大象传媒

FLEET AIR ARM, MALTA 1943, SQUADRON 828
Sub Lt. W.A.Forster
In 1943, I was posted to an operational unit 828 Squadron, Halfar,Malta, as an Observer-Airgunner. S/Lt. Ted Grindrod, my pilot, trained together at Machrihanish and remained together for our entire 9 month period in Malta. We had trained in Swordfish and Albacore aircraft, and the Albacore became our operational aircraft.

I felt quite nervous on my first operational flight, but was reassured 鈥渋n vision鈥� by my little dead sister Jean. Our main object was to attack German and Italian shipping the 鈥淢ed鈥� and particularly those involved in carrying supplies to the German troops in North Africa. We also carried out mine-laying operations in the main Sicilian ports. We were a small Squadron and sadly, we experienced frequent losses of aircraft and crews. During this period, the King George VI visited the island, and came personally to congratulate the achievements of our Squadron. A great moment of pride for us.

There are many incidents still embedded in my mind, and you will understand why when I recount events of our mine-laying sortie to Catania and Messina. Mission completed, we were returning down the coast of Sicily when night fighters attacked us. We were fired on from ahead and astern and two flash explosives were dropped on top of us. Our defence was to fly as low as possible just a few feet above the water. We were chased for ninety miles by the fighters using seachlights and R.D.F. equipment. Sadly, I saw my friend S/Lt.Chapman shot down in flames, and then the aircraft on our port wing was shot down into the sea. I forgot the names of the two crew members, but the wonderful end to the story is 鈥� that two years later, when the war was over, I was opening the door to go into the Mess at RNAS Arbroath, when I came face to face with them. Can you imagine my feelings 鈥� and theirs too? They told me they had managed to get into their dinghy and were eventually picked up and taken into captivity at Catania. Ted and I managed to get away still flying very low over the water. Unfortunately, we had lost our true position, and Malta being a small island was going to be difficult to find. I estimated and calculated a course for Ted to steer, and after a couple of hours, realised we had missed the island. Ted informed me we had only one hour鈥檚 fuel left. Was this to be the end? This was certainly possible, so I decided to break 鈥淲/T Silence鈥� and send out an S.O.S. and request a course to steer to Malta. The response came quickly but amidst a lot a radio interference. I only hoped I had read it correctly, and for the next hour, I wondered. We made it of course, however, the end of the story still shakes me 鈥� we taxied down the runway at Halfar 鈥� and ran out of fuel! However, we were the lucky ones, the only survivors of the operation.

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