The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. D E Pearson

Dennis Edward Pearson was born on 8th August 1921 in Lambeth and joined the RAF in July 1939 as a direct-entry Airman u/t Observer. He completed his training at 1 (C) OTU Silloth and joined 236 Squadron on 21st July 1940.

On 25th September 1940 Pearson was on a reconnaissance sortie to Brest in a Blenheim with pilot P/O GH Russell and gunner Sgt. JE Goldsmith when it engaged Dornier Do18G 0881 M2+EK of 2./KüFlGr. 106 and shot it down off the island of Ushant, all four crew were lost.

Then on 6th November 1940 they engaged a French Bréguet Br521 'Bizerte' flying boat (no. 0011 SG+FM) that had been pressed into service with the German sea rescue service. With Sgt. Pert as gunner they shot it down off Jersey, one of the crew being killed.

Return fire wounded Pearson in one eye and and an arm.

His subsequent service is currently undocumented. He married Margaret Edith Allen in November 1951 in Streatham Congregational Church.

Pearson died in August 2003 in East Surrey.