SAUNDERS Frederick George Fl/O 125 Sqn

Pl /O F G Saunders 125 Sqn. Navigator 1180437 and 142322

Fred was promoted from Pilot Officer to Flight Officer on the 17th June 1943 and moved from 125 Sqn to 96 Sqn.On the 1st August 1944 he died along with pilot Fl/Off Raymond Findlay Ball (1450105) in Mosquito MK X111 MM562. On returning from patrol visibility was down to 100 yards with thick sea fog.They undershot the runway and crashed while attempting to land.They were both killed.The two other patrol aircraft redirected to Hartford Bridge and survived.Sadly they also killed a member of the ground crew LAC Charles L Allen (1303871)

The ceiling was most likely signed during June or July 1943. Sadly ,by the time we had to save the signatures under frames, Pl Officer F G Saunder’s name had completely lifted and flaked away caused by water damage to the panels before we acquired them. Some signatures, although clear for photographic purposes and recorded much earlier, were simply hanging on and did not survive drying out.