Gaudin, S D (Stanley David)

Gaudin, S D (Stanley David)
Flying Officer Stanley Gaudin was the son of the Revd. William Murray Gaudin, and of Margaret J. Gaudin, of 72 Walmer Road, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He also had a brother called Murray Gaudin. Before the war he was preparing to join the Ministry, like his father, but he put this on hold for the war.
On the 5th of October, a Wellington Bomber[1] (HF450) took off from its base to perform duties in coastal defence. As the operation came to an end, the weather had deteriorated severely.
The conditions caused the bomber to lose communications and their location. It was now lost over the Atlantic Ocean and to make things worse they were now experiencing engine problems.
Fortunately for the crew, the pilot, Squadron Leader Geoffrey Alington, spotted land. The weather was now so bad that he determined that it was impossible to land and subsequently he told the crew to bail out, including this airman, Stanley Gaudin, who was to go first. His Co-Pilot refused though and instead assisted the other crew members, who were Pilot Officer Edward George Teed (176142), Flight Sergeant Raymond Elderkin (1332910). Warrant Officer Thomas Francis O’Neill (421002) and Flight Sergeant William Wood Mitchell Ouchterlonie (1368136), out of the plane.
As the area of land that they were trying to parachute onto was very narrow, the pilot had to do a turn before he and Stanley could jump. During this manoeuvre, the engine started playing up again and he advised Stanley Gaudin to bail, and so he did. It was only then that the pilot realised he was over water. The plane was then stabilised, and the pilot left also. Five of the crew had bailed out over Galway, Ireland. Unfortunately, there was no sign of their co-pilot Stan.
Five days later during the 10th of October 1944, a body was washed ashore in County Galway, Ireland. It was quickly identified as Flying Officer Stanley Gaudin, he had drowned.
Stan’s body was soon repatriated to Northern Ireland, and he was laid to rest during the 14th of the same month with a full Military funeral.
For Stanley’s mother, the ordeal was not over. She had been told that he was killed, but all her mail that she had sent to her son had been returned saying that he was missing. She wrote to the Royal Air Force for clarification. Unfortunately, the news was not good.
Date of Death: 05/10/1944 (Age 30)
Service: Flying Officer, 172 (R.A.F.) Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
Service Number: J/37642
Burial Location: Grave 24.
[1] The Vickers Wellington was a twin engines long range bomber, which made its maiden flight during June 1936, finally going into service October 1938.