Base: Ballykelly enroute to Reykjavik
S/59 Time UP:1556 hrs (4th) - Time DOWN: 0156 hrs (5th) - DURATION: 10 hrs

P/59 Time UP: 1551 hrs (4th) - Time DOWN: 0051 hrs (5th) - DURATION: 9 hrs
Op: A/U Patrol

ORB notes the following: S/59 - On A/U patrol South of Iceland when at 1930 an oil patch was sighted in posn. 62'04'N, 14'30'W. A "HIGH TEA" pattern was dropped and a positive contact was obtained. At 2000 hrs MTB-2 was sent - "Over submerged U-boat - Co.190'T/2kts." A U-boat hunt in that area was ordered. landed ar Reykjavik on completion of sortie.

ORB notes the following: P/59 - A/C "P" was on A/U Patrol while proceeding to Iceland on detachment when a suspicious oil patch was sighted in posn. 62'08'N, 15'05'W. The MTC from S/59 had already been received at 2008 and the oil streak was carefully observed. A disurbance was seen and a U/boat c/t began to appear at the head of the streak. "P" ran into attack immediately at 2130 in conditions of very low visibility and 6 DC's were released, spacing 60 feet from 60 feet (est) at an angle of 140' Green to U-boats track - 15 seconds by watch after disapearance of the U-boat which had only remained visible for a few seconds. The crew estimated a straddle between Nos.4 and 5. Four or five minutes after the explosions the oil was seen to increase in amount and 30 minutes after the attack some oil appeared three to four miles West of position. A Green ERSB was dropped at 2120 and positive results obtained as a grating sound and a frequency bubbling sound. After the attack, the original oil streak stopped it's movement forward. "P" remained in the posn. of the attack until 2243 when relieved by one Canso and one Liberator.

Crew on this day: S/59: F.O D.A. Willows (capt) - F/O G. Rubenok (sec pilot) - F/O F.L Swierzynski (nav) - F/S H.J. Watts - W/O C.D. Street - Sgt G. Callegari - Sgt S.W.T Ricketts - F/O C.P. Emerson - W/O J. Dickinson.

Crew on this day: P/59: F/L B.R. Cook (capt) - F/L G.P Chetwynd (sec pilot) - F/O G.G Hitchin (nav) - W/O E.H. Fletcher - Sgt R.M. Paton - Sgt F.M. Bailey - W/O D.T. White - F/S G.A. Stokes.

Unknown

During WWII, the RAF used three-letter codes to identify their aircraft from a distance. Two large letters were painted before the roundel, which signified the squadron to which the aircraft belonged, and another letter was painted after the roundel which indicated the individual aircraft. Aditionally, there was the individual serial number for each aircraft, which was painted in a much smaller size, usually somewhere at the rear of the aircraft: (more)

Codes used by RAF 59 Squadron:

PJ Sep 1938 - Sep 1939
TR Sep 1939 - Oct 1942
1 Aug 1943 - Jul 1944
WE Jul 1944 - Oct 1945
BY Oct 1945 - Jun 1946, Dec 1947 - Oct 1950