[Larry]

According to experts, a body usually sinks after two weeks at sea, and I was thinking that if this is generally true it would help in the search for the true resting place of many of the MIAs that have no known grave but have in fact been buried as ‘unknown’ within a few weeks of going missing. This would have been fairly common in WW2 on each side of the North Sea and the Channel.

However this got me thinking that some would have been wearing an inflated life jacket, so that may extend the time the body was on the surface, but typically how long would a life jacket stay inflated before the ravages of the sea broke it?

Also with the ‘unknown’ airmen found washed up or recovered from the sea, it amazes me that their ID disks were not still attached if these dog tags were made of metal and secured by a metal chain and compulsory?

I suppose that the condition of a body also relates to its loss, so a person that goes in to the sea in the crashing aircraft is less likely to be found if they remain trapped (and may not be complete if they float up to the surface), whereas a person that ditches or bails out and then dies of exposure or drowning is more likely to be found.

My interest in this goolish subject is due to the fact that for many years I’ve been searching for FL/t Douglas Rayment and Sgt Sadler who were shot down by Erg / JG2 in Blenheim P4832 on 17th July 1941, just off the coast of Cherbourg Peninsular, and I’m convinced one or both of them is probably buried in France as unknown.

Your comments on the subject please!