Flying Officer Arthur Buckby Sinton (119279) served in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve during the Second World War. Born on 3rd August 1914, he was the son of Frederick Buckby Sinton and Hannah Maria Sinton (née Woods) of Banford House, Knockagore, Co. Down.
Arthur married Vera Wilson Smyth of Brookfield, Banbridge, Co. Down in May 1940. Newspapers announced their engagement in October 1939. The couple had 2 children; David Frederick Sinton and Vera May Sinton. Before the outbreak of the Second World War, Arthur worked as a linen merchant. In April 1939, he was a 2nd Lieutenant in 3rd Searchlight Regiment and also a cricketer for a local club in Laurelvale, Co. Armagh.
British Newspaper Archive Photo: The wedding of Arthur Buckby Sinton and Vera Wilson Smyth. Moira Gordon Smyth is bridesmaid and Thomas Sinton Jr. is Best Man. Photo from The Belfast Newsletter on 3rd May 1940.
Arthur went missing presumed killed on 26th June 1943 aged 27 years old. He was the pilot of Boulton Paul Defiant AA572 with RAF 515 Squadron. The plane came down in the North Sea around 20km west of Katwijk having taken off from RAF Coltishall, East Anglia. The mission was a bombing raid on Gelsenkirchen, Germany and involved 473 Bomber Command planes. It was not a great success, partially affecting the production of around 20 factories for less than 2 weeks. By contrast, the Royal Air Force lost 30 planes. The Defiant was on a Mandrel flight, tasked with jamming communication waves.
Sinton’s mother received notification of his death from the British Air Ministry on 18th January 1944. Pilot Officer Leonard Arthur Johnson also died as a result of this incident.
Arthur Buckby Sinton has no known grave. His name is on Panel 129 of the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, England. It is also on the Gilford War Memorial, Gilford, Co. Down, and on a family memorial in the Friends’ Burial Ground, Moyallan, Co. Down.
Arthur’s father Frederick Buckby Sinton died on 25th June 1943, the day before his son.