大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War website by Sandra Beckett on behalf of Mrs J Ede, the author, and has been added to the site with his/her permission. The author fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and condition.
Sgt. George Love and his wife, May, were outside their home, situated on the cliffs at Seaton, in Cornwall, when May heard someone shouting for help; visability was poor as there was a sea mist, so they could not see anyone.
George, who was off duty at the time from the R.A.F. Radar Station at Downderry, Cornwall, went down to the beach, calling in to the shop on the way to get help. Mrs Margaret Pearce and Mrs Durrant helped George launch a small rowing boat. Mrs Pearce climbed in with George and they set off to search the bay for the person calling for help. George rowed the small boat and Mrs Pearce bailed out using George鈥檚 R.A.F. forage cap, neither George nor Mrs Pearce could swim and the boat was leaking quite badly. When they got out to sea they discovered that the voice belonged to a downed American Airman whose B17 Flying Fortress had sustained heavy damage whilst on a bombing raid over enemy held territory.
The Airman was Lieutenant Robert Denisson who was assigned to the 96th Bomb Group, 337 Squadron at Snetterton in Norfolk. Together Sgt.George Love and Mrs Pearce managed to get the exhausted airman into the boat and return safely to shore. It was later learned that B17 Flying Fortress had a full bomb load, explaining why the pilot ditched into the sea after ordering his crew to bail out over land.
The remains of the Flying Fortress have recently been discovered in the waters off Looe in Cornwall, the engines will be able to be seen at Looe Museum when the cleaning and restoration has taken place. There will also be photographs of the American Air crew and Sgt. George Love.

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