Description
Caterpillar Club Badge, made from Gold with “Ruby” cut eyes, Sergeant Peter William Bouquet Sanderson, 142 Squadron, shot down and killed over Tunisia aged 21.
Officially engraved on the reverse: “Sgt P.W. Sanderson”
Only the badge is offered here for sale, his only officially named award, but during 2017 Spink & Son offered an extensive Archive of his including various original documents including the matching Caterpillar Club Membership Badge, letters, condolence slip etc, fortunately due to this archive we have some good information available about his life and the archive is out there.
You can go here to view it and some photos of him: https://www.spink.com/lot/17002000455
The illustrated photo in uniform was uploaded to the International Bomber Command Centre’s Losses Database:
https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/302813
Sergeant Peter William Bouquet Sanderson, was born on 21st May 1922
The son of William Bouquet Sanderson and Rebecca Maud Sanderson nee Tripp, of Weybridge, Surrey.
His father was a Sergeant in the Bedfordshire Regiment, being a WW1 Veteran and later died during 1940 at the Royal Star and Garter Home for disabled veterans.
During his youth, he was educated at Parmiter’s School, winning the Junior School Scholarship and also played for the Cricket 1st XI.
Unsurprisingly like his father had in WW1, Peter also “answered the call” to serve in World War 2, enlisting into the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and was trained to be an Observer in South Africa, before taking on an operational role joining 142 Squadron flying Wellingtons during December 1942.
Sending a letter home dated 1st December 1942 he wrote:
“I am still more convinced that in light of recent international events – although we may suffer somewhat – Jerry is going to get the biggest battering known in world history”
He was right he just never got to see it.
During a dual cross country exercise on 6th February 1943, his Wellington appears to have developed serious engine trouble, so much so that the crew baled out over Snaith.
Having baled out his life would seem to have been saved by his Irvin Parachute, qualifying him for this distinction.
Only a month later, he was part of a flight of 13 Wellingtons, which had been tropicalised for service in the desert, ordered to North Africa, where they began operations flying out of Blida during April 1943.
Sanderson, had joined the crew of Sergeant G.A. Sherwood as his Bomb Aimer, taking part in raids on Bizette on the 1st April and Tunis on 6th April.
Only 3 days later, on 9th April 1943, flying in Wellington QT-C, the Crew was ordered to attack an enemy troop concentration and transport near Enfedaville, Tunisia.
Nothing further was heard from the crew after takeoff, but the Pilot of an aircraft of 150 Squadron had seen their wellington climbing at 4,000 feet, trailing sparks and black smoke, it crashed and burnt out at St Marie du Zit.
Sanderson, along with his entire Crew are now buried side by side in a collective grave at Massicault War Cemetery, Tunisia.
His stone reads: In loving memory of our very dear Peter ”England, My Home, I Died for Thee”
Aviationarchaology.org.uk writes:
“09-10/04/1943
Wellington QT-C Failed to return from Enfedaville, Tunisia. The target was troop concentrations, railway junctions and roads. Sgt G A Sherwood, Sgt F Long, Sgt H H Williams, Sgt P W Sanderson and Sgt J W Smith are commemorated in Massicault cemetery, Tunisia. This Wellington was probably not HF795 as has been reported elsewhere, because this serial appears as QT-A on numerous sorties in June 1943. It was probably DF561, listed by Air Britain as lost 10/04/1943, albeit on the raid below.”
