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Kenneth Albert POULDEN
Servive No: 576967
From the National Archives AIR/27/2072
5th November 1944
Non-operational flying consisted of practice and test flying. During practice bombing, in which 4 pilots took part, the Squadron lost one of its new pilots, on his first trip with the Unit. The 4 Spitfires took off at 16.10 hours and proceeded out to sea where they had been instructed to release their bombs. Sgt POULDON, K.A. (576967) flying in Spitfire IX.E, P.T. 583 was flying immediately behind the leader as No. 2, in the formation. When at 10,000 feet over the sea, the leader instructed the others to fly in line astern in readiness for bombing. The 4 aircraft now commenced their dive. From North to South and Nos. 2, 3 and 4, were to aim their bombs at the Leaders bomb burst. Then at 5,500 feet, the leader pulled out of the dive expecting the others to follow. Nos. 3 and 4 followed but the No. 2 (Sgt Pouldon) was seen completely inverted and diving steeply. The leader saw five splashes in the sea and was later informed by another aircraft that it was considered that one of the formation had dived into the sea. The leader realized that there were now only 3 aircraft in his formation and he immediately went down to investigate.
A large patch of oil was seen on the water but no trace could be found of either the pilot or his aircraft, although the position was covered for some time. Sgt POULDEN was reported as MISSING BELIEVE KILLED and the aircraft as completely destroyed. The time that this accident occurred was 16.30 hours and the position of the crash was M.R. (N) S.3880 Pesaro Sheet 20, Italy 1:250,000.
