Airwar over Denmark

Airwar over Denmark

 By Søren C. Flensted

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B 24GRVI EV947 crashed in the sea of Skagerak 15/7 1944.


The aircraft belonged to RAF 206 Sqn. Coastal Command and was coded PQ-E
T/O 20:18 Leuchars. OP: Anti shipping in the sea of Skagerak


EV947 crashed in the sea of Skagerak west of Denmark. 
The 206 and 210 and 281 Squadrons mounted a search for the B 24 and at 16:43 hours B 24 BX972 coded “B” of 206 Squadron sighted a dinghy with one occupant on position 57`35N 04`40E.
The B 24 circled the dinghy while markers were dropped as well as a radio and a food pack. These fell within 10-20 yards of the dinghy, but the occupant made no apparent effort to retrieve them.
 
A very large oil patch was sighted within one mile 210 degree from the dinghy, but no wreckage was seen. At 17:45 “B” sighted two aircrafts that turned out to be Warwick I “P” and “C” of 281 Squadron and lead them to the dinghy. They in turn dropped an airborne lifeboat at 18:10 hours and at 18:35 hours a Lindholme gear.
The B 24 left the dinghy in position 54`43N 04`28E at 19:10 hours. Also “V” of 210 Squadron spotted the dinghy and dropped supplies that fell within five yards. The survivor showed however no signs of life at that state.

On 16/7 the search continued and at 12:42 hours at position 57`42N 04`56E B 24 “P” of 206 Squadron spotted an inverted dinghy.
At 13:56 in position 57`49N 04`41E it was over a dinghy with one live survivor inside it. It reported the position and was at 16:05 hours ordered to resume patrol.
At 16:34 hours the dinghy was sighted by B 24 “M”.
Canso “C” of 162 Squadron was also over the dinghy and “M” continued its patrol returning to the dinghy at intervals.
At 18:35 hours the survivor fell out of the dinghy, hung on to the ropes, waved to “C” and finally at 19:50 hours floated away, face under water.
At 18:43 hours “M” observed that the survivor was no longer in the dinghy and at 19:07 hours it made contact with H.S.L. 2717 of No 10 Air Sea Rescue Unit and directed it to the dinghy. When H.S.L. 2717 was near the dinghy “M” resumed patrol.

The body of W/Op P/O Norman Hilton was picked up by H.S.L 2717 from a position of 57`42N 04`55E at 20:25 hours and brought to the No. 10 ASR Units base in Aberdeen at 19:10 hours.
The body was by ambulance taken to RAF Station Dyce and laid to rest in his hometown in Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn cemetery in Wales.

The dead body of Pilot F/O Lloyd B. Mollard RCAF was found washed ashore on the beach near Højen on 4/9. He was laid to rest in Skagen cemetery on 7/9 1944.

Navigator F/O John E. Taylor RCAF, Wop/Ag F/O Alexander Forsyth RCAF, Wop/Ag F/O Allan G. Echlin RCAF and Wop/Ag F/O Albert A. Desilets RCAF, F/Sgt Charles McRobb, F/O William W. Preston, Sgt Ronald Fitch and Pilot F/O Brian W. Thynne have no known graves and are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.



Sources: AIR 28/463+27/1224+ 27/1074+27/1300+27/1614+24/416+24/441,ORB 10 ASR, FAF.
 

 

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