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Re: Whats the story concerning this 412 Sqn Spitfire
Hello,
Re: Spitfire Vb EN784.
About a month after assuming command of the Falcons (No.412 Sqn RCAF), J/5022 W/C George Clinton KEEFER RCAF, lived through an experience he still clearly remembers. It occurred during a sweep in the late afternoon of July 27 (1943). He was flying Spit V, EN784, that day when his engine packed up 15 miles inside France. A few minutes later, his position was four miles northwest of Cayeux, right over the Channel. At 1,000 feet he baled out. The time was 1800 hours. Keefer landed safely in the water, got his dinghy inflated, and began paddling towards the English Coast, while the other Spits returned to base. On their return a rescue mission was mounted, but bad weather forced the return of many of the rescue aircraft. He paddled for six hours. He was finally picked up safely at 2345 hours by a Walrus* of the Air-Sea Rescue Service. That had been Keefer's 28th operational sortie on the Channel.
See:
Canadian Wing Commanders of Fighter Command in World War II.
Brown,George & Michael Lavigne.
Langley:Battleline Books,1984.
p.174
* For more on the rescue, see:
Another Kind of Courage:Stories of the UK-based Walrus Air-Sea rescue Squadrons.
Franks,Norman.
Sparkford:P.S.L.,1994
pp.125-7 & 213.
Col.
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