| Specials |
Special The Walrus and the Sub / I've never heard that before |
 |
| Specials |
Special The Walrus and the Sub / I've never heard that before |
|
Written by Frank O'Shaughnessy, London Ontario, Canada.
October 2002Images of the Walrus airplane crew will be added soon
Sometime in August or September 1941 we were supposed to carry out a dummy depth charge attack. against a submarine in a training area just east of Scapa (Scotland). Normally our Walrus sea plane was catapulted from the cruiser HMS Shropshire but not this morning as we were at the naval air station at the Fleet Air Arm base near Kirkwall whilst the ship was anchored in nearby Scapa Flow. Before any part of the dummy attack was done we saw an Albacore aircraft which was carrying on a dummy torpedo attack against a corvette in the area had crashed we landed and I managed to pull the pilot who was the only survivor into the aircraft I was the telegraphist air gunner the pilot was a Lt Franklin and the observer or navigator was a RNVR Sub Lt Sid Walker. Lt Franklin had been a flag Lt at some time as he still wore the gold cord insignia at his shoulder and he had I think the DSC and the Croix de Guerre at the time.
Supermarine Walrus aka Pusser's Duck. The wheels were generally removed whilst operating from a ship to reduce weight.
Shortly before the incident mentioned above we had just returned from the flesh pots of South Africa; you could hardly describe Cape town in wartime as a hardship posting. And of course as is normal, on return home you go home. Home for 700 Squadron was an aerodrome in the Orkney islands (Scotland) just adjacent to Scapa Flow where most of the females were ewes (but that's another story).
Being at a home base we were engaged in some training such as night navigation exercises, circuits and bumps, radio work etc. One of the exercises was that we were to carry out, a dummy depth charge attack against a submarine. One morning therefore about 9.a.m. sorry make that 0900, we took off with our full load of two dummy depth charges. Out to the exercise area we fly. As I have stated my view of either sky, sea or land was somewhat restricted and there was also a certain lack of communication.
Suddenly I heard `Reel in the trailing aerial'-- this I did, and we immediately landed in the sea, and a not too gentle landing either. I hurried forward and saw a plane had crashed. There was a survivor and I went to the rear hatch and opened it. As he came alongside I managed to grab him and haul him into the cockpit. To this day I am not sure how it was done. The hatch was only about thirty inches in diameter, he was waterlogged and with a badly damaged arm and I was mainly in the 97 lb. weakling class. At any rate we had him safely out of the water. He was the pilot of an Albacore whose squadron was carrying out dummy torpedo attacks on the area safety ship. The aircraft had sunk with the air gunner and observer in it. The rest of the squadron were circling but after the rescue they took of for the aerodrome. This was in a position roughly 10 to 15 miles out of Scapa Flow.
Fairey Albacore
The safety boat now approached us and lowered a whaler to which we transferred the pilot, we were asked us if we could take off, our pilot said we could, and away they went. By now I am looking around and the sea does seem rough and all too soon the safety boat disappeared, and we were alone. I wish the ship had stayed because as soon as we tried to take off it was discovered that the sea was indeed rough and if we went any faster we would probably start shipping water. We were all gathered in the front cockpit and debating what to do. We could not see anything, neither ships nor land. We could of course, try to taxi back in. The mushroom's suggestion that we fasten the parachutes between the upper and lower wings and sail back did not receive wholehearted support. It was decided we would have a cigarette break and think some more.
It was in this pensive mood that we suddenly spotted a periscope off our starboard wing and watched in fascination, with our heads rotating in slow motion, and with bated breath as it circled us. I remember with tremendous clarity it moved in a counter clockwise direction from starboard to port and back. It began blowing its ballast tanks and the conning tower emerged. A figure appeared on the bridge. A shout rang out, and with the normal Englishman's command of foreign languages we were sure it was German. I think I said something like "Oh bother." The pilot probably said "Dash it all" he was an Ex Flag Lieutenant (Lt Franklin RN DSC, Croix de Guerre et al). Some few seconds later all was well with the appearance of an English signalman and a " What's up mate? Stuck are you?". You've guessed it, this was the sub we had supposed to exercise with. It was Dutch, which resulted in the language difficulty.
I suppose you are wondering how we arranged to get back to the Orkneys. We were towed by the submarine but did manage to persuade them not to take us back through Scapa Flow and, to relinquish the tow as soon as we got into calmer water. I hesitate to think what would have happened if we had been paraded past the fleet. Further the ARGUS might have then been in port with all those Air Force types. Imagine what more I might have overheard in the pub "Not only that but they bring 'em back with a submarine." Incidentally I heard later from the ship's chaplain, after Lt Franklin had left the SHROPSHIRE that he received a Mention in Dispatches for this rescue.
By Frank O'Shaughnessy, London Ontario, Canada.
Of course we are still trying to find out what the serials of the Albacore, Walrus and the name of the Dutch submarine are. Can you help us with that, or do you have any other additional information on this story, then please contact us.
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