07/09/2024
Due to technical problems the promised flyover by the Battle of Britain Flight didn't happen. However was still a great event to celebrate the opening of the memorial garden for WW2 Spitfire pilot Sandy Gunn, a son of Auchterarder who grew up 50 yards from the site.
Sandy's story is an amazing one of skill and courage, a pilot of the Photographic Reconsiance Unit he flew multiple sorties across enemy territory all over Europe.
On his 33 flight after photographing the German battleship the Tirpitz he was shot down by 2
Messerschmitt's, he ejected and his plane AA810
crashed into the mountains of Norway. Taken prisoner of war he was the fifth inmate to be interred in Stalag Luft Ill - the camp of the 'Great Escape' fame. Sandy was the 68th escapee of 76.
Unfortunately he was recaptured within two days, under Hitler's direct direction the infamous 'Sagan Order' was enacted which saw 50 of the escapees murdered by the Gestapo, sadly Sandy was among those victims. He was just 24.
In 2017 the wreckage of Spitfire AA810 was recovered from the Norwegian mountainside and is now being restored back to flight condition, it will tour the world bringing the story of those brave young aviators like Sandy to a worldwide audience.
A truly remarkable project to have been involved with the dedication of the funders, local committee and contractors has been a privilege to witness, it all came together brilliantly to honour Sandy and the many other like him who paid the ultimate price during global conflict.
