RCAF423 Sqdrn and U-311

I also knew Gerry Fellows, we were next door neighbours for about a dozen years. All of my family were very sad to hear of his passing. I've spoken with John about this an have been helping him with the research into the 311- 672 question.

Last night I emailed the very kind and helpful people at uboatarchive.net to see if they may have any info. Today I received scans from the Kreigstagbuch of U-672 which I think prove conclusively that this boat was indeed attacked by John's Grandad. I've been attempting to translate the text with some sucess but perhaps someone who is fulent in German wouldn't mind taking a crack at it.

I believe that this page refers specifically to the attack in question. These are the comments I received from Jerry at uboatarchive.net. (Jerry is a retired US Navy officer who I believe was also a pilot with ASW duties in a S3b).

It is clear from U-672’s KTB, a few pages of which I have attached, that she underwent a devastating attack within about 15 nm and 8 minutes of the attack by Fellow’s aircraft.Given the uncertainty in navigation of both U-boat and aircraft, this is a match. I don’t read German but I believe that in describing the location of the bombs, the U-boat may have been struck directly and the detonation occurred in the air instead of the water. When this occurred, it often caused damage to the aircraft consistent with that described in the book you cite. In the KTB the U-boat goes into great detail about the damage caused by the attack but is able to make repairs and continue operations. The attack was Incident # 6051 and was originally assessed by the Admiralty as B. That means Probably sunk. U-311 was thought to be the victim because that boat did not return to port. Below is the pertinent data from the aircraft attack a list of incidents I have. [ U-311 SQ 423 (RCAF) B 24-Apr-44 11:47 GMT 50 36N 18 36W 6051 ] The position of the U-boat was given in the KTB as BE 2281 which equates to 50 23N 18 23W and time 1339 which is 1139 GMT. I am less certain of the fate of U-311. The attack by HMCS Matane and HMCS Swansea was originally assessed as F meaning Insufficient evidence of damage but this boat was in the same area as the attack (AL90), quite a ways north of where U-672 was operating.



I have several other pages from this book should they be of interest.


Thanks Stig O'Tracy, your efforts have been tremendously helpful!

 

I also knew Gerry Fellows, we were next door neighbours for about a dozen years. All of my family were very sad to hear of his passing. I've spoken with John about this an have been helping him with the research into the 311- 672 question.

Last night I emailed the very kind and helpful people at uboatarchive.net to see if they may have any info. Today I received scans from the Kreigstagbuch of U-672 which I think prove conclusively that this boat was indeed attacked by John's Grandad. I've been attempting to translate the text with some sucess but perhaps someone who is fulent in German wouldn't mind taking a crack at it.

I believe that this page refers specifically to the attack in question. These are the comments I received from Jerry at uboatarchive.net. (Jerry is a retired US Navy officer who I believe was also a pilot with ASW duties in a S3b).

It is clear from U-672’s KTB, a few pages of which I have attached, that she underwent a devastating attack within about 15 nm and 8 minutes of the attack by Fellow’s aircraft.Given the uncertainty in navigation of both U-boat and aircraft, this is a match. I don’t read German but I believe that in describing the location of the bombs, the U-boat may have been struck directly and the detonation occurred in the air instead of the water. When this occurred, it often caused damage to the aircraft consistent with that described in the book you cite. In the KTB the U-boat goes into great detail about the damage caused by the attack but is able to make repairs and continue operations. The attack was Incident # 6051 and was originally assessed by the Admiralty as B. That means Probably sunk. U-311 was thought to be the victim because that boat did not return to port. Below is the pertinent data from the aircraft attack a list of incidents I have. [ U-311 SQ 423 (RCAF) B 24-Apr-44 11:47 GMT 50 36N 18 36W 6051 ] The position of the U-boat was given in the KTB as BE 2281 which equates to 50 23N 18 23W and time 1339 which is 1139 GMT. I am less certain of the fate of U-311. The attack by HMCS Matane and HMCS Swansea was originally assessed as F meaning Insufficient evidence of damage but this boat was in the same area as the attack (AL90), quite a ways north of where U-672 was operating.



I have several other pages from this book should they be of interest.


I sent you an email also.

 

A/423 DD862.

She did fly again - her last flight was on 31st May 1945 - a local air test over Louigh Erne "local flying".
The Pilot Bill Stewart told me how they had "Buzzed a monastry - this can only be Saint Patricks on Lough Derg , a place for quiet retreat and contemplation !!

God must not have been to pleased for a short while later they had an engine fire a cyclinderlining fractured and an engine went on fir _Port outer( I thionk ).
The fire extinguisher was fired and it failed to put out the fire , the engine fell out of its housing and the pilot had to get down quick , he was probably on an approach to land (ASAP) when the engine fell out , he put her down North of Boa Island and the crew set about getting out , the fire was taking hold of the wing and there was nothing to do but get off.
The crew took to their life raft and some lcal men fishing went to give a hand.
They came ashore on the Northern shore of the Boa Island about a quarter of a mile from my mother's home.
( Her two brothers ran down to the shore and walked up to the main road with the aircrew.
By their accounts they were "black as you boot" from "the smoke which had get into the hull".
The aircraft was on fire and although tenders from Archdale arrived she could not be saved and was drifting towards the Northern Shore of the "Inner Lough".
She was largely burnt out and over the next few weeks was cut up and taken away on "a low loader".

The fate of the aircraft has given rise to some alternative stories - that " she was towed to a deep hole at the back of Innishmeely and sunk".
To date no aircraft has been found in that area.
Below some photos which are taken looking towards the direction in which DD8962 made her final approach , the approximate location where the engine fell is marked.
My uncle George thought she lost a wing float as well but Bill Stewart assured him that had he lost a flaot they would have crashed on landing and would most likely not have survived.



The view from the family home ( as it was then in 1945 loking North towards Donegal / Pettigo and Lough Derg)



A close up of the water on which DD862 A/423 made her final landing.


St. Patrick's , almost certainly the place buzzewd by Bill Stewart !



Lough Derg - Lough Derg

In terms of flying time it is minutes away from Lough Erne , clearly visible about 4-5 miles at most.

Sometimes fact can be stranger than fiction.

Tom
Thank you for posting that pic!

Very glad to do so , men like your grandfather deserve to be remembered - a very unique breed of men to whom we owe a huge debt.
It is for me to thank you for sending me another photo of your grandfather.

 

John
Just at our beautiful Canadian War Museum today and your story made me think that someone in their library may be able to point you in a direction that is helpful.

It made me think of spending VE Day +50 with Tom Cooke who is credited with sinking a sub whilst in a PBY.

phil

 

Here is a photo of the crew of A-Able

They are:

Back Row: Bruce Witney (2nd pilot) Gord Stevenson (gunner) Dick Dyer (wireless operator) Tom Edwards (gunner and best man at my grandfathers wedding) Paddy O'Neil (engineer) Cal Calvert (navigator)

Front Row: Ron Oliver (engineer) Stan Cowan (wireless operator) F.G. (Jerry) Fellows ( pilot/captain) Jim Caslake (wireless operator) Bob Scott (2nd pilot)

This crew encountered U-672 / Bay Of Biscane April 1944

 

I noticed the photo showed smaller so I enlarged it.

 

Thank you John , I am always delighted to see 423 getting a mention - a great body of men who "got the job done" , pragmatic and reliable.

 

I've posted copies of the other pages of U-672's KTB over at another board that I use. If anyone wishes to see them, you're more than welcome to check them out over there. Here's the link to the thread I used.

Wanted: Someone Fluent in German - WOLFGaming Network

 

The quad 20mm lacked the punch and range .
The 200mm mentioned most likely twin 20mm mounts on the upperbandstand the 3.7mm mounted below this.
Whilst the 3.7 had range and hitting power it was prone to jamming.

 

The Form 1180 for the engine fire which destroyed DD862 A/423 RCAF , I dare say most folks have met these short extracts in the past - they can be had from the Records Dept. at the RAF Museum Hendon - not sure what the time delay is or the cost - back when I had a little more hair it was £1.10 per request as far as I can recall.