14. WINGER Alfred Peter Mair – SHOT DOWN OVER THE NETHERLANDS

Alfred Peter Mair ( known as Peter?) had his birth registered in Sunderland during the first quarter of 1916 and died in action in March 1942. According to his obituary he was ‘known as a rugby player’ and turned out on the wing for the club in the late 1930s. His father was an accountant based in Frederick Street and at the time of his death, the family was living in the Cloisters, Ashbrooke. His mother was a member of the Colling family. He was educated at Oundle School between 1930 and 1933 before becoming an accountant like his father. Before the war he held a commission in the territorial 7^th DLI and was in the Royal Artillery before being attached to the Royal Air Force on account of the number of losses in the ‘battle for the skies’. He was classed as a captain air gunner and acted as a rear gunner on bombers. He was on board a Wellington bomber as an observer in March 1942 when the plane was brought down over the Netherlands by a German night fighter. The plane was on  its way home from a raid on Essen. All six on board were killed. His grave is in the cemetery at Vriezenveen in the Netherlands.

Filename.ashx  for a link to his school Roll of Honour and a photograph or put his full name in Google for more information.

Cup winning side 1931 with six men from the club's World War II Roll of Honour.