Flew down to Spain

From an account by my father.

Flew down to Spain. Six Junkas. Found them one day. Fighter bombers, too fast for us. Lost seven planes a year at that time. We got away – it was good for moral. Gave the Squadron a lift. First three to four weeks he was there (Germans/Junkas) they lost three aircraft.

Intel. told only two Junkas returned. One was badly damaged.

So were we - lucky though. Hit throttle cable, not engine. Big holes two foot across. 20mm shell through side – hit flare tube. Used the flares to mark ships in disaster or bombing site for subs.

The Sunderland was a big aircraft - 30 ton 100 foot long. Four engines, eleven crew, three pilots, one navigator, two wireless. There were two engineers - sat engineers bench or gunnery if needed. Three airgunners.

Wasn’t in the tail when attacked – went to nose turret. Frank Calligan was in tail. Wireless op was in mid upper. Guns at galley hatches. I didn’t do anything that day. They didn’t come near my gun. I had an excellent record and could’ve accounted for myself.

They didn’t hit any vital parts – pilots or controls. Three engines went full bore – controls cut by fire – put fourth up to get pitch. Flew hour west. Fought for twenty minutes. Got in cloud, came out – they were there several times. Back into the cloud until all clear.

Three hours to fly home. Three boys patching holes under waterline. Missed two holes – under floor. On the way home I manned the mid-upper turret – watching all the way. Sharpens your eyes an attack like that. Saw black dot twenty-five miles away dead ahead. Went into cloud again. Ten to fifteen miles from home put into water and were towed into harbour while those not wounded bailed.

There were three wounded including the Skipper, in the foot. Water was gushing in under floor. I put my fist into the hole and yelled for the others to bail. They were using the teapot and saucepans out through the little porthole. Someone used a saucepan to hit the window. It was perspex so it bounced off. Tried again and window, pan and all went out. Freezing – pushed overalls into the hole and a bit of wood eventually to hold them and get hands out. Lot of water. Twenty ground staff came aboard to help bail. Made it to the buoy. Tried put trolley under back – too low. Navy came with suction hose. Camels – floating canvas six foot long with air were tied around craft for towing to dock.

I was left with the mooring. Took three months to repair the boat. Shortly after, it was the one (destroyed when) washed up against the rocks near the billets in the gale.