John Sanders

Sergeant John Sanders – Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 207 Squadron

Early Life

John Sanders

John Sanders was born in 1922, the son of Leslie H. and Margaret Sanders of Swansea. By the time of the 1939 Register, John was living with his parents at 42 Sabastopol Street. At that time, his occupation was recorded as a General Post Office Messenger.

Military Service

John enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and was posted to No. 207 Squadron, an important unit of Bomber Command.

RAF Langar, Nottinghamshire

In September 1942, 207 Squadron transferred to RAF Langar, Nottinghamshire, bringing with them their Avro Lancaster bombers. The squadron had previously operated the Avro Manchester from RAF Waddington and RAF Bottesford, before converting to the more reliable Lancaster. From Langar, the squadron took part in raids over occupied Europe, including attacks on Luftwaffe air bases.

Death

Avro Lancaster

On 25^th November 1942, Lancaster R5694 of 207 Squadron took off from RAF Langar at 3:00 p.m. on a raid against Bad Zwischenahn, Germany, then the site of the largest Luftwaffe airfield in northern Germany.

On its return flight, the Lancaster is believed to have struck high ground and clipped trees near Green Lodge, Easton, close to Grantham, Lincolnshire. The aircraft crashed and burst into flames. All seven crew members were killed instantly, and the eighth died of his injuries a few days later.

Crew of Avro Lancaster R5694 – 25^th November 1942

Name	Age	Role	Origin / Notes	Burial Location
Flight Lieutenant Raymund Joseph Hannah DFC	25	Pilot	Wellington, New Zealand	St. Mary the Virgin, Bottesford
Sergeant Bryant Leonard McKenzie Jenkin	24	Wireless Operator / Air Gunner	Royal New Zealand Air Force, Taranaki, New Zealand	St. Mary the Virgin, Bottesford
Flight Sergeant John Kennerleigh Barnett	26	Navigator	Exeter	St. Mary the Virgin, Bottesford
Sergeant Albert Roberts	21	Wireless Operator / Air Gunner	Liverpool	St. Mary the Virgin, Bottesford
Sergeant Peter John Thompson	21	Flight Engineer	Buckinghamshire	St. Mary the Virgin, Bottesford
Sergeant John Bernard Burton	21	Air Gunner	Nottingham	Nottingham Northern Cemetery
Sergeant Ernest Raymond Donald Piper	19	Air Gunner	Winchester	Winchester Magdalen Hill Cemetery
Sergeant John Sanders	20	Air Gunner	Swansea	Danygraig Cemetery, Swansea

Burial

John Sanders
Danygraig Cemetery

Five of the crew were buried locally at St. Mary the Virgin Church, Bottesford. The remaining three, including John Sanders, were laid to rest in their hometowns.

Sergeant John Sanders was buried at Danygraig Cemetery, Swansea, becoming the first airman to be buried there during the Second World War. His burial also marked the last burial of 1942 at the cemetery.

Legacy

South Wales Daily Post

Sergeant John Sanders was only 20 years old at the time of his death. His grave at Danygraig Cemetery marks the loss of a young Swansea airman who served with courage during Bomber Command’s 1942 offensive.

The South Wales Daily Post reported on John’s death, noting his earlier participation in several bombing raids before the fatal mission to Germany. Today, his story stands as part of both Swansea’s wartime history and the broader sacrifice made by aircrews of Bomber Command.