. RAF LAC T G Wootton, (Fitter 11E) Pax. Aged 25, Son of Thomas John and Lucy Wootton; husband of Marion Jean Wootton, of Sutton-on-Sea, Lincolnshire. Son of James Bruce and Aline McLeod Sandilands of Uralla, New South Wales. He was awarded the Distingushed Flying Cross on 23 May 1944. Flight Lieutenant, 82 Squadron RAF, Royal Australian Air Force - Service No. 402405 The Sydney Morning Herald - Thursday, 27 April 1944 "ROLL OF HONOUR SANDILANDS -April 13, 1944, killed in aircraft accident at Jumchar, India. James Walter Sandilands beloved eldest son of Mr and Mrs J Bruce Sandilands Roumalla, Uralla, and loving brother of Helen (Mrs Trevitt), Poss (Mrs Rees-Jones), John (R. A. A. F., deceased) Geoff (R.A.A.F., Canada) aged 31 years." RAAF FATALITIES IN SECOND WORLD WAR AMONG RAAF PERSONNEL SERVING ON ATTACHMENT IN ROYAL AIR FORCE SQUADRONS AND SUPPORT UNITS 421085 Flying Officer SANDILANDS, Geoffrey Bruce Hope Source: AWM 237 (65) NAA : A705, 166/7/669 Commonwealth War Graves records W R Chorley : RAF Bomber Command Losses o0f the Second World War 1940-1947, Page 321, Volume 1944. Aircraft Type: Wellington Serial number: X 3357 Radio call sign: - P Unit: 30 Operational Trg RAF Summary: On the 16th October 1944, Wellington X3357 took off from RAF Nixon at 1800 hours for a solo evening navigation detail of approx 2 hours 40 minutes duration. At 2141hours, the aircraft transmitted by wireless requesting a course to steer. Nine minutes later the aircraft collided with trees and a house, and crashed at Ingestre Park on the south west side of the airfield. All he crew were killed. Crew: RAAF 436015 Flt Sgt P E B Vallender, Captain (Pilot) RAAF 429774 FO Castle, P J (Navigator) RAAF 435406 PO Parker, R C (Air Bomber) RAAF 436194 FO Heatley, W P(Wireless Air Gunner) RAAF 421085 PO Sandilands, G B H (Air Gunner) A Flying accident report later stated : “The Court was of the opinion that the Pilot was circling in low stratus cloud below the safety height of the area where the accident occurred., and the aircraft flew into some trees and a house whilst in a steep turn estimated at 60 degrees when he collided with the trees. The Pilot did not think he had lost control of the aircraft as he had received a QDM one minute before crashing, but this cannot be proved. No blame is attached to anyone other than the Pilot, although the met information was wrong as it did not forecast low stratus cloud, and this was a contributory cause for the crash. Flt Sgt Phillip Edward Burton Vallender, Captain (Pilot) Aged 20, Son of Phillip and Mary Avis Vallender, of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. RAAF 429774 FO Castle, Percy John (Navigator) Aged 29, Son of John and Elsie Elizabeth Castle; husband of Gwendoline Ida Castle, of Brighton, Victoria, Australia. RAAF 435406 PO Parker, Ronald Charles (Air Bomber) Aged 24, Son of Albert Edward and Florence Maud Parker, of Glen Iris, Victoria, Australia. RAAF 436194 FO Heatley, Wilfred Pearson (Wireless Air Gunner) Aged 32, Son of Gregory and Margaret Heatley, of St. John's Park, New South Wales, Australia. RAAF 421085 PO Sandilands, Geoffrey Bruce Hope (Air Gunner) Aged 22, Son of James Bruce and Aline Sandilands, of Uralla, New South Wales, Australia; husband of Dorothy Mary Sandilands, of Victoria. British Columbia, Canada. His brothers John Douglas Sandilands and James Walter Sandilands DFC also fell.
