228 Sqn 28 April 1945

[Chris Goss]

On the above date a Sunderland captained by Flt Lt Ben Chapman was shot down attacking a U-boat. I am in touch with one of the survivors and before I start researching, can anyone tell me more as to what happened?

[dp_burke]

Have you looked at the ORB on TNA?

Any RCAF or RAAF onboard who died?

I'm on mobile at a bus stop so cannot easily check.

[Chris Goss]

I will be looking at the ORB in due course. I am wondering who or what they attacked but have asked that of uboat.net

[dp_burke]

http://discovery.nationalarchives.go...ils/r/D8395376

[Chris Goss]

Thanks Dennis but I am aware of this

[dp_burke]

Good idea to lay out what you know in posts. Could have enjoyed my bus journey more.

[Chris Goss]

Time passes quicker when you are busy! By now I hope you will be home.

I should add that apparently the ORB doesn't reflect the correct crew-6 were apparently killed and 6 rescued-there were others 'along for the ride'. Chronik des Seekieges has nothing. The chap I am in touch with says one minute they were descending to attack, the next the tail came off. Captain was catapulted through the windscreen and unusually, his body recovered later and returned to be buried in Leeds

[Martin Gleeson]

Chris,

Sunderland RN283, date was 27 April 1945. Apparently one or more of its own depth charges exploded prematurely during an attack on a U-boat off the Cornish coast.

More in 'FOR YOUR TOMORROW', Vol. 2 by Errol Martyn, page 345.

Regards,

Martin.

[Col Bruggy]

Hello,

Incidental piece of information I have in my files:

On 27th April (1945), AUS427642 F/Lt (Pilot) Don GOODE RAAF and crew, in No.461 Sqn RAAF Sunderland V NJ264:UT-G, were involved in an air-sea rescue. After altering course to avoid a large cumulo-nimbus cloud they saw a Sunderland crash into the sea. The aircraft quickly sank, leaving seven survivors in a dinghy, to which Goode directed a nearby escort group. The aircraft was from No.228 Squadron, a sister squadron at Pembroke Dock.

See:
The Anzac Squadron A History of No.461 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force 1942 - 1945.
Ashworth,Norman (Air Comm., RAAF [Ret.]).
Carlisle(W.A.):Hesperian Press,1994.
p.228.

See also:

No.461 Sqn RAAF ORB. NAA: A9186, 148.
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/Sear...aspx?B=1359213 - pp.914-5 of 946.

Col.

[Chris Goss]

Thanks all. Still trying to find what they were attacking. Chapman's date of death is recorded as 28 April so perhap he was alive when picked up