During the morning members attended a short service commemorating D-Day at the Sunderland Trust Dockyard Chapel Heritage Centre in Pembroke Dock. This was followed by an invitation from Alistair and Marion Walker, owners of ex-RAF Seaplane Tender (ST441), to members to take take a short trip in the launch in Milford Haven. This was much appreciated and enjoyed by all.

More images of this magnificent vessel can be seen on the 2014 Reunion page.

Derek’s early training was on the rather older Scapas and Singapores however he graduated from the Flying Boat Training Squadron at Calshot and set off for Oban to begin his operational acquaintance with the Sunderland.


Derek quickly got to grips with the task of protecting the vital Atlantic convoys. Although enemy air activity was light the weather and the difficult task of locating submarines provided sufficient challenge. Derek rapidly gained promotion to be a crew captain at the ripe old age of 20! The long hours and testing Scottish weather proved near fatal on 2 occasions. On the first, when still a co-pilot, he was involved in an accident where the aircraft over ran the landing area and beached at speed into Lismore Island. Derek’s injuries were slight and he was soon back in the air. In the next incident Derek was by now a captain, returning from a long sortie, one of two very close together, on recovering to Oban in marginal weather Derek impacted the sea and the aircraft was destroyed. Derek was very badly injured, on admission to the local hospital in Oban he was set aside as it was felt that he was beyond help. Derek wasn’t ready to go! His injuries were horrendous including an eye that had left it’s socket and his scalp being held in by an inch of skin. The staff at Oban did a wonderful job and as soon as he was strong enough he was transferred to the care of Dr Archibald McIndoe(later knighted for his work) at East Grinstead.

Derek recovered and with a “rebuilt” face returned to flying but not before becoming a founder member of the Guinea Pig Club, or as he insisted the only web footed member of the club. He was also the last surviving founder member of the club. Back to his beloved Sunderland and to begin a long connection with Pembroke Dock, the largest Flying Boat Base in the world. Derek flew with three units at PD and later commanded a Training Unit at PD.
In 1944 he was posted to the Far East as CoS to the largest joint-service operation in SE Asia charged with the task of occupying the Cocos Islands prior to the invasion of Singapore. The Japanese capitulated in 1945 and Derek was moved to Singapore as Staff Officer Maritime Operations.

After the war Derek converted on to jets and Commanded an Auxiliary unit flying Metors at RAF Wymeswold– Kipper fleet to fighter pilot, quite a jump! Eventually he had to hang up his flying boots and qualified as electronics specialist becoming a key member of staff at Signals Command during the cold war.

Following retirement Derek maintained his interest in the Guinea Pig Club travelling the world to meet surviving member. He was a stalwart supporter and President of the Sunderland Trust and became a co-founder of the RAF Gliding Club. In his twilight years he married Betty and together they travelled the world and thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company.

Following a fall, Derek was admitted to hospital and on the 4th of April he quietly passed away. He will be greatly missed by an adoring family and a huge following of friends and colleagues. The CCMAA has lost an enthusiastic and greatly respected member who achieved so much within our Maritime Community.,
 

CCMAA - Battle of Atlantic 70th Anniversary

Virgin Trains supported the Association by providing fifty first class tickets for members to travel to and from Liverpool; a gesture very much appreciated by all.

The Association was also well-represented at the recent Commemoration Service in London at St Paul’s Cathedral on 8 May 2013, and the unveiling of a memorial slate tablet in Pembroke Dock, South Wales on 12 May 2013; this was the world’s largest flying boat base in 1943. On Sunday 19 May 2013 a further commemoration was held at a church service in the Coastal Command Church at RAF St Eval in Cornwall.

The evening of 9 May 2013, alongside vintage aircraft from the Fleet Air Arm, saw a Catalina flying boat over the skies of London; the Association having raised the funds through its membership to ensure the Royal Air Force were appropriately remembered.

It should not be forgotten that shore-based aircraft of RAF Coastal Command made a significant contribution to the destruction of enemy U-boats during the Battle of the Atlantic. RAF Coastal Command were responsible for sinking or disabling some 292 submarines during the course of the battle. Almost one in every two U-boats sunk or put out of action resulted from detections and attacks from RAF shore-based maritime patrol aircraft.

A total of 10,500 RAF Coastal Command aircrew lost their lives during the course of the last war.

John Cairns, Chairman with veteran Flt Lt Jim Glazebrook DFC, taken in Liverpool on  25th May 2013. Jim Glazebrook DFC  is 93 and served on 206 Squadron as a Liberator/Fortress  pilot during WWII.

 

"I have contacted below by David Green - a former Commanding Officer of No. 42 Sqn.  We are always pleased to recieve donations.   As you will know, our appeal for the pinnacles for St Eval Church was very successful (with generous support from CCMAA) and the project completed some years ago.

Is it possible to update the website to this effect but say also that donations are still welcome.

We are very aware that St Eval and its Coastal connections are very dear to many and that without such donations the fabric of the building and its memorabilia would prove more difficult to maintain."

News from Evelyn Hendrie, and Pen and Sword Books, Andrew Hendrie title to be re-released.

RAF Kinloss, No 42 (R) Sqn, No 120 Sqn and No 201 Sqn, Forres Parade

The Town of Forres turned out along with most of the local junior school children with their teachers and staff.

In true Moray style it rained for part of the parade, and the flypast of Lossiemouth based GR4's was cancelled due to the Icelandic Volcanic dust cloud.  

Changed Your E-Mail Address Recently?

Have you let the membership Secretary know about it?   It is not to late....

Shackleton WR963 at Coventry  UPDATE

Important if you link to this site.  

Failure to do so will result in broken links after the move or introduce the need for constant updating.

Museum to be dedicated to Coastal Command.

"Having received so many complaints regarding the apparent disinterest in things Coastal Command by the Cosford and Hendon RAF Museums, I have persuaded the new flying museum designated Airbase Coventry to host a permanent exhibit dedicated to Coastal Command.  This museum will be principally a flying museum with both the Shackleton and Nimrod present.   Both these aircraft will be fully serviceable to eventually commit to passenger taxi roles on select dates..

Airbase Coventry is a central location and will be where real maritime aircraft can be touched and inspected at close quarters.  It will be open seven days per week from the end of May 2010.Lectures and other ideas can be explored in the future.

The Shackleton Preservation Trust will include the Nimrod under its watchful eye to deter deterioration as it does with the Shackleton WR963.   The Shackleton is now in its 20^th year since retiring from active service and is now the only Shackleton which is still fully functional outside of a static museum.

WR963 is currently under thorough inspection for metal damage to engine camshafts.  This is a general problem with Griffons and even when operated in service days they should have been fitted with individual pre oiling pumps.   There were times when engines were idle for longer than the 9 days recommended between running.  After 11 years ground running every 14 days we obviously have reached the point where camshaft wear needs addressing and that generally means replacing cams and rocker assemblies.

The aircraft is now positioned ready to be repainted once again.  It will be painted the usual grey colour but there may be a case for returning the aircraft to its original white with grey topsides in the future.  We might canvas opinion on this from your members."

As we receive any information or updates from John it will be posted here.   We also have a link to his site about WR963.

www.coastalcommand206.com

Pembroke Dock.

Pictures from John Evans showing developments at the "Flying Boat Centre" at Pembroke dock.  The MAT made a donation to them a couple of years ago and it shows the money has gone to good use. More images are available on the PD Flying Boat Centre Gallery page.

The Flying Boat Centre PD

Royal Air Force personnel records are held at RAF Innsworth. If service number and details are known, please quote it in correspondence. Innsworth will only divulge information to the person to whom it refers or, if he or she has died, to his or her immediate next of kin. Anyone else must obtain written permission from the person about whom they are enquiring, or from his or her next of kin, before any information will be given to them.

Innsworth make a charge of £30.00 for any information they provide; cheques made payable to 'MOD Funds'. The only people exempt from charge are the person to whom the records refer or their widow or widower."

For further details : www.raf.mod.uk/links/contacts.cfm

This book reveals the vital contribution that RAF Coastal Command made to the Allies war effort. Although often referred to as the 'Cinderella Service' because by its nature, it did not gain the recognition it deserved and was overshadowed by Fighter and Bomber Commands and considering that it was not given priority in terms of aircraft and equipment, its wartime record was second to none. The two main roles of Coastal Command were anti-submarine work in the Atlantic and anti-shipping operations against enemy warships and merchant vessels. This work looks at every aspect of the command's work, equipment and aircraft and draws upon many first-hand accounts. Lengthy and comprehensive appendices cover Orders of Battle, Commanders, U boats sunk, ships sunk aircraft losses and casualties.

Available from www.Pen-and-Sword.co.uk

Details 
ISBN  1844153460
Author Andrew W.A. Hendrie, BA, ARHistS, ARAes, PhD
Type    Hardback
Size     246 X 172

"Not Met"

Webmaster 

RMS Queen Mary "Met" in the post war era.

Escort of Independent Merchant Vessels was a procedure during WWII, where aircraft were sometimes called upon to escort independently routed merchant vessels including "Monster Liners."

This exercise continued into the Sunderland Era. It was not unknown for an exchange officer returning to the USA or similar to be "Intercepted" on his cruise home. Have you an amusing "Met" or "Not Met" Story?

Click on the image below for information on the CCMAA Newsletter.

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