FAA aircraft in the 16 Coastal Command Group.

[sergey]

Colleagues, I found the following entry in the Admiralty War Diaries for March 14, 1941:
14.3 F.A.A. torpedo aircraft of the Coastal Command last night carried out offensive patrols from Lister to Horns Reef, in the Heligoland Bight,and from Zeebrugge to the Texel. A 3000 ton merchant ship was torpedoed and sunk at 2315 15 mileg north of Borkum. https://sccd.royalnavy.mod.uk/-/medi...746101b1eeacc3
German documents indicate that at 11:45 PM, the Finnish ship Virma (3,232 GRT), which was part of a convoy, was attacked from the air and sunk.
Mystery. Which FAA squadrons were under the control of 16 Group at that time, and which aircraft sank this ship? Unfortunately, there is no information on this in the Kew Archives. I would be grateful for any assistance.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Hi Sergey

Our friend Geoffrey Sinclair has the following for you

AIR 15/758 Coastal Command Monthly reports, unfortunately the file is not in order, the following is probably from the March 1941 report,
"I have also had the assistance of the following Fleet Air Arm Units. Detachments from No's 700 and 701 (Walrus) Squadrons, working from Sullom Voe and Nos. 827 and 828 (Albacore) Squadrons, working from Stornoway and Hatston respectively. In addition to the above, one flight of 816 (Swordfish) Squadron has been stationed at Detling for spotting duties with H.M.S. Erebus."

[Chris Goss]

HQ Coastal Command Intelligence Summary usually included FAA reports for those attached units

[sergey]

The airfields of 827 and 828 Squadrons were located in northern Scotland, very far from the attack site. As for 816 Squadron, I don't know whether the Swordfish had sufficient operational range to conduct armed searches in the area. In any case, there is no other information about FAA aircraft operations in the North Sea on the night of March 13/14, 1941.

[sergey]

There is an error in the Admiralty War Diaries. A torpedo attack on a convoy of 5 2/3,000-ton vessels north of Borkum was carried out by Beaufort U/22 (Flight Officer Campbell), which hit the 3,000-ton vessel in the starboard quarter and observed her sinking stern-first. The aircraft took off from North Coates at 20:17 on 13 March and landed at 01:26 on 14 March.