Pilot Officer [Pilot]

Gordon William Sutton

Conflict: 
WW2
Additional Information: 

Son of Alfred James Sutton and Mabel Alice Sutton, of Ararimu, Auckland, New Zealand.

References:
  • CWGC
  • Martyn (2008)
  • BDM Online
NZ WAR GRAVES
CONTRIBUTED
1939 Obituary

Biographical Notes:

“PILOT-OFFICER G. W. SUTTON – FORMER GRAMMAR SCHOOL BOY – Pilot-Officer Gordon William Sutton, 26, of the Royal Air Force, son of Mr D. W. Sutton of Ararimu. who was reported as ‘‘missing, believed killed in Wednesday's Times, left for England on December i. 1937. Prior to his departure be was air craftsman at the Hobsonville air base. His first flying experience in England was with land machines, but about eight months ago he was transferred to large flying boats. Just before the war he flew to Malta, Alexandria and Cairo with a high officer of the Air Ministry as a passenger. According lo letters received this week he was just before the accident carrying out reconnaissance duties in the anti-submarine convoy system and was engaged scouting for these deadly vessels of war. Pilot Officer Sutton had made great strides in aviation in England and had jusl been promoted to day captain of a big four-engined flying boat, and had complete charge of the crew. Just, before the war started he was in the Sunderland squadron. He was stated to have been a particularly clever officer in navigation.

Pilot-Officer Sutton was educated at the Mt. Albert Grammar School where he matriculated and represented his school at fullback in Rugby football in 1932. He also played for Eden in 1933, and will be remembered locally as a fine fullback in the Ararimu club. He continued playing Rugby in the Old Country and was captain of the Calshot Air Force team. Another of his hobbies was rowing, and at a regatta held at Calshot, Southampton, his boat come home in third position in a race at the Air Force Regatta there.” [Franklin Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 108, 22 September 1939, Page 8]

Public Contributions:

Submitted by: Rosemary Sisson
Relationship to casualty: Related to family friend of Gordon
Found this cutting in an old box of my Grandmother's memorabilia. I think Gordon must have been a friend of my Dad, Frank Sisson or his brother Ernie Sisson, also killed during WWII (navigator,... Read More

Personal Tributes:

Casualty

Service Number: 
40647
Name:
Gordon William Sutton
Rank: 
Pilot Officer
Additional Rank:
Pilot
Date of Birth:
12 August 1913
Place of Birth:
Devonport, Auckland, New Zealand
Date of Enlistment:
04 November 1936
Marital Status:
Single
Occupation on Enlistment:
Farmer
Employer:
Father, Ararimu
Unit:
Royal Air Force, 210 Squadron

Casualty Details

Cause of Death:
Killed in aircraft accident
Date of Death:
18 September 1939
Day of Death:
Monday
Age at Death: 
26
Conflict: 
WW2

Embarkation Details

Embarkation Body:
Royal Air Force (RAF)

Text in italics supplied by Cenotaph Online, Auckland War Memorial Museum

Cemetery

Cemetery Reference: 
Sec. T. Grave 266.
Cemetery Location: 
United Kingdom
Gordon William Sutton
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