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Coastal Command - the forgotten ones

D

Dyan

master brummie
Hi

Just would like to say that Coastal Command is one of the forgotten arms of the RAF in War Time, perhaps because of my family connection I am more aware of it than most. My cousin a Erdingtonian was a pilot on the Sunderland Flying boats he was stationed at Pembroke Dock. He is buried in Erdington Abbey

These "boats" as they called them, spent up to 16 hours in the air at a time searching for U boats and sinking them and protecting the convoys from North America, the Canadians went so far and Coastal Command took over after that. They not only protected our shipping but they also rescued downed airmen putting their own lives at risk on occassions.

If you are interested I have done a memorial website to my cousin Maurice Vincent Wareing and the crew of DW110 (the aircraft call sign) it is www.freewebs.com/dw110 we are still trying to trace some of the other crew members families. You will see at the end a poem I wrote for a TV programme which was filmed in Ireland at the site of his crash, it is called "Why does my Nana Cry" you will also see parts of the "boat" still scattered on the Mountainside 66 years later. I have two bits and a bullet in a case on my desk along with a this picture of the crew Vince is backrow right with the hat - he was only 5ft 6" so he always wore his hat to make him look taller. .View attachment 43631the guy on the left back is a US reporter who went on a mission with them after Howard Armstrong (next to him) and this crew did a very daring rescue of a downed crew for which Armstrong got the DFC (see website for full story) this was taken about a month before they crashed. 5 were killed one died later the last survivor Jim Gilchrist ironically died in 2007 on 31st January which was the same day as the crash in 1944.

Dyan

Lest we forget.
 
Dyan,
This is a Brearley St.lad who was Air Sea Rescue R.A.F.part of the same team I would think.
We shall never know how many lives he helped to save.
 
Hi Ray

Do you know his name if so I can find out what happend to him, Coastal Command was a very small group and I have through my research got quite a few contacts. My Dad tried for 40 years to get an answer towhat happened to Vince who was like the brother he never had and they shared the same name Maurice, once I started on it I found out in three months all the details some not so nice about where how and why. Perhaps I am a little one eyed and I know that Fighter and Bomber Command did a great deal but I feel that Coastal Command never gets its due. If you watch the SKyTV HIstory Channel here all you get is Fighter and Bomber Command.

Interesting enough 228 Sqd is now Search and Rescue and I think (could be wrong usually am) that this is the Squadron that Prince WIlliam is going to join.

Dyan
 
Hello Dyan,
His name was Henry Robinson,he came from Brearley St.Aston,Birmingham 6.Of his service record I don't know anything,the last time I saw him he was an old man.
Like so many of his generation,his war service was a closed book,not to be spoken of.However I would like to know anything you can find out,thanks.
 
Hi Ray

I have set the wheels in motion about him with various sources. As its now nearly midnight here in NZ I am off to bed will let you know anything I find out asap.

Keep warm from a very balmy South Pacific..........

Dyan
 
Hi Dyan.
What an interesting website you have produced I certainly enjoyed reading through it. You are right that Coastal Command are the forgotten ones. I have recently spent a long time researching the Fleet Air Arms involvement within Coastal Command and discovered that the FAA provided 26 squadrons within 15,16,18 & 19 group Coastal Command during WW2 so I guess that refering to it as RAF is technically wrong but they all did an excellent job with roles as diverse as convoy protection, anti shipping, submarine spotting, troop ship support etc etc. A fine bunch to say the least.
Incidently, did you know that RAF Pembroke Dock started its life as a Royal Naval Air Base for the use of seaplanes and airships. It was handed over to the RAF soon after its inception in 1918.
CHOCKS:)
 
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Dyan I have a photo of Maurice Vincent Wareing Grave Stone, myself a Volunteer with the War Graves Photographic Project in my area, which covered Erdington Abbey, If you would like a copy of my Photo just ask Dave
 
Hi Dave

Yes that would be lovely I only have the one that "Fr Gabby from the Abbey" sent me which is on the website he has 2 of his brothers also buried with him.

Until I left UK I would weekly place flowers on his grave and I have a person now who maintains not only his grave but others of my family as well and puts flowers or wreaths on at appropriate times like anniversaries or birthdays.

I have been in touch with the CWG people and I believe that they are going to renew the headstone as its weathering quite badly and add a bit more detail to it that I gave them, age squadron etc. His wife and daughter "disappeared" not long after his death and as they were classed as next of kin the information was not given to CWG. Vinces wife and duaghter are now no longer with us and his Grandchildren and Gt Grandchildren have no interest in him - in fact they did not know he existed and prefer to think of their step grandfather as their real one - what a shame.

Incidently it cost his parents 100 pounds to have him brought home and buried (I have the account from Hazels) - but they were not allowed to open the coffin due to the state of the body after the fire - my father who was in the RAMC maintained till his dying day that there were only brinks or sandbags in the coffin - I prefer not to dwell on it.

Thank you very much for your help.
Dyan
 
Thanks for the link to Jims talk on Irish radio I actually have the audio version, as well as a copy of two TV programmes made and a book as well as other books which detail the crash........Jim was a great guy but there were others on that night who also did heroic things like "Tubby" Richardson and Jim Gowans but did not get the acclamation that they should have "Tubby" went on to fly 14 missions with the Berlin Airlift and was awarded the DFC etc and became a Squadron leader and he was I believe a lovely man.
 
I have the history of Pembroke Dock and I am in touch with the guys there who are raising the "sister boat" to DW110 she sank after an explosion on board. There is a very interesting Utube video of her dont have the link at present but its interesting have watched it a couple of times. We have here in MOTAT (Museum of Transport and Technology) a Sunderland MK3 which was decommissioned from the RAF and sent out here to be the start of our TEAL flying boats bewteen here and Australia, she again is being restored and when I get the chance I always pop in and see how they are going but its a long way for us from where I live but none the less I keep in touch, my way of keeping a link with my darling hoon of a cousin I suppose. Here is a view from the cockpit of a Sunderland, the galley (yes they had a kitchen and a loo!!) the midship gunner (one each side) and a painting of the boys being ferried ashore from the boat to Pembroke Dock. Plus the front section of a Sunderland - this one was in Malaysia though.
View attachment 43666View attachment 43667View attachment 43668View attachment 43669View attachment 43670
pencil.png
 
Thanks Dave

That is one of the few I have not seen before will put it on the website even though its Post War The QM was obviously not in her "Hospital" ship livery which makes me think this was after WW2.

I think and I will have to check my records - that the Sunderland shown is the one now in the RAF Museum I am pretty sure its reg number is the same, however it is a the next model up from the one my cousin was killed in slight modifications were done to the floats and also to the airframe, you can see quiet clearly on that video the "hatches" where the side gunners opened them out and poked their guns out or ran the depth charges out on the runners under the wings, it was quite interesting how they got the DC's up from the belly of the aircraft to the wings with a series of pulleys and levers - however this was to be the down fall of many a Sunderland as on take off or landing if the "gardening" as they called the sub hunt has not emptied the DC's they could in some circumstances go off....one of the survivors of DW110 was killed in
the December of the same year when a DC went "AWOL" while on the way to the gantry. The Sunderland which is being lifted from the sea bed at PD is also a casualty of the DC's going off.

Thanks for that info Dave most appreciated.

Dyan
 
Thanks everyone for a very interesting thread. I visited the old ramps and hangars at Pembroke Dock a few years ago but cannot locate my photos.The old Navy area was virtually derelict waiting for redevelopment. I have no idea what remains now.
A little further along the coast is the village of Angle.The local pub had photographs of the recovery of a Sunderland which crash landed in a nearby field.The roads are narrow now so it's easy to imagine the problems they had.
 
My father was a Navigator in a Short Sunderland during the war. He only spoke of it in the two years before he died recently at the age of 92. On one mission his aircraft was attacked by German Junkers and badly damaged. He was burnt by melting rubber from burning cables and only then did I see why he had pale patches on his hands and arms. Only finding his medals in a cupboard recently did I find he was decorated for bravery for helping bring the aircraft home - the pilot and several other crew dead and only an injured co-pilot to fly itmy dad - on the right.jpg. Coastal Command have never been recognised for their role in the war.
 
Welcome to the Forum, longwayhome.

In his memory, why not post in this Forum the name of you father and the award he received? I'm sure it would be of interest to members.

Have you researched the incident in any detail?

Chris
 
I was also on Coastal Command on 205/209 Sqdn based at RAF Seletar, Singapore in early 50's, they were Sunderlands too, mainly air/sea rescue. Eric
 
There is a section at the National Memorial Arboretum for Coastal Command, attached few pics of the benches.
 

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I was Stationed at RAF Wig Bay, Stranraer, (1949 --1950) which was a Coastal Command M.U. it was here that many of the Sunderlands had their final resting place before being scrapped. There were dozens of them "Beached" together with a few "Catalinas" at a site which was called "Scar Point" . Some aircraft still came in for service, it was a wonderful sight
to see them taking of and landing. I was fortunate enough to have a few "Gash Bod" trips, two or three times over to "Shorts" Belfast and once down to Calshot . ( By the way Eric I still wave to your "Lancaster" when it flies over on a regular basis)

Regards Reg

Regards Reg
 
My father was a F/Sgt in Coastal Command he was based in Lossiemouth in Scotland in WW2 he was born in B'ham son of a Police Ins in B'ham.My father was born in B'ham his name was Jack Allen....................Regards Joe 90
 
Roverman, , I was on Coastal Command on Sunderland's, 205/209 Squadron, RAF Seletar, Singapore way back in 1954 as a wireless operator, wonderful a/c (although still preferred my time with 82 Squadron Lancaster's in '49/'51 !!), I think they were about to be replaced by something more modern when I returned to the UK June '55. My flying days were then over due to failing annual medical (weak right eye), so left the RAF the following year June '56 after 8 happy years. Eric
 
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