Mosquito Squadron by Robert Jackson

Author:Robert Jackson [Jackson, Robert]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: Endeavour Press
Published: 2015-11-02T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

Flight lieutenant Freddie Barnes adjusted his glasses and settled down to re-read the last few pages of the Squadron Diary, the day-to-day life of RAF Burningham chronicled in his own neat copperplate handwriting. The entry for 18 August, the day after the Regensburg and Schweinfurt disasters, gave him immense satisfaction. The entry began, in capital letters:

‘GOOD NEWS! Flight Lieutenant Sloane and his navigator, Pilot Officer Wedge wood, are safe, having been brought in by Air-Sea Rescue after an uncomfortable day and night in their dinghy. It seems that as Sloane was crossing the Dutch coast on his way home something, presumably flak, hit his aircraft in the port engine. No gun flashes were seen, and it would appear that this was one lucky burst. A small fire broke out and was soon extinguished, but then the oil pressure in the starboard engine began to rise and there was a considerable loss of airspeed.

‘After about five minutes on 272 degrees magnetic at sea level, however, the starboard engine became considerably steadier and the Mosquito, which had so far persistently refused to climb above four hundred feet, now began to gain altitude at a steady 150 knots Indicated Air Speed until it reached 5,000 feet some thirty miles off the Dutch coast. Sloane then contacted Burningham Control, saying that he was in distress and would probably have to ditch. Soon afterwards, oil began to pour from the starboard engine, accompanied by rough running.

‘Sloane decided to try and get as close to the English coast as possible, but after five more minutes the starboard engine packed in altogether. He followed the recommended ditching drill, jettisoning the roof panel and lowering flaps 25 degrees. The Mosquito touched down at about 80 knots, the rear fuselage underside striking the water first. The landing was trouble-free and the aircraft subsequently remained afloat for approximately fifteen seconds. The navigator made his exit first and Sloane made to follow, but he had some difficulty in unfastening his harness and the cockpit was underwater by the time he succeeded. Holding his breath, he pushed himself clear of the roof hatch with both hands and, since he was not a strong swimmer, immediately inflated his Mae West. Pilot Officer Wedgewood had already inflated the L-type dinghy and both men climbed into it after expending a fair amount of energy, for a considerable swell was running.’

The two men had seen several aircraft in the course of the day, but although they had tried to attract their attention, none had come near. It was not until the following morning that they had been picked up by a Westland Walrus amphibian of the Air-Sea Rescue Service, whose crew, out searching for survivors of a downed Lancaster, had come upon them purely by chance.

During the night, Sloane and Wedgewood, both wet and miserably seasick, had heard what sounded like hundreds of heavy bombers passing overhead in the darkness, returning a few hours later. The following morning, they learned that six hundred aircraft of

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