USAAF Survivors from Sinking of Italian Submarine Narvalo - 14 Jan. 1943

[BrianC]

Thanks Leendert

I hadn't thought of that - but such an officer still wouldn't hold the rank of Squadron Leader, as implied.

Perhaps Russell will respond - I believe he is a TOCH member.

Stay safe
Brian

[Leendert]

Brian, perhaps squadron leader not an official army rank, but definitively a common name for, well, an officer leading a tank squadron. Other army branches use name squadron for (sub)units as well.
See https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/i...ject/205188289

Full account of Lt. Turner's capture on 28 Dec 1942 here: http://www.warlinks.com/armour/11_hussars/11huss_42.php (just scroll down to that date).


Regards,
Leendert

[BrianC]

Hi Leendert

You could well be correct! Having perused the 11 Hussar war diary, there are several references to Sqn Ldr.

Many thanks. My enquiry closed!

Stay safe
Brian

[Mark R.]

Here is what I had found before reading this thread. There might be a mistake or two since it was a work in progress:

The officers belonging to the crew of one of the misoriented B-17 ferry aircraft that landed behind enemy lines (piloted by Lt Bedford E. Russell), along with two P-38 pilots, two B-26 pilots, a South African and two British Army officers captured in Libya were originally scheduled to be transported to Italy aboard a liner on 13 January, but they did not arrive at the Tripoli docks in time to board it. Instead, the American and British POWs were put aboard one of the Italian submarine Narvalo. It had been used to transport fuel to Rommel’s army. Due to weather conditions, the Italian submarine commander decided to sail back to Taranto with the conning tower above the surface, which resulted in a British Beaufort from 39 Squadron sighting his vessel at 1330 hours on 14 January. Four depth charges were dropped, blowing the bows of the submarine above water, where it remained stationary with a list to starboard. The RAF plane called for assistance, which appeared in the form of two Royal Navy warships escorting a convoy (ME-15) six miles away. Although the submariners had raised a white flag, HMS Pakenham and HMS Hursley sank the Narvalo with gunfire, rescued its surviving crew and seven [identified] of eleven [known] POWs from the water. Saved were Lt Bernard A. Gillespie – pilot of a B-26 from the 17th BG shot down on 31 December, B-17 co-pilot, Lt Don M. Bryan, B-17 bombardier Lt Earle Millichamp, B-17 navigator Lt Rodman D. Burley, Lt J.C. Harrison Lentz – one of two P-38 pilots, a South African topographical engineer – Captain W.G. Alexander, and a British officer; Major [unknown] Street.

Lt Bedford E. Russell of the 97th Bomb Group, co-pilot Lt Philip W. Bailey from the B-26 flown by Lt Gillespie, Lt John Benham Turner of the 11th Hussars, and Lt Richard J. Carroll from the 14th Fighter Group were either killed by gunfire from the destroyers or drowned.

SOURCES: Thomas F. Gulley, et al, The Hour Has Come: The 97th Bomb Group in World War II (Dallas: Taylor Publishing Company, 1993), pp. 62 – 63; The Victoria Advocate, “Foster Field News,” 21 Feb 43, Vol. 2, No. 8, https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=861&dat =19430221&id= ZsNHAAA AIBAJ& sjid=aIAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2411,5303805&hl=ithe Victoria Advocate - Ricerca Archivio di Google News; https:// http://www.findagrave.com/memorial/5...llip-w-bailey; John D. Mullins, An Escort of P-38s, 46; John W. Lambert, The 14th Fighter Group in World War II, 155; http:// conlapelleappesaaunchiodo. blogspot.com /2016/02/narvalo.html); Award Citation, Lt Turner, John Benham, 11th Hussars, WO 373/23/466; Ken Anderson, Nine Flames (Capetown: Purnell & Sons (S.A.) Pty. Ltd., 1964), pp. 195 – 196, Entry for 14 Jan 43, 39 Squadron Operational Record Book, AIR 27/407/48.

Note: Five Beauforts were protecting the ME - 15 convoy. Instead of being used in an anti-shipping role, the torpedo bombers were employed as anti-submarine platforms protecting convoys to Malta.

B-17 ferry aircraft misoriented and force landed"

1/3/1943 E of Gabes 97th BG B-17F-40-BO Lt Bedford E. Russell (POW) + 8 POW misoriented
97th BG History, p. 62. Three replacement aircraft being ferried to Biskra from Morocco got lost. a/c serial # 42-1542. Made a belly landing near Gabes.

1/3/1943 vic Gabes 97th BG B-17F-40-BO Lt Jesse L. Coulter (POW) + 8 POW misoriented
97th BG History, p. 67. Colter was flying a/c serial # 42-5357. He made a wheels down landing near Gabes. This is the B-17 that the 33d FG got "credit" for destroying. (see 97th BG History p. 67).

1/3/1943 Eastern Algeria (S. of El Oued) 97th BG B-17F-40-BO Lt Harry Devers + 8 bailed out and recovered misoriented
97th BG History, pp. 63 - 65. B-17F 42-5227. Crew bailed out when pilot could not find landing field. Ernie Pyle interviewed them at Biskra following their 10 January return.


NINE FLAMES: On 16 January, Lance Corporal Norton and six others were embarked on a submarine in Tripoli harbor and were taken on an uneventful voyage, mostly underwater, to Toranto, and from there sent to Bari where Lance Corporal Norton spent seven months before being moved to the prison camp at Laterina, where there were some 6000 prisoners. Two days before Lance Corporal Norton was shipped from Tripoli, Captain Alexander and ten other prisoners – English, Canadian, New Zealand, American and Indian officers – were embarked on an Italian submarine in Tripoli harbor, and placed in the forward torpedo compartment. They travelled on the surface during the predawn hours and submerged at daylight. It appears the Italian captain, impatient with the slower progress underwater, decided then to make the rest of the journey on the surface. But he was spotted by a Sunderland [sic] reconnaissance aircraft which straddled the submarine with three [sic] bombs, damaging it so it could not submerge. After dealing this crippling blow, the Sunderland got in touch with British destroyers escorting a convoy, and one of these soon appeared on scene and proceeded to shell the submarine. The prisoners in the torpedo compartment realized the ship had been damaged by the bombs and later they knew they were being shelled. Not relishing a watery grave at the hands of the Royal Navy, they overpowered their guards and made their way on deck where the Italian captain explained the position, told them he could not supply life belts, and that they had better swim for it. Captain Alexander, stripped to his underwear, was taking off his second boot when he was thrown over the side by the splash of a shell that fell periously close by. The Italian captain made no attempt to save himself, and went down with his ship. The men in the water thought they had little hope of being rescued, since it was unlikely the destroyer would stop to pick up survivors in hostile waters for fear of torpedo attack. But to their joy, the destroyer hove to and took them aboard. But the skipper, when he saw the motley crew who staggered over the side of his ship gasping their thanks in English, thought for one awful moment he had sunk one of his own submarines! The prisoners were taken to Malta by the destroyer, where they were given fresh uniforms and clothes and entertained by the governor himself. The following day they were put aboard and aircraft and flown back to the Marble Arch. Ken Anderson, Nine Flames (Capetown: Purnell & Sons (S.A.) Pty. Ltd., 1964), pp. 195 – 196)