Peter Cundy
Encyclopedia
Wing Commander
Peter John Cundy DSO
AFC
RAF (3 October 1916 – 4 August 2005) was a British
pilot credited as one of the top U-boat
killers of the Second World War.
At RAF Coastal Command
he was involved in new techniques for locating and destroying enemy submarine
s - among these air to sea radar and weapons.
One of twin sons of a brewer, Peter John Cundy was born on 3 October 1916 at Bognor
and educated at Eastbourne College
. He was commissioned into the Middlesex Regiment in July 1937 and three years later transferred to the Royal Artillery.
He was seconded to the RAF in August and trained as a pilot, joining No 53 Squadron to fly Bristol Blenheim
s with RAF Coastal Command, attacking U-boat bases along the French Atlantic coast.
In 1941 Cundy joined No 120 Squadron, with the new long-range American-built B-24 Liberator. On 11 January 1942 while on patrol over the Bay of Biscay when he saw a twin-engine seaplane, and manoeuvred his aircraft so his gunners could bring their fire to bear> The seaplane escaped into cloud with an engine on fire.
Shortly after this engagement Cundy sighted a U-boat refuelling alongside a large tanker. Cundy immediately attacked both craft with depth charges and machine gun fire. The submarine (U-373) was damaged but dived, leaving a large patch of surface oil. Cundy was then attacked by an enemy seaplane but the Liberator's gunners drove it away damaged. As a result of this patrol, Cundy was awarded an immediate DFC
.
In May 1942 he and his crew were detached to America to assist in the development of a new air-to-surface radar. They then joined No 224 Squadron in October 1942, flying the maritime version of the B-24 Liberator from St Eval
in Cornwall on patrols in over the Bay of Biscay.
On 26 February 1943 the crew were on patrol when they spotted U-437 on the surface. The U-boat crash-dived as Cundy dropped depth charges without any visible effect. The Liberator continued its patrol and shortly afterwards saw a second submarine which was attacked with the remaining depth charges. The crew soon saw the submarine's bows appear almost vertically, and sink below the surface. Cundy and his crew saw the U-boat surface and sail away some time later. U-508 had been damaged and was forced to return to Lorient
.
On patrol on 3 July 1943, Cundy sighted a U-boat on the surface several miles ahead. With his gunners opening fire with machine guns, he dived to attack and dropped the Hedgehog
anti-submarine weapon onto the submarine. He made a second attack despite his aircraft suffering serious damage from return fire. Cundy then dropped four depth charges which straddled the submarine. Cundy made a further attack as the submarine settled low in the water. As he circled after his third attack, it was seen that the U-boat had sunk and crewmen were in the water. Cundy nursed his aircraft back to St Eval on three engines; there was also damage to the fuel tanks and the aircraft's tail, but he made a safe landing.
He was later awarded the DSO for attacking and sinking U-628which had recently left Brest on its fourth cruise. It had been the first occasion of the use of the Hedgehog
anti-submarine weapon from an aircraft.
In November 1943, following three years of constant operations, Cundy was rested and served at the Coastal Command HQ on staff and planning duties. During this period he also flew tests evaluating the Leigh Light, a powerful searchlight carried on the wing of an anti-submarine aircraft. For this work he was awarded the Air Force Cross
and in September 1945 was granted a permanent commission. He flew Dakota transport aircraft before becoming an instructor.
After three years as an instructor with the Air Training Wing in Rhodesia, Cundy returned tas an instructor at No 236 Operational Conversion Unit equipped with the Avro Lancaster. In May 1951 he assumed command of No 210 Squadron, operating the Lancaster in the maritime reconnaissance role from Ballykelly
in Northern Ireland.
Cundy became personnel manager for a market research company before taking up property management. In 1995 he was met the surviving crew members of U-373, who had escaped his attack in January 1942 and was invited to Bavaria as guest of honour at their annual reunion, where he met the captain, Joachim Jaworski. He attended every reunion for 10 years
Cundy retired to East Anglia, where he enjoyed fishing and shooting.Cundy died on 4 August 2011. He married Section Officer Sheila Frost, WAAF, in 1945. She died six days before her husband, and they are survived by three sons and a daughter.
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
Peter John Cundy DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
AFC
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
RAF (3 October 1916 – 4 August 2005) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
pilot credited as one of the top U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
killers of the Second World War.
At RAF Coastal Command
RAF Coastal Command
RAF Coastal Command was a formation within the Royal Air Force . Founded in 1936, it was the RAF's premier maritime arm, after the Royal Navy's secondment of the Fleet Air Arm in 1937. Naval aviation was neglected in the inter-war period, 1919–1939, and as a consequence the service did not receive...
he was involved in new techniques for locating and destroying enemy submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s - among these air to sea radar and weapons.
One of twin sons of a brewer, Peter John Cundy was born on 3 October 1916 at Bognor
Bognor
* Bognor Regis* Bognor Regis Town F.C., a football club* Bognor Regis and Littlehampton* Bognor Regis railway station* Alexandra Theatre, Bognor Regis* Bognor Regis Community College* Bognor , a British television series from 1981...
and educated at Eastbourne College
Eastbourne College
Eastbourne College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils aged 13–18, situated on the south coast of England, included in the Tatler list of top public schools. The College's current headmaster is Simon Davies. The College was founded by the Duke of Devonshire...
. He was commissioned into the Middlesex Regiment in July 1937 and three years later transferred to the Royal Artillery.
He was seconded to the RAF in August and trained as a pilot, joining No 53 Squadron to fly Bristol Blenheim
Bristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...
s with RAF Coastal Command, attacking U-boat bases along the French Atlantic coast.
In 1941 Cundy joined No 120 Squadron, with the new long-range American-built B-24 Liberator. On 11 January 1942 while on patrol over the Bay of Biscay when he saw a twin-engine seaplane, and manoeuvred his aircraft so his gunners could bring their fire to bear> The seaplane escaped into cloud with an engine on fire.
Shortly after this engagement Cundy sighted a U-boat refuelling alongside a large tanker. Cundy immediately attacked both craft with depth charges and machine gun fire. The submarine (U-373) was damaged but dived, leaving a large patch of surface oil. Cundy was then attacked by an enemy seaplane but the Liberator's gunners drove it away damaged. As a result of this patrol, Cundy was awarded an immediate DFC
DFC
DFC may refer to:*Dfc is one of four symbols for the subarctic climate under the Köppen climate classification system*David Fickling Comic *decorrelated fast cipher...
.
In May 1942 he and his crew were detached to America to assist in the development of a new air-to-surface radar. They then joined No 224 Squadron in October 1942, flying the maritime version of the B-24 Liberator from St Eval
St Eval
St Eval is a civil parish and hamlet in north Cornwall, United Kingdom. The hamlet is situated approximately four miles southwest of Padstow....
in Cornwall on patrols in over the Bay of Biscay.
On 26 February 1943 the crew were on patrol when they spotted U-437 on the surface. The U-boat crash-dived as Cundy dropped depth charges without any visible effect. The Liberator continued its patrol and shortly afterwards saw a second submarine which was attacked with the remaining depth charges. The crew soon saw the submarine's bows appear almost vertically, and sink below the surface. Cundy and his crew saw the U-boat surface and sail away some time later. U-508 had been damaged and was forced to return to Lorient
Lorient
Lorient, or L'Orient, is a commune and a seaport in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France.-History:At the beginning of the 17th century, merchants who were trading with India had established warehouses in Port-Louis...
.
On patrol on 3 July 1943, Cundy sighted a U-boat on the surface several miles ahead. With his gunners opening fire with machine guns, he dived to attack and dropped the Hedgehog
Hedgehog (weapon)
The Hedgehog was an anti-submarine weapon developed by the Royal Navy during World War II, that was deployed on convoy escort warships such as destroyers to supplement the depth charge. The weapon worked by firing a number of small spigot mortar bombs from spiked fittings...
anti-submarine weapon onto the submarine. He made a second attack despite his aircraft suffering serious damage from return fire. Cundy then dropped four depth charges which straddled the submarine. Cundy made a further attack as the submarine settled low in the water. As he circled after his third attack, it was seen that the U-boat had sunk and crewmen were in the water. Cundy nursed his aircraft back to St Eval on three engines; there was also damage to the fuel tanks and the aircraft's tail, but he made a safe landing.
He was later awarded the DSO for attacking and sinking U-628which had recently left Brest on its fourth cruise. It had been the first occasion of the use of the Hedgehog
Hedgehog (weapon)
The Hedgehog was an anti-submarine weapon developed by the Royal Navy during World War II, that was deployed on convoy escort warships such as destroyers to supplement the depth charge. The weapon worked by firing a number of small spigot mortar bombs from spiked fittings...
anti-submarine weapon from an aircraft.
In November 1943, following three years of constant operations, Cundy was rested and served at the Coastal Command HQ on staff and planning duties. During this period he also flew tests evaluating the Leigh Light, a powerful searchlight carried on the wing of an anti-submarine aircraft. For this work he was awarded the Air Force Cross
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
and in September 1945 was granted a permanent commission. He flew Dakota transport aircraft before becoming an instructor.
After three years as an instructor with the Air Training Wing in Rhodesia, Cundy returned tas an instructor at No 236 Operational Conversion Unit equipped with the Avro Lancaster. In May 1951 he assumed command of No 210 Squadron, operating the Lancaster in the maritime reconnaissance role from Ballykelly
Ballykelly
Ballykelly is a village and townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies west of Limavady on the main Derry to Limavady A2 road and is east of Derry. It is designated as a Large Village and in 2001 the population of Ballykelly was 1,827...
in Northern Ireland.
Cundy became personnel manager for a market research company before taking up property management. In 1995 he was met the surviving crew members of U-373, who had escaped his attack in January 1942 and was invited to Bavaria as guest of honour at their annual reunion, where he met the captain, Joachim Jaworski. He attended every reunion for 10 years
Cundy retired to East Anglia, where he enjoyed fishing and shooting.Cundy died on 4 August 2011. He married Section Officer Sheila Frost, WAAF, in 1945. She died six days before her husband, and they are survived by three sons and a daughter.