大象传媒

It was the 10th August 1945. I was a Navigator-Captain in Squadron 518 on Halifax M. The pilot had just come from Training Command in South Africa. It was his first trip. We had to fly 1000 miles out into the Atlantic on a Meteorological Patrol.

When we got there, we climbed to 18,000 ft. The Engineer, who was part of a crew of 10, said that if his fuel gauge was correct, we were out of gas. At that point I gave the Ditching order and we dropped down towards the sea. The pilot said 鈥� Robbie, I鈥檝e never landed a plane on the sea before!鈥� So, having done three tours on flying boats, I had to give him a quick lesson. I told him to look out for the seventh wave and land along the swell.

On touching the water, the batteries blew up and fire raged through the air craft. With the impact, the Engineer, who was in his ditching position, was thrown out through the rear hatch, onto the wing. He hung on to the leading edge until the aircraft landed on the water. The Met Observer, whose position was in the front of the air craft, was knocked unconscious. On finding he was missing, the Engineer and I went back to the hatch in the front of the air craft. It was pitch black and belching smoke. We could only feel his hair. So all we could do was grab hold of it and pull him out. Then we got into the inflatable dinghy and paddled away from the air craft as fast as we could, because we knew if we were too close, it would take us down with it when it sank.

We drifted around in the Atlantic for 8 hours. It was very frightening not knowing if we would be rescued. The pilot was so sea sick he became delirious. He thought he could walk to land to get help. Then for the first and last time, I drew my revolver and threatened to shoot him if he went overboard because I knew he would never survive. I instructed the rest of the crew to plait their legs through his so he could not get out.

When we rose to 18000 ft I had made an SOS giving our Latitude and Longitude position which was acknowledged by a radio station in the South of England. It was also picked up by the SS Bayano, a Fyfes Banana boat, on its way to Halifax in Canada, 8 hours steaming time away. Its Captain changed course and came to look for us.

An Air Sea Rescue boat and an air craft from our Squadron were also looking for us. The Air Sea Rescue boat dropped a life boat which drifted out of reach from our dingy. The air craft dropped a flame float into the water beside us. When it was about a knot away from us, the Bayano cut its engines. With the help of their seamen we climbed up a Jacob鈥檚 ladder on the side of the ship. The Captain had a tot of rum ready for each of us as we got on deck. It was very welcoming!

We exchanged our wet clothes for clothes of the crew. My rank changed to First Mate.

After a while, we were transferred to the American Pincher Aircraft Carrier, where there was a doctor on board. We landed at Liverpool and an aircraft was sent to collect us, from Tyree. I asked the pilot to fly round the Blackpool Tower, which he did three times, to celebrate our safe return.

My crew and I were made members of the Goldfish Club because we had survived a ditching through fire鈥� and the RAF sent me a bill for 拢40,000 for the lost aircraft.

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