The Airmen's Stories - F/O W P Sprenger

William Paterson Sprenger was born at North Bay, Ontario, Canada on 13th July 1911, the son of Lt.Col. Aloys Reginald Sprenger and Clara Amy Sprenger (nee Hitch).

His father entered the Indian Army in 1897 and was appointed to the 2nd Rajput Light Infantry in 1898, becoming a Double Company Officer in 1900. In the Great War, with the Canadian Engineers, he held the post of Staff Captain in the Department of the Master-General of the Ordnance.

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WP Sprenger was educated in private schools in England and Saint John, New Brunswick. He earned his BA from McGill University in 1931 and his BCLaw in 1934. He specialised in industrial law. In his spare time he was a champion swimmer and amateur pilot.

He joined the RCAF on 1st October 1938 and was serving with No. 1 (RCAF) Squadron when it arrived in the UK on 20th June 1940.

Above: P/O BE Christmas (left) and Sprenger.

On 31st August Sprenger was shot down by Me109's in combat over Cranbrook. He baled out, unhurt, and landed at Little Bay Court, Ulcombe. His Hurricane, P3858, crashed and burned out at Upper Street, Broomfield. On 27th September he made a forced-landing at Kenley after his aircraft was damaged in combat over North Kent.

Sprenger was killed on 26th November 1940 when the squadron was based at Prestwick. His Hurricane I V6746 was seen to roll and then crash at Luss on the shore of Loch Lomond during an anti-aircraft co-operation flight, cause unknown.

He is buried in Vale of Leven Cemetery, Bonhill, Dumbarton, Scotland.