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Each convoy would take about a week, so when the fine weather arrived in 1944 we finally began training to fly and land aircraft instead of lashing them to the deck to withstand the gales and storms of the North Atlantic. This training took place between the mouth of the River Clyde in Scotland and just off Belfast, Northern Ireland. A small number of landings either crashed into the bridge or had to be pushed over the side into the sea as they were so badly damaged as to be declared beyond repair. All the pilots were saved. One sailor lost his footing and was blown over the stern by the slip stream (created by the propellers) from the aircraft's engine. He was picked up immediately by the launch (a small boat) emplyed specifically to recue pilots who might land in the sea.

'This story was submitted to the People's War site by Gareth Watts of the CSV Action Desk, Leicester, on behalf of Teddy Briggs and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.'

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