Derrick Ralph SORENSEN

Derrick Ralph SORENSEN Update Details

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SORENSEN, Derrick Ralph

Service Number:	1313849
Enlisted:	Not yet discovered
Last Rank:	Flight Sergeant
Last Unit:	Not yet discovered
Born:	Katoomba, New South Wales, Australia, 1920
Home Town:	Leura, Blue Mountains Municipality, New South Wales
Schooling:	Katoomba High School
Occupation:	Not yet discovered
Died:	Accidental, Dunure, Ayrshire, Scotland, 7 August 1943
Cemetery:	Dunure Cemetery, Scotland Section E (White) Grave 279
Memorials:	Lithgow Hoskins Memorial Church Plaque

World War 2 Service

7 Aug 1943:	Wounded Royal Air Force , Flight Sergeant, 1313849, No.1 TTU Wellington VIII HX774 Seen flying over sea at 0434 in northerly direction about 600yds south-west of Turnberry airfield, losing height rapidly. The target ship "Heliopolis", contacted base and stated that they believed the aircraft had crashed into the sea.

Help us honour Derrick Ralph Sorensen's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Schools Program

Derrick Ralph Sorensen was born to Paul and Anna Sorensen in Katoomba, New South Wales in 1920. Shortly after his birth the family moved to Leura where Paul continued to expand his landscaping and nursery business, for which he was becoming quite renown. Derrick had two brothers, Neville and Ib (Robert), with Neville also enlisting in World War Two.

Derrick attended Katoomba High School and appears to have been a keen cricketer. Derrick enlisted in the United Kingdom as a part of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. As the RAFVR pre-dated the beginning of the war, it is possible that Derrick was an early volunteer and pilot. At some point after the beginning of World War Two, Derrick was transferred to the RAF as a pilot with the rank of Flight Sergeant.

On the 7th of August 1943, Derrick and his crew were operating with the No. 1 TTU (Torpedo Training Unit) at Turnberry, Ayrshire, Scotland. Flying a Wellington Bomber (VIII HX774), the entry states:

7-8-1943
No.1 TTU
Wellington VIII HX774

Seen flying over sea at 0434 in northerly direction about 600yds south-west of Turnberry airfield, losing height rapidly. The target ship "Heliopolis", contacted base and stated that they believed the aircraft had crashed into the sea.

The crew of HX774 were:

1313849 F/Sgt (Pilot) Derrick Ralph SORENSEN RAFVR + (Australian serving in the RAF)
1435307 Sgt (Pilot) James Leonard WEBBER RAFVR +
1319841 Sgt (Nav./E) John Leonard HISCOCK RAFVR +
AUS30881 F/Sgt (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Fredrick John WRIGHT RAAF +
1134186 Sgt (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Eric Williams HIRST RAFVR +
1384929 Sgt ( - ? - ) Ernest Leslie PADFIELD RAFVR +

Derrick was found with three others of his crew in the sea off Brest Rock, Turnberry. RAF Turnberry was not an easy place to fly. It is estimated that over 200 servicemen lost their lives on operations in and around the base during World War Two.

Only Derrick was buried in the nearby Dunure Commonwealth Cemetery. Derrick was memorialised by his family back in Leura, along with his entire family in the Sorensen Garden in the Leura Memorial Gardens.

With thanks to the Girvan and District Great War Project, Ayrshire, Scotland and the Wellington VIII HX774 forum on RAF Commands

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