Sub Lt ( A ) Robert A De Sandoval-Sievier RN and crew - 103 Squadron – RAF Newton – 1940.
Failed to Return - 9/10th September 1940 – Fairey Battle I – L5010 – Op Calais Invasion Barges.
Wrecked tail of L5010
Robert Adrian De Sandoval Sievier, 22, hailed from Chiswick Middlesex and the son of Adrian and Muriel. He was a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Pilot serving at HMS Daedalus who was with 103 Squadron on a temporary posting after the Squadron returned from France. He was one of 3 Fleet Air Arm pilots attached to 103 Squadron at this time, the others being M/M Constable and M/M Donovan.
After a short period of training the Squadron recommenced operations in early September 1940 with a series of attacks on German invasion barges in the French Channel ports.
On the night of the 9th/10th September 1940 103 Squadron tasked 3 aircraft to attack barges in the port of Calais. Amongst these was L5010 with Robert De Sandoval Servier and crew which consisted of :-
P/O W A Cooper RAFVR.
Sgt F Drinkwater RAF.
Robert was flying his first operation. The other aircraft were those of P/O Harper and crew on P2306 and M/M Constable in L5336. L5010 took off from RAF Newton at 1855 and the other 2 shortly after.
Nothing more was heard of L5010 which was recorded as missing. It is believed the aircraft was shot down by German flak and crashed near Audinghen on the French Channel coast not far from Calais.
More wreckage of L5010 with Merlin engine in the background
The wreckage was investigated by the Germans and the remains of the crew buried nearby. The burial site was recorded and is known. However it appears that the crew could not be identified and for some reason it is thought they were Canadian although all three were British.
Temporary grave of the crew not far from the crash site. The crosses are just visible.
Grave site today. The tower is no longer there.
After WW2 the graves were exhumed and it is possible that these were buried in the Calais Canadian Cemetery as Unknowns. Nobody really knows and considerable research has been unable to establish any further clues or definite information.
Cooper and Drinkwater are commemorated on the Runnymede memorial and De Sandoval Sievier on the Lee on Solent Memorial.
Sub Lieutenant (A) Robert Adrian De Sandoval-Sievier RN – Pilot – 22 - 103 Sqn - Son of Adrian and Muriel de Sandoval-Sievier, of Chiswick, Middlesex – Lee-on-Solent Memorial
P/O Walter Arthur Cooper RAFVR – Observer - 24 – 103 Sqn - Son of Herbert and Hannah Beatrice Cooper, of Walthamstow, Essex – Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt Fred Drinkwater RAF – Wireless Operator / Air Gunner – 23 – 103 Sqn - Son of Frederick and Georgina Drinkwater, of Macclesfield, Cheshire - Runnymede Memorial.
Any further information and or contact with the relatives of this crew will be most welcome.
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09 Sept 1940 - Calais
103 Squadron detailed three aircraft for this attack on shipping concentrations on the French port of Calais. Two aircraft successfully bombed the target. Sub/Lt R A de Sandoval-Sievier and crew in Battle L5010 failed to return. Information received from the Red Cross, Geneva indicates that this crew were killed, their aircraft being shot down by flak.
For this attack on 5 targets in Germany and the Channel ports Bomber Command detailed a total of 76 aircraft two of which were lost. No other reports available.
Item written by David Fell with much help from Jean Paul Duriez for which I am very grateful. The top photo is from my own archive and the others courtesy of Jean Paul.
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