South Yorkshire Times – Saturday 29 August 1942

Airman A Prisoner Of War

Last month Sgt. Gordon Dakin Pepper, wireless operator, took part in an operational flight over Germany and failed to return. He was reported missing, but his wife at Worsboro’ Dale and parents at 168, Barnsley Road, Wombwell, had hoped that he would be a prisoner of war.

The officer on the ground staff had been in communication with him for the greater part of the trip, and his last message was that they were baling out.

The first intimation of his safety was about ten days afterwards, when his name was announced over the German radio as being a prisoner.

Mrs. Pepper, who is residing with her parents at Clarkson Street, Worsboro’ Dale, received a telegram on Saturday from the Red Cross, stating that he was a prisoner, and on Monday a post-card was received from Gordon himself, in which he said he was just about to visit the library, where he hoped to find a good book to read in the sunshine.