Allied airmen rescued by German U-boats

[Rainer]

U-238 (Kptlt Horst Hepp) rescued two airmen of a Vickers Wellington in M.Qu. CF 6544 (approx. 38°51'N, 17°26'W, about 380 nautical miles west of Lisbon, Portugal) at 2212hrs on 27 November 1943. The aircraft on anti-submarine patrol had been shot down by the nearby U-764 at 2130hrs, only two of seven crewmen survived the crash. The wireless operator convinced his captors that they had a new passive RDF to home in on the Naxos radar warning devices used by the U-boats, a made up story that eventually led to the order to switch off these devices.

1943-11-27, 172 Sqn RAF, Wellington Mk.XIV, HF153, LF-O
Shot down by U-764, loss 100%
Pilot P/O Wilkin, Thomas Brown, RAFVR 157388, +
Observer Fl/Sgt Farman, Charles Raymond, RAFVR 1337327, +
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner Sgt Semple, Thomas B., RAVRF 1212911, POW No 1480
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner Sgt Stobo, James, RAFVR 1037459, +
Air Gunner Sgt Pitman, Kenneth Douglas, RAFVR 1393911, +
Air Gunner Fl/Sgt Martin, Nicolas J., RAFVR 1035574, POW No 1479