Raimund Sanders Draper

Who was Raimund Sanders Draper?

Flying Officer Raimund Sanders Draper, known as "Smudge", was an American volunteer World War II Royal Air Force pilot of No. 64 Squadron. He deliberately crashed his Spitfire aircraft, in order to avoid hitting a school, after losing control on take-off from RAF Hornchurch, and was killed.

The plane's engine cut out at an estimated altitude of 200 feet and the plane went into a spin. As the plane headed for Suttons School, just 530 yards from the airfield perimeter, Draper put the nose down and forced the aircraft into the ground short of the main building. The aircraft bounced and a wing stuck the building.

Only one student, 13 year old Richard Burton was injured, with 5 other students treated for minor shock.

One of the students who witnessed the accident recalled:

At 10.45 am an aircraft crashed on the playing field, the main parts being ricocheted onto the drive, fragments breaking a total of 9 windows in three classrooms. Splinters from the 'plane scored the wall and injured the playing field and shrubbery. Richard Burton received a cut on the leg from flying glass needing medical attention and five boys were treated from primary shock.