| :::: Flight - Mission Details ::::.... |
Base: Ballykelly
S/59 Time UP: 0503 hrs - Time DOWN: 2110 hrs - DURATION: 16 hrs 7 mins
Op: A/U Escort to AT146
ORB notes the following: "Homing procedure "B" was commenced at 06.31 in posn 53.55N 12.10W and 1st bearing of 090' was received at 07.26. Convoy AT146 was met at 07.49 following a radar contact. Position of meeting was 52.40N.16.29W. At 08.20 V/S from AT146 "Made contact with surfaced object, not sighted at 04.00Z. Patrol adder Please". At 1855 V/S (visual signal - flash lamp) from ship "At 17:40 we passed what appeared to be a U/B". V/S from A/C to to C/V "was U-boat on surface". Reply was "yes time was 1742A". C/V left at 1931hrs in posn 55.30N 29.18W. Course 008'/27 Knots.
Crew on this day: S/59: W.C. A.A. de Gruyther DFC (capt) - F/L R.F. Williams (sec pilot) - F/O W. Whittaker ( 1st nav) - F/L A.A. Fox (2nd nav) - F/L G.M. Goddall - F/S J. Kelly - F/O H. Humphries - W/O A.R. Playford - W/O Walker.
| :::: More U-boat Details ::::.... |
Unknown
| :::: Source - Memoires of F/L E.E. Allen DFC ::::.... |
During WWII, the RAF used three-letter codes to identify their aircraft from a distance. Two large letters were painted before the roundel, which signified the squadron to which the aircraft belonged, and another letter was painted after the roundel which indicated the individual aircraft. Aditionally, there was the individual serial number for each aircraft, which was painted in a much smaller size, usually somewhere at the rear of the aircraft: (more)
Codes used by RAF 59 Squadron:
PJ Sep 1938 - Sep 1939
TR Sep 1939 - Oct 1942
1 Aug 1943 - Jul 1944
WE Jul 1944 - Oct 1945
BY Oct 1945 - Jun 1946, Dec 1947 - Oct 1950