On the 4th October 1943, No.120 Squadron RAF Coastal Command was tasked with supporting convoy ON204. The aircraft allocated was Liberator III FL923/V the crew being... W/C. R M. Longmore. Capt. (120 squadron Commanding Officer) + F/O. R W. Taite. Co-Pilot. + F/O. R M. Webber. Co-Pilot. + F/L. N. Bruce. Navigator. + F/S. A E. Parsons. Engineer. + F/L. A L. Furr. AG(S) + W/O. E A. Mincham. 2.Wop/Ag. + W/O. W. Stott. 3. Wop/Ag. + FL923 became airborne at 0955 hrs at Reykjavik, Iceland. When the aircraft was in position 6357N, 2850W a U-boat (U539. Oblt Lauterbach-Emden) was sighted on the surface. The U-boats captain decided to stay on the surface and fight it out. The following account of the action is compiled from German records. "The Liberator, which was mistakenly identified as a Lancaster, was sighted at 1123 hrs when 7-8000 metres away, approaching at an altitude of 800 metres. All the boats flak guns, which consisted of two twin and one quadruple 20mm, were immediately manned, and fire was opened. Despite heavy flak the aircraft circled, drawing closer, until at 1138 hrs it ran into the attack, replying to the U-boats fire with cannon at a range of 1,000 metres. Although hit several times, the aircraft pressed home the attack, dropping six depth-charges that fell ahead of the port bow at a distance of between 10 and 150 metres from the U-boat, which was shaken violently. Both the aircraft's starboard engines were seen to have caught fire and shortly afterwards it came down in the sea, exploding on impact with the water. On the assumption that none of the aircrew would escape from the wreckage, the CO ordered the U-boat to dive, so that a proper inspection of damage, which turned out to be relatively minor, could be made. One of U 539's crew was slightly wounded." U 539 was attacked by aircraft and ships later in the war, but always survived, she was surrendered to the Allies, in May 1945 in Bergen harbour and was sunk in deep water in the Atlantic in 'Operation Deadlight' The photograph is of FL923/V120 taken over Iceland.
Hi Peter, Mincham & Stott are RAAF boys, do you transpose these or were they not nominated RAAF in this report? Cheers Spidge
Hi Peter, Mincham & Stott are RAAF boys, do you transpose these or were they not nominated RAAF in this report? Cheers Spidge Hi Spidge The 120 Squadron ORB only very rarely gives nationality of aircrew, so its anyone's guess as to what country they come from. What I have done is made a list of RAAF aircrew that served with 120 Squadron, the list is taken from 'Endurance' a book by Alwyn Jay. Do you have this book Spidge? It covers the history of RAAF aircrew in Liberator operations in Coastal Command. As soon as I can I'll post the list, either on here or as a PM. Regards Peter.
