PilotOfficerOliverHarryLaunders(Gravenumber38)

Knownas'HarryLaunders'

HarryLaundersfatherwasacharteredaccountantandworkedforanumberofcompaniesinthe

FarEastandSouthAmerica.Harrywasthesecondoffivechildren;hewasborninPara,Brazilin

1914.HisfatherdiedsuddenlywhileonleavewithhisfamilyinJerseyin1921.Hiswidow,May

Launders,andthechildrensettledinTunbridgeWellsandHarrywaseducatedatSkinners'

School.

Heleftschoolintheearlythirtiesandworkedforatimeasafarmhandtosupporthismother

andyoungersiblingsbuteventuallyjoinedtheMetropolitanPoliceandafterashorttimeonthe

beatjoinedtheCID.Helefttheforcein1936,commentingthathehadtotelltoomanyliesto

extractthetruth!HejoinedtheRAFasanAircraftmancirca1937.Heelectedtobecomeaircrew

androsetotherankofSgt,qualifyinginitiallyasanavigatorthenasapilot.In1939hewas

grantedacommissionandmarriedmymotherMargaretLaunders.(Theirfatherswere

brothers.)

Mysoninlawwaskindenoughtoobtainthe83SquadronOperationsRecordBookfromNo51

SquadronHistoryTeamatRAFWaddington.Intheircoveringletter,theynotedthatP/O

Laundersisfirstmentionedon21April1940asamemberF/LtPitcairn-Hill'screw.Harryflew19

sortieswithF/LtPitcairn-Hillbetween21Apriland30June1940andtwomoresortieswith

W/CmdrSisson.Harry'sfistsortieascaptainwason4/5July(amassattackonthe

SCHARNHORST).Theentryon7/8Julyreads'Whilereturningfrom'aboveoperation(target

A.161)thisaircraftcrashednearCLACTON.Allcrewwerekilled(P/oLaunders,SgtHallett,Sgt

HowardandSgtKinton.

PilotOfficerOliver‘Harry’Launders

WiththankstoNickLaunders(P/OHarryLaundersson)forprovidingtheinformation