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I am prepared to swear on a stack of bibles that the following story is true in every detail, despite the fact that it would have made a wonderful comedy film! The only exception is the name of the RAF Corporal in the story, that I have changed to ‘Evans’ for diplomatic reasons…
The Marine Craft Section of the R.A.F. used many different types of craft to deal with the various duties it was called upon to perform, and one of these was a refueller used to re-fuel flying boats while they were afloat. The one in this true story was a Vosper twin-screw refueller launch, with a capacity of 2000 gallons, which could be delivered at a the rate of 120 gallons a minute. The refueller was 45 feet in length, with a speed of 8 to 9 knots.
The coxswains of these unwieldy craft had to be good at their trade, being called upon to position their refueller craft just ahead of the flying boat — whether Sunderland or Catalina — moored temporarily to the same buoy until their job was finished. This could be tricky, depending on such variables as tide, current, and wind. When considered necessary, the refuellers were taken ashore to be cleaned before being put back in service.
This had been the fate of the refueller in my story. It had been taken up the slipway for the cleaning process, and was ready to be put back in the water to resume its duties.
In the Marine Craft Section Office, Warrant Officer Broster gave his instructions to the N.C.O. in charge of the slipway — who, for the sake of the story, will be given the fictitious name of Evans. The N.C.O. was to have the refueller launched from the slipway, where it had stood for several weeks on the heavy wooden cradle, which was mounted on large iron wheels.
Unfortunately, Corporal Evans omitted to tell the W.O. that he had never performed this particular task, but since he had seen it done several times, he felt confident that he would be equal to the job.
The scene changes to the wet dock at Pembroke Dock, where various craft had been pulled up the slipway for certain jobs to be done, one of these being the refueller in the story. Corporal Evans now had some twenty or so men under his command — mostly airmen in transit from one posting to another, who had reluctantly been pressed into service on the slipway. Having been told by the M.T. (Motor Transport) section that they did not have a tractor available for helping to launch the refueller, Evans decided that the men at his disposal were quite capable of replacing the tractor.
The normal procedure was to make a line fast to the bow of the refueller, which was then passed through a sturdy ring-bolt embedded in the concrete surface of the slipway, and then on to the tractor, which would hold the cradle whilst it was lowered to the water.
This procedure was followed, but with the twenty men replacing the tractor. They took hold of the line, while Corporal Evans knocked away the large wooden chocks against the iron wheels of the cradle.
Nothing happened. After all, it had been in the same position for several weeks, and obviously didn’t feel like moving.
The Corporal was equal to the challenge. He ordered some of the men to drop the line they were holding and come over to give the stubborn cradle a push. Still nothing happened. A few more well meaning lads came across from the line they had been holding to help their comrades. Eventually there were more men pushing the cradle than holding the line.
Gradually the wheels of the cradle began to move — slowly at first, but with increasing speed, as it seemed to realise what was required!
Suddenly Corporal Evans recognised the danger, and yelled at the men to get back to the rope — but it was much too late. The cradle was now rushing down the slipway and nothing was going to stop it.
The line snaked through the ringbolt as the cradle reached the end of the slipway and broke in half. The refueller went flying through the air in a passing resemblance of the aircraft it normally serviced. Everyone watched as it hit the water in a cloud of spray and disappeared for a few seconds before rising to the surface like a submarine.
In fact, the launching could have been considered successful but for the fact that the manhole covers had not been put back into position, leaving the tanks open to the invasion of water, making the refueller unserviceable again. A couple of dinghies went out to tow it back to the slipway for a further spell of inactivity.
Corporal Evans went up to the Marine Craft Office to report the fact that the launch had been put back into the water. Warrant Officer Broster grunted approval and turned to take the refueller’s number tag from the ‘Unserviceable’ Board, but was stopped in mid-flight as Evans told him the craft was still out of action. Gradually, painfully, the questions and answers went on for some time as the full story was revealed. The Corporal was not asked to carry out any further launchings…

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