Tuesday 24th January 2012
Alain Charpentier is researching airmen who served in the RAF, including those who were in Bomber Command during the Second World War. He wants to know more about one pilot in particular, namely W/C Ernest Neville Monkhouse Sparks who served as a Pathfinder pilot with 83 Squadron during 1944.
Ernest Sparks was born at Lewisham, Kent, in 1912. He was shot down on 4th May 1944 in the attack on Mailly Le Camp. He escaped and found his way back to his squadron. He resumed operations, only to be shot down again, this time during the bombing of Stettin. Although he survived he ended up as a prisoner of war. After the Second World War he stayed in the RAF.
Ernest’s father, Francis George Monkhouse Sparks, was also a pilot and was Chief Air Instructor at London Aeroclub before the Second World War. Francis Sparks died in Canada in 1934.
And Ernest’s brother, W/C George Bryan Noble Sparks was Commanding Officer of 356 Squadron – a B24 Liberator Squadron – in the Far East. George died of polio on 11th August 1945.
Alain wants to hear from anyone who was related to or knew Ernest Neville Monkhouse Sparks or his family. Ernest died at Salisbury, Wiltshire, in 1980, so there could be local people who remember him or knew him.
Alain Charpentier’s address is BP 1623, 98729 Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia. He may be contacted by email: alain-charpentier@live.fr