Wallace, S

• Name on memorial: Wallace, S
• Memorial panel: Right
• Full name: Sydney Albert Wallace
• Rank: Flight Sergeant
• Service details: 563700 115 Sqdn
• Age at death: 35
• Date of death: 31/01/1948
• Birth place: Morpeth
• Parents: unknown
• Mother's maiden name: Green
• Parents' marriage details: unknown
• Wife: Gladys Morby
• Wife's maiden name: Morby
• Marriage details: Banbury Mar-42
• Cemetery: BRITISH MILITARY CEMETERY MARSEILLE
• Additional information:
  Sydney Wallace was based at RAF Stradishall. He was lost along with six others of his crew on 31 January 1948 when Lancaster BI TW902 of 115 Squadron crash landed 2 miles east of Istres, France.
  The pilot returned to base with the port engine feathered because it was running roughly. A straight in approach was attempted but realising that he was undershooting, the pilot opened the throttles to overshoot for another attempt and retracted the undercarriage. However, control of the aircraft was lost in the asymmetric configuration as the speed had decayed below the saftey speed and the pilot, therefore, decided to crash land the aircraft. The aircraft crashed into some demolished concrete buildings and was destroyed by fire. In addition to the fatal casualties, there were four personnel injured and five others were unhurt. Squadron Leader Moir was an experienced Lancaster pilot who had flown the aircraft for nearly six years including a tour of duty with the Pathfinder Force.
  Casualties were:
  Squadron Leader David Thomson Moir DFC , Engineer II George Atter, Navigator II Graham George Wase Carter, Signaller II John Thomas Walton, Flight Lieutenant Peter Smith, Flight Sergeant Sydney Albert Wallace, Aircraftman 2nd Class Ralph Alan Knapp. (Source Final Landing by Colin Cumming, thanks to Peter Clare.

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