Rev. David Youngson has submitted the following:
The son of Laurence and Olive Mary Sayers of Sedgefield, County Durham. A Pilot he was Mentioned in Despatches and awarded the Air Force Cross and was also a recipient of the Air Efficiency Award. He died on the 25th February 1945 aged 25 as a result of a flying training accident in an RAF Lancaster Bomber based at RAF Swinderby.
Squadron Leader Sayers was serving with 1660 HCU. He was a crew member of Lancaster I ME490 which took off from Swinderby for training to fly with 3 engines. Squadron leader Sayers was the pupil; he had logged 1,220 hours flying solo but no prior experience on Lancasters. He seemed to have stalled by trying to lift a wing at too slow a speed.6 men were killed, 1 was injured.
Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses Vol. 8: Heavy Conversion Units and Miscellaneous Units, 1939-1947; W.R. Chorley; 2003; Midland Publishing; ISBN 1 85780 156 3.
John Bertram Sayers is remembered at Sedgefield on S119.03
