The Airmen's Stories - P/O J W Lund

John Wilfred Lund was born on 6th May 1919 at Norton, Yorkshire, the son of Mark and Mary Lund, his father was a Methodist minister.

He was educated at Kingswood School near Bath. In October 1938 Lund went to Oriel College, Oxford where he read History. He was a member of the University Air Squadron and was called up on 18th November 1939.

Lund was posted to FTS Cranwell on 1st January 1940. With the course completed, he went to No. 1 School of Army Co-operation at Old Sarum on 2nd June. Lund was sent to 5 OTU Aston Down on the 10th and after converting to Spitfires he joined 611 Squadron at Digby on the 23rd.

On 2nd July Lund shared in the destruction of a Do17 and shared another on 21st August. He was posted to 92 Squadron at Biggin Hill on 2nd October 1940.

He was shot down by Me109s on the 15th and crashed into the sea off Bee Ness Jetty, Kent Reach in Spitfire R6642. Lund was rescued from the Medway by HMS Nysan. He damaged a Me109 on 1st December 1940.

Lund was killed on 2nd October 1941 as a Flight Lieutenant with 92 Squadron, aged 22. He was leader of a section of three Spitfires which had carried out a low-level Rhubarb operation over Northern France.

Returning across the Channel, they were attacked by Fw190s from JG2 and all three were shot down, Lund's Spitfire Vb W3459 going down in flames.

He was reported 'Missing'.

Lund is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, panel 29.

Above image courtesy of Dean Sumner.