Cenotaph Stories

Sleep, Kenneth Stephen

Rank

Flight Lieutenant

Service No.

J/9483

Unit

Royal Canadian Air Force, 411 Sqn.

Died

December 1, 1945 (Spitfire crashed into sea near Denmark)
Age 23

Buried

Hamburg Cemetery, Germany - 4A F 7

Remembrance:

Second World War Book of Remembrance - Page 564

Additional Info

Son of Charles & Elsie, 49 Mill St. Lindsay
Brother of Stuart, Grant, Doreen, Donald.

KENNETH STEPHEN SLEEP

Flight Lieutenant K.S. Sleep enlisted November 1940, at the age of 18. After completing basic training he was an instructor until he went overseas in March 1942. Ken was stationed over in England and made flights over Germany, Holland, Belgium and France. Later he was stationed in Belgium for several months and led the attack across the Rhine. In October 1945 he returned to England. He died in service on 01 December 1945.

Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 19 December 1943

With No.402 Squadron he shot down a Ju 88 on 8 February 1945 and shared in half a damaged claim (Me 262 on 25 February 1945). He was credited with 10 MET destroyed and 51 damaged, 12 locomotives destroyed and 25 damaged, and some 1,479 flying hours.

Remained with that unit until 2 April 1945 when returned to Britain on completion of tour; to No.58 OTU, 25 April 1945; to No.19 Aircrew Holding Unit, 13 June 1945; to No.411 Squadron, 16 September 1945. Killed in flying accident while CO of "B" Flight, No.411 Squadron, 1 December 1945 (Spitfire NH899). Buried in Germany.

On the day of his death he had gone from No.411 Squadron Base, Utersen to collect the unit's mail. He was reported overdue and then the aircraft wreckage was found by a Danish patrol boat close to shore of the island of Rome, north of Sylt. He had apparently overshot Sylt aerodrome from B.174, Utersen and was seen orbiting the dam at Rome at 300 feet. As he set course for the mainland, the nose was seen to drop and the aircraft went into the sea with engine running normally. Visibility was hazy at the time.

S/L B.E. Innes wrote, "There is no apparent cause for this accident. A possibly explanation is that the pilot while setting his compass lost track of height and hit the sea." At the time of his death he was reported to have flown 300 hours on Spitfires and 1,178 hours 50 minutes on all types.

Transcriptions:

March 6, 1945

Sends Nephew Belgian Cape

Allan Sleep, infant son of Mr, Allan Sleep, infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Sleep, 169 William St. N., received on Saturday, a beautiful hand made Belgian cape from his uncle, FO K. S. Sleep, stationed in Belgium.

The cape has an attached hood and is embroidered in white with white swans down at the edge. The whole thing is padded and lined with old Ivory silk.

January 1, 1946?

PARENTS LEARN SON AWARDED WITH MENTION IN DESPATCHES

The following message has just been received from the RCAF by Mr. and Mrs. C. S. Sleep, 49 Mill St., Lindsay:

“The Minister for Air, personally, and the Chief of the Air Staff on behalf of himself and all ranks of the Royal Canadian Air Force take pleasure in informing you that your son, Flight Lieutenant K. S. Sleep, J9483, has been mentioned in despatches January 1 by order on His Majesty The King.

Lindsay Airman Is Killed In Air Crash In Europe

Mr. and .Mrs. C. S. Sleep, 9 Mill Street, received word on Monday that their son, Kenneth, had been killed in air crash in Europe on Sunday, while serving with the R.C.A.F.

Kenneth Sleep had served overseas for four years and a short time ago was married to a Welsh girl. In September he was slated to return to Canada and proceeded as far as the port of embarkation. Last minute headquarters changes, however, took him off draft and he was returned to active duty.

In addition to his wife and parents, he is survived by two brothers Stewart and Grant, and one sister Doreen, all of Lindsay.