SUNDERCOCK, Donald Keith

NAME                    SUNDERCOCK           Donald Keith
RANK                    Pilot Officer                   38034                                                                                                                                    RCAF Western Command - No. 2 Group                                                                    SQUADRON         RCAF No. 133 “Falcon”
                              Sea Island - British Columbia.                                                                                                Birth                       May 28, 1923 - Clinton - Township of Hullett - County of Huron                                    Residence             Windsor - Ontario                                                                                                                    Died                       May 21, 1944          21 years
Cemetery              Blyth Union Cemetery - Blyth
                              440 5 1
Parents                 Mr. John and Rose Ann Sundercock - Blyth                                                                                  Sister                    Elinor lived at home in Blyth

Donald was born in Clinton on May 28, 1923, and when he had completed his education at SS #3 Hullett - 1928-36, continuation school in Blyth 1936-40 and high school and senior matriculation in Clinton 1940-41. He left school at age 17. He moved to Windsor and was employed there. He was employed at Ford Motor as a lathe operator and had earlier been a chemist and worked in farming. He enjoyed building models, softball, football and soccer. Growing up he had the chicken pox and measles. He and his family would have attended Blyth United Church.

Canada

Then on October 8, 1942 he enlisted into the Royal Canadian Air Force at the No. 8 Recruitment Centre in Windsor and received the rank of Aircraftsman 2. He was 6'1" tall and weighed 176 pounds, with a medium complexion, brown eyes and black hair. He was assigned to No. 1 Manning Depot in Toronto from October 8-December 28.  He was then posted to No. 2 Service Flying Training School located at Uplands - Ontario        until March 19, 1943 and at that time he was posted to Victoriaville - Quebec until May 28. He obtained the rank of Leading Aircraftsman while posted here. Here he had a 76% average and was 32 our of a class of 111. The next posting was between May 29-July 23 to No. 11 Elementary Flying Training School at Cap de la Madeleine - Quebec. His average here was 84% and he was 8 in a class of 41. Following this posting it was on to Dunnville - Ontario to No. 6 Service Flying Training School until November 25. He received the rank of Sergeant at this posting and also obtained his Pilots Flying Badge along with the rank of Pilot Officer. On November 28 his is Taken on Service with Western Air Command and posted to RCAF No. 163 Fighter Squadron and this squadron flew close air support when needed. It was based at RCAF Sea Island.                                                                On March 25, 1944 Pilot Officer Sundercock was posted to RCAF 133 Squadron based at Boundary Bay          No. 133 was formed at Lethbridge as a fighter unit in the summer of 1942 and the squadron flew
Hurricanes, Kittyhawks along with Mosquitos on West Coast air defence.
During the day on May 21, 1944 P/O Sundercock was flying Kittyhawk 1087 and was carrying out
authorized acrobatics at 5,000+ feet. He performed a manoeuvre, but the aircraft failed to recover and
crashed and burned on impact 3 miles southwest of Cloverdale in British Columbia. The crash took place at
10:30 am and the impact speed was 300-400 mph. Pilot Officer was killed instantly after being ejected from his aircraft. No. 133 Squadron at this time was based at Sea Island.

Pilot Officer Sundercock's parents received the Memorial Cross in April of 1945 and the medals awarded to Donald which were the War Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and clasp at a later date.

Donald is honoured and remembered on the Memorial Plaque in the Blyth Memorial Hall, in the Books of Remembrance in Ottawa on Parliament Hill, on the Memorial Plaque of Clinton Collegiate and on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial, and in the Book of Remembrance of the RCAF Association. He is also honoured and remembered at the RCAF Bomber Command Museum.