RAF Sea Otter - 14 April 1946 - Indonesia

[Leendert]

On 14 April 1946 an RAF Sea Otter went missing on a flight from Seletar (Singapore) to Batavia (Jakarta).

Crew was spotted on Noordwachter Island (now Pulau Sebira) off the Java coast and was picked up next day by a Dutch Catalina of 321 Squadron.

A Dutch NEI newspaper of 16 Apr 1946 mentions crew names: P/O Broughton, Holden and Hall, and W/O Johnson.

Looking for serial and unit of this Sea Otter which was lost due to breaking up against sea rocks.

There was Sea Otter JM817 in the NEI Comms Flight, but not sure if this is the one involved.

Thanks for info.

Regards,

Leendert

[Graham Boak]

JM969 NEI Comms Flight. According to Air Britain's FAA Fixed Wing Aircraft since 1946.
JM817 is not listed as being still active in 1946.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Leendert

Jim Halley in Broken Wings says
14.4.46 Sea Otter ASR.1 JM766 NEI CS (Comm. Sq?) w/o 58km NNW of Batavia, Java, NEI; engine cut on ferry flight, ditched
(In his JA100-JZ999 monograph he lists the unit as a CF - Comm. Flt only)

Since this was a RAF unit, the aircraft is not tracable in the Navy books published by Air Britain.

Cheers
Stig

[Leendert]

Thanks all for pointing me to the right Sea Otter. At first an a/c of FAA 791 FRU played in my mind, but ranks of crew as presented in the newspaper were RAF no doubt.


Regards,


Leendert

[Graham Boak]

Additional data on JM969. Described as transferred to RAF 11.5.46, with NEI Comms Flight. Crashed on take-off 17.5.46 - they were having a run of incidents.