Brian Bastable, 210th Squadron RAF at May 18th 1944

[Col Bruggy]

Hello,

18 Group, Coastal Command.
18 May 1944
U 241, a type VIIC submarine, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Arno Werr, sunk.

Catalina 'S" (JX243), 210 Squadron, on patrol 0643-1155 hrs.

At 0940 hours in position 6333/0146, sighted from 200 feet, five to eight miles, a fully surfaced U-boat and attacked. Achieved a good straddle with six D/Cs, the centre of the stick going right across the boats mid-ships. Afterwards a large oil patch could be seen, 200 by 50 yards. In the exchange of gunfire during the run in, the front gunner of the Catalina hit the C/T with a good burst of fire, the pilot seeing one seaman fall into the water. The port blister gunner too joined in, firing 100 rounds of .5 ammunition. As the aircraft began to circle, the U-boat began to sink stern first at an angle of some 30 degrees and many survivors could be seen in the water. The Catalina had some slight damage to the tailplane.
U-241 had moved from Kiel to Kristiansund in April and was in Bergen by 3 May, starting its first patrol on the 13th. It went down north-west of Stadtlandet, Norway. Flying Officer Bastable and Warrant Officer Henderson*, who had manned the front gun, both received immediate DFCs.

FO B Bastable - Pilot
FS C L Sheppard - 2nd Pilot
FO R T Martin - Nav
FS D McAdam - Eng
WO R Henderson - 3rd WOP/AG*
FS F Chadbourne - WOM/AG
FS J B Underwood - 1st WOP/AG
FS W Stuart - FME/AG
WO D L Snedden - 2nd WOP/AG
FS T E Southern - FMA/AG

* AUS409700 W/O (later F/O) Raymond John HENDERSON RAAF
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/...upplement/3187

See:
Search, Find and Kill: The RAF's U-Boat successes in World War Two.
Franks,Norman.
London:Grub Street,1995.
p.51.

Col.