Incident Overview
Date: Friday 24 December 1943
Aircraft Type: Short Sunderland
Owner/operator: Royal Air Force – RAF
Registration Number: T228
Location: Bay of Biscay ? –
ÿ Atlantic Ocean
Phase of Flight: En route
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 21 / Occupants: 21
Component Affected: Sunderland flying boatSunderland flying boat
On December 24, 1943, a Short Sunderland flying boat, T228, executed an anti-submarine patrol from RAF Station Pembroke Dock. A distress signal was received at 12:25 PM, indicating a potential threat. Subsequently, a survivor was sighted on the wing float of the aircraft, and wreckage was detected, leading to the belief that T228 was shot down. The event involved a dinghy drop and subsequent disappearance of the survivor.On December 24, 1943, a Short Sunderland flying boat, T228, executed an anti-submarine patrol from RAF Station Pembroke Dock. A distress signal was received at 12:25 PM, indicating a potential threat. Subsequently, a survivor was sighted on the wing float of the aircraft, and wreckage was detected, leading to the belief that T228 was shot down. The event involved a dinghy drop and subsequent disappearance of the survivor.
Description
Short Sunderland flying boat T228 took off from RAF Station Pembroke Dock at 07:15 on 24 December 1943 to carry out an anti-submarine patrol. At 12.25pm a distress signal was received from the aircraft. At this time T228 was over a force of enemy destroyers and in company of another Sunderland. At 01.10pm a message was received from the other Sunderland aircraft which stated that wreckage of a Sunderland aircraft had been sighted and one survivor seen on the wing float of the aircraft. A dinghy was dropped but the survivor disappeared a few minutes later. Although the crew of the accompanying aircraft did not actually see T228 shot down, it was believed that T228 was shot down by an enemy surface vessel.
Source of Information
http://www.awm.gov.au/catalogue/research_centre/pdf/rc09125z019_1.pdfhttp://www.awm.gov.au/catalogue/research_centre/pdf/rc09125z019_1.pdfPrimary Cause
Enemy surface vessel attackEnemy surface vessel attackShare on:
