At first sight this story just seems like a novel venture but the background is very interesting BBC NEWS | England | Devon | Sharks share tank with 'walrus' Lost at Sea - Crash Landed RAF Walrus - Devon Attraction - National Marine Aquarium That Walrus was of 10 Squadron RAAF and Air Force News :: Top Stories ASN Aircraft accident 18-JUN-1940 Supermarine Walrus Mk.I L2312 BBC - WW2 People's War - Rescuing Madame De Gaulle
What a novel and brilliant way to honour the crew and what a gallant but sad last flight for these men. The name of the pilot rings a bell with me for some reason. There's some interesting memorabilia held by the AWM including parts of his logbook: AWM Collection Record: 044439 - RAF Station Mount Batten, Plymouth, Devon, England. 31 May 1940. Copy of the penultimate completed page of the flying log-book of Flight Lieutenant John Napier Bell, a pilot then serving with No. ... AWM Collection Record: 044447 - At Sea. c. 1939. Supermarine Seagull V (Walrus) amphibian aircraft, serial no. A2-1, being taxied by Flying Officer John Napier Bell alongside the 'County' Class cruiser HMAS Canberra for ... An article from the RAAF's March 2008 issue of Flight Line. Good pic of the graves (note fresh flowers). Air Force : March 6th 2008, Page 19 - Defence Newspapers | Air Force A photo of Napier in Australia: AWM Collection Record: 044440 - RAAF Base Richmond, NSW. c. 1938. Group portrait showing Flying Officer John Napier Bell (wearing cap) with his crew members of a Supermarine Seagull V (Walrus) of No. 5 (Fleet Cooperation) ... Details from The Canberra Times of August 26, 1941 of Charles Harris' widow receiving compensation (for want of a better explanation): NLA Australian Newspapers beta - article display Really wish I could get my hands on the 10 Squadron history. It'd be interesting to see how this incident is covered. Joe Leach's RAAF Flying Boats at War follows his career with 10 Squadron and beyond but his time wit 10 was well after this incident.
Wonder if Geoff has pictures of the graves ?? Type: Walrus Serial number: L2312 (from No. 15 group Communication Flight) Operation: Evacuation De Gaulle family Lost: 18/06/1940 In Memory of Flight Lieutenant JOHN NAPIER BELL 162, Royal Australian Air Force who died age 24 on 18 June 1940 Son of John Henry and Eva Annie Bell, of Farina, South Australia. Remembered with honour PLOUDANIEL CHURCHYARD In Memory of Sergeant CHARLES WILLIAM HARRIS 1730, Royal Australian Air Force who died age 31 on 18 June 1940 Son of William Charles and Denah Christina Harris; husband of Joyce Florence Evelyn Harris, of Croydon, New South Wales, Australia. Remembered with honour PLOUDANIEL CHURCHYARD In Memory of Captain NORMAN EDWARD HOPE 141140, Intelligence Corps who died on 18 June 1940 Remembered with honour PLOUDANIEL CHURCHYARD In Memory of Corporal BERNARD FELIX NOWELL 565931, 810 Sqdn., Royal Air Force who died age 25 on 18 June 1940 Son of Lawrence and Gertrude Nowell; husband of Susan Ann Nowell, of Bognor Regis, Sussex. Remembered with honour PLOUDANIEL CHURCHYARD Left Mount Batten at 02.00 hrs. 20/06/1940, 10 Sqdn. ORB (page 71): 'As no further advice received regarding Walrus No. 2312 which left for NORTH BRITTANY on 18th June, 1940, the personnel was officially posted as "missing".'
Am I missing something here? 4 lives were lost and Madame De Gaulle and her children managed to get on the last boat unaware of the planned rescue attempt?
This is certainly a story that deserves to be better known. I guess that part of the war, being essentially a defeat for the Allies, has never been as well documented as other aspects of the war, and the period after the final evacuation from Dunkirk when evacuations were still being made via Brest, Cherbourg, etc is particularly murky. The loss of SS Lancastria is a case in point. I would have thought the Walrus would be operating at extreme range on this mission, and returning with five adults plus children plus enough fuel for the return would also have been at the limits of its capabilities. I believe a genuine Walrus is well on its way to restoration as well as this replica.
I was thinking about the weight issue as well, AR, especially since they were flying out with four already. Here's the Walrus: Project Walrus - Supermarine Walrus G-RNLI
