大象传媒

This story is by Dr Gould, and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions. It was added by Bruce Logan.
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War was declared in 1939. I was a young boy in Trillick, Co. Tyrone.
Very soon - in 1940 - authorities decided to make an Airport in Co. Fermanagh - mainly on water - for sea planes. All able bodied men, labourers, joiners etc., were
then employed on the shores of lough Erne, to build buildings, runways and water bases for the Aircraft.
This was mainly based in and around Castle Archdale - and later in Killadeas and St. Angelo, about 5 miles from my home.
These sea planes (flying boats), were wonderful looking things -silver and large, as they glided through the sky -taking off and landing on water very gracefully. I
could see them in the distance from Trillick, but it was even better when I got on my bicycle and went over near the seaplane base, to see them fairly dose up -
unofficially of course! These sea planes -Catalinas and Sunderland, were built by
Short Bros. Belfast. This was the Atlantic Bomber Command, and they went out
over the Atlantic to protect the convoys coming into Britain from the USA.
Their job was to spot and sink the German "U" Boats (Submarines).
Sometimes they would take longer than they had fuel for, and some would crash on the way home.
There was an unofficial corridor from Deleet to Bundoran (over Donegal) when the planes would cross Eire.
But for the service and bravery of these airmen protecting the convoys, the people of
Great Britain would have had a much more difficult time during the austere war years.
Many airmen and planes were lost during these flying operations, waging a
relentless war against the U-boats in the North Atlantic.

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