F/Sgt Charles McCormac's rescue by RAAF Catalina 16/9/42
 

Hi guys

Charles McCormac described his incredible adventures following his escape from Singapore in his book "You'll Die in Singapore".

After six months on the run, he and a companion were plucked from the coast of Sumatra by an RAAF Catalina and flown to Darwin, on 16 September 1942.
I understand that the Catalina was on a supply delivery run.

Do we know that name of the Catalina pilot?

How often were such missions flown to Sumatra (and Java?)

Cheers
Brian

Re: F/Sgt Charles McCormac's rescue by RAAF Catalina 16/9/42
 

Brian,


The RAAF had two Catalina squadrons at that time: No. 11 and No. 20.
Perhaps their 09/42 ORBs can shed some light.



Is the type of the escape plane mentioned in the book or just "seaplane"?


Regards,


Leendert

Re: F/Sgt Charles McCormac's rescue by RAAF Catalina 16/9/42
 

It seems to me that 11 and 20 Sqn were busy at the time in New Guinea/Solomon area. A quick check of their ORB (available online) show no activity in NEI area for both units (but I may have missed a detachment not located chronogically in the ORB file).

Two other possibilities:
1) a RAF Catalina coming from Ceylon/India ?
2) an ex Dutch aircraft flying with Australian or Dutch/Australian crew from Australia.

Re: F/Sgt Charles McCormac's rescue by RAAF Catalina 16/9/42
 

Hi Leendert and Laurent

Thanks for your comments.

In his book, McCormac mentions only been picked up by a seaplane on a re-supplying mission, and that at least one Australian was on board. Not very helpful nor informative. I may have boobed in stating RAAF Catalina! An assumption!

Leendert: I sent you a PM some time ago.

Cheers
Brian

Re: F/Sgt Charles McCormac's rescue by RAAF Catalina 16/9/42
 

Brian,


A totally different direction: one of the Qantas Empire Airways Short seaplanes?
They did the Tjilaptjap (now Cilacap) to Broome run in Feb 1942, but I have no idea if they were still used for Java flights in Sept 1942...


Regards,


Leendert

Re: F/Sgt Charles McCormac's rescue by RAAF Catalina 16/9/42
 

Unlikely to have been a QEA flying-boat, as the Short C/G Class were "borrowed" by the RAAF (33 Sqn) at this stage, and this quick summary from ADF-Serials does not indicate any rescued personnel.
http://www.adf-serials.com.au/resear...lyingboats.pdf

The supply flights from Ceylon to Australia (otherwise named the Flights of the Double Sunrise) would have been carrying urgent passengers/mail/etc and flying at extreme range. Would a captain have endangered his aircraft and crew/pax/cargo for an open sea rescue landing? I think (but my opinion only) unlikely.

No mention of open sea rescues in No11 or No20 Sqn RAAF ORBs (freely available as electronic files on the National Archives Australia website) for August-October 1942. No mention of any USN PatWing 10 involvement in the books I have to hand - but they may have been busy a bit further to the East over Guadalcanal.

One other possibility is RAAF-operated ex-Dutch Do24 flying boats, used as transports.

Trying to be helpful, but probably failing utterly,
...geoff

Re: F/Sgt Charles McCormac's rescue by RAAF Catalina 16/9/42
 

No41 Sqn RAAF was operating the two Short S23 and the three Dornier Do24s - well, technically on their books. The Dorniers were undergoing extensive servicing, modification and refurbishment in late 1942, and not available until late 1943 as transports. 41 Sqns ORB is digitally available on the National Archives Australia website.

Again, there is no mention of any sea rescues in Aug, Sep or Oct 1942 - although sufficient detail is given to recovery of bodies from a crashed Beaufort in Oct 1942.

No9 Sqn RAAF is the only other flying boat squadron available in 1942, but flying A2s (i.e. RAAF designation for Seagull V/Walrus amphibians). No mention of any cargo/supply runs into the Sumatra area for this squadron - only target towing and local supply runs.

...geoff

Re: F/Sgt Charles McCormac's rescue by RAAF Catalina 16/9/42
 

There is an acount of McCormac's escape here, see "The Longest Escape".

https://books.google.com/books?id=Gs...aplane&f=false

I don't know how close this account follows his book, it may be taken directly from it.
Even with one page missing from this "preview", this account does say a "Catalina".

Re: F/Sgt Charles McCormac's rescue by RAAF Catalina 16/9/42
 

Another snippet of information, from the book "Challenging Horizons: QANTAS 1939-54", on pages 105-106; linked below, and screen-capture of pages attached.

https://books.google.com.au/books?id...page&q&f=false

Appears that No321 Squadron RAF (actually a Dutch operated squadron) was flying Catalinas from Ceylon to Perth on a semi-regular basis in late (November) 1942. Perhaps this is the squadron in question that did the rescue off Sumatra/Java on a regular patrol but diverted to Broome or Darwin after the rescue?

...geoff

Re: F/Sgt Charles McCormac's rescue by RAAF Catalina 16/9/42
 

Hi guys

Thanks for your respective contributions.

Just to add to the mystery - I've located a copy of the original hard-back version of 'You'll Die in Singapore' -

Page 204:

Two bright, staring eyes approached rapidly, then flicked off as the dark bulk of the SUNDERLAND drew near us, the white curl of sea writhing away from its hull ... There was a chink of metal from the side of the aircraft, a door opened and a man in khaki shorts leaned out. An Australian voice cut across the velvety waters ... Are you the two fellows we're taking back? He asked.

So, it wasn't a Catalina after all (McCormac would have obviously known the type) and unlikely to have been a Do24.

Over to the experts, once again.

Cheers
Brian

Re: F/Sgt Charles McCormac's rescue by RAAF Catalina 16/9/42
 

Brian,

Have you tried asking the question on the "Flying Boat Forum" (www.seawings.co.uk)?

At night, it could have been mistaken for an RAF Sunderland or a BOAC C-Class/G-Class. The only wartime RAAF Sunderland squadrons in 1942 were No.10/461 and both based in UK. So if the Sunderland reference is correct, the RAF or BOAC boat or RAAF/QEA boat not listed in previously mentioned ORBs.

...geoff

Re: F/Sgt Charles McCormac's rescue by RAAF Catalina 16/9/42
 

The only active RAAF Sunderland 'lookalikes' in the broad area and at that time seem to have been A18-13 'Coolangatta' with 11 Squadron and A18-14 'Clifton' with 33 Squadron.


Regards,


Leendert

Re: F/Sgt Charles McCormac's rescue by RAAF Catalina 16/9/42
 

Hi guys

I'm still researching McCormac's rescue etc, but on re-reading his book I have come across another interesting entry.

While in a small boat drifting off the Malayan coast a few days after the escape from Singapore (with 7 others - do we know a date? Probably circa April), the boat was strafed by two 'Zeros', and three occupants were killed/drowned.

The four survivors continued drifting for a couple of days or so, when suddenly a Dutch Do.24 alighted and picked the up. They were informed that the Do24 was on a special mission to Medan, where a number of VIPs were to be picked up, and the four escapees were deposited. McCormac recorded that about 60 people were ferried from the beach to the flying boat. Can we determine the date of this incident? Presumably the Do.24 came from Australia. Might it have been X-24/A-6?

The mystery deepens!

Cheers
Brian

Re: F/Sgt Charles McCormac's rescue by RAAF Catalina 16/9/42
 

Just a few snippets to map out Do-24 X-24's timeline.


A couple of extracts from Tom Womack's book: "The Dutch Naval Air Force Against Japan", indicating X-24s departure from NEI and arrival in Australia.


The front sheet of the RAAF Aircraft Card for Do24 A49-6 (ex-X-24) indicating the initial transfer to the RAAF, and the subsequent secondment to the Dutch Government for secret flights.


...geoff

Re: F/Sgt Charles McCormac's rescue by RAAF Catalina 16/9/42
 

There is a little more on X-24's secret missions in the Osprey Combat Aircraft volume-110.

- 1st mission - June 1942.

- 2nd mission - July 1942.

- Engine problems affect a number of missions.

- Next mission mentioned - 2 March 1943 (force landed prior to leaving Australia).
- April 1943; X-24 replaced by Dutch PBY (Y-45).


...geoff

Re: F/Sgt Charles McCormac's rescue by RAAF Catalina 16/9/42
 

Great stuff, Geoff

Another re-read of the book now allows some sort of dating:

McCormac captured on 15 February. He implies the escape from Singapore occurred some six weeks later, so about end of March. Therefore, it has to be assumed that the Do24 flight to Medan was made about then. I note that Medan fell to the Japanese towards the end of March - so all events seem feasible!

However, the mysteries remain.

Geoff, sorry to have been out of touch.

Cheers
Brian

Re: F/Sgt Charles McCormac's rescue by RAAF Catalina 16/9/42
 

A few more snippets from Osprey CA-110 on the Dutch and RAAF use of Do24 in Mar/Apr 1942.


Looking at a map, Medan in near the northern tip of Sumatra. Looks a lot closer to Ceylon/Sri Lanka than to Darwin or Port Moresby. It may have been more likely a high wing Dutch PBY evacuated to Ceylon, rather than an Australian based Do24. There's no mention of the name Medan in reference to the Do24 flights in the Osprey volume or in the "Dutch Naval Air Forces....." book with respect to Do24 or PBY evacuation operations.



No worries of being out of touch, Brian. I expect you've been busy preparing more books that I'll want to buy in future. :D

...geoff