Peter Cundy

Wing Commander Peter John Cundy DSO AFC RAF (3 October 1916 – 4 August 2005) was a British pilot credited as one of the top U-boat killers of the Second World War.

At RAF Coastal Command he was involved in new techniques for locating and destroying enemy submarines - among these air to sea radar and weapons.

Early life
One of twin sons of a brewer, Peter John Cundy was born on 3 October 1916 at Bognor and educated at Eastbourne College. He was commissioned into the Middlesex Regiment in July 1937 and three years later transferred to the Royal Artillery.

Seconded to the RAF
He was seconded to the RAF in August and trained as a pilot, joining No 53 Squadron to fly Bristol Blenheims with RAF Coastal Command, attacking U-boat bases along the French Atlantic coast.

In 1941 Cundy joined No 120 Squadron, with the new long-range American-built B-24 Liberator. On 11 January 1942 while on patrol over the Bay of Biscay when he saw a twin-engine seaplane, and manoeuvred his aircraft so his gunners could bring their fire to bear> The seaplane escaped into cloud with an engine on fire.

On 22 May 1941 Cundy sighted a U-boat refuelling alongside a large tanker. Cundy immediately attacked both craft with depth charges and machine gun fire. The submarine (U-373) was damaged but dived, leaving a large patch of surface oil. Cundy was then attacked by an enemy Heinkel He 115 seaplane but the Liberator's gunners drove it away damaged. As a result of this patrol Cundy was awarded an immediate DFC.

In May 1942 he and his crew were detached to America to assist in the development of a new air-to-surface radar. They then joined No 224 Squadron in October 1942, flying the maritime version of the B-24 Liberator from St Eval in Cornwall on patrols in over the Bay of Biscay.

U-boat encounters
On 26 February 1943 the crew were on patrol when they spotted U-437 on the surface. The U-boat crash-dived as Cundy dropped depth charges without any visible effect. The Liberator continued its patrol and shortly afterwards saw a second submarine which was attacked with the remaining depth charges. The crew soon saw the submarine's bows appear almost vertically, and sink below the surface. Cundy and his crew saw the U-boat surface and sail away some time later. U-508 had been damaged and was forced to return to Lorient.

On patrol on 3 July 1943, Cundy sighted a U-boat on the surface several miles ahead. With his gunners opening fire with machine guns, he dived to attack and dropped the Hedgehog anti-submarine weapon onto the submarine, U-628. He made a second attack despite his aircraft suffering serious damage from return fire. Cundy then dropped four depth charges which straddled the submarine. Cundy made a further attack as the submarine settled low in the water. As he circled after his third attack, it was seen that the U-boat had sunk and crewmen were in the water. Cundy nursed his aircraft back to St Eval on three engines; there was also damage to the fuel tanks and the aircraft's tail, but he made a safe landing.

Awarded DSO
He was later awarded the DSO for attacking and sinking U-628 which had recently left Brest on its fourth cruise. It had been the first occasion of the use of the Hedgehog anti-submarine weapon from an aircraft.

Command HQ service
In November 1943, following three years of constant operations, Cundy was rested and served at the Coastal Command HQ on staff and planning duties. During this period he also flew tests evaluating the Leigh Light, a powerful searchlight carried on the wing of an anti-submarine aircraft. For this work he was awarded the Air Force Cross and in September 1945 was granted a permanent commission. He flew Dakota transport aircraft before becoming an instructor.

After three years as an instructor with the Air Training Wing in Rhodesia, Cundy returned as an instructor at No 236 Operational Conversion Unit equipped with the Avro Lancaster. In May 1951 he assumed command of No 210 Squadron, operating the Lancaster in the maritime reconnaissance role from Ballykelly in Northern Ireland.

Post-military career
Cundy became personnel manager for a market research company before taking up property management. In 1995 he was met the surviving crew members of U-373, who had escaped his attack in January 1942 and was invited to Bavaria as guest of honour at their annual reunion, where he met the captain, Joachim Jaworski. He attended every reunion for 10 years.

Cundy retired to East Anglia, where he enjoyed fishing and shooting. Cundy died on 4 August 2005. He married Section Officer Sheila Frost, WAAF, in 1945. She died six days before her husband, and they are survived by three sons and a daughter.