(back L-R) anon, anon, anon, anon, F/Sgt Leslie Waltham (flight engineer).

(front row L-R) F/O Roly Hall (navigator) - F/L J.R. Morrill (co-pilot) - F/L V.E. Camacho DFC (pilot) - F/O R.S. Shewry (navigator).

Base: Ballykelly - Landed Tain
Time UP: 1945 hrs (26th) - Time DOWN: 1200 (27th) - DURATION: 14 hrs 15 mins
Duty: A/S Patrol

Sunk 27 May, 1944 west of Trondheim, in position 62.37N, 00.57E, by depth charges from a British Liberator aircraft (Sqdn. S/59). 51 dead (all hands lost).. Pilot on this attack was F/L VE Camacho DFC no other crew details are available at this time. This U-boat was 26 days into its first patrol. The same aircraft 'S' had been flown in an attack on U-990 captained by S/L Sissons, which resulted in the sinking of the U-boat.

The following is taken from the DFC award citation for F/L Camacho.

On the 27th May 1944, Flight Lieutenant Camacho was captain of aircraft "S" (No.59 Squadron) when a U-boat was sighted in an estimated position of 62° 37' North, 00° 57' East.  The weather conditions at the time were extremely bad and the captain was forced to descend below 300 feet before breaking cloud and making his sighting, having previously obtained a radar contact. The captain, however, pressed home a very determined attack at low altitude in the face of extremely heavy flak.

During the run in, the starboard engine was damaged by a cannon shell to such an extent that the aircraft returned to base on the remaining three engines.  The attack was, however, well executed, and an analysis given by higher authority was "probably sunk".

______________________________________________________________________________

ORB report: On the 26th/27th May, 'S' was carrying out a CLA search in the area 62'63'N, 01'02'E at 0810 a radar contact was obtained 045' port/15 miles. It was lost at 3 miles range but when A/C broke cloud at about 250ft in posn. 62'37'N.00'57'E a fully surfaced U-boat (believed 700 tons) bearing 070' RED/1-1/2 miles was sighted. A/C attacked with 6 DC's spacing 55ft tracking directly over C/T. Although points of entry not observed rear gunner estimated 2 DC's on starboard and 4 on port side. After passing over U-Boat staboard beam gunner saw a bright yellow explosion amidst the DC plumes. The same member of the crew crossed to the port beam window after the A/C had turned sharply to the port, saw that the bows of the U-Boat only were sticking out of the water at an angle of 20'. the next time the U/B was observed one minute later, it was stationary amid submerging on an even keel. A patch of oil was later seen. During the attack the rear... (text not copied properly) ... gunner kept up constant fire and both beam guns were used. A/C sustained.... (AIR27/556)

Crew on this day: F/L V.E. Camacho (capt) - F/L J.R. Morrill (2nd pilot) - F/O R.S. Shewry (Nav) - F/O Roly Hall (Nav) - Sgt L.M Waltham (Flight Engineer) - Sgt. W. Derbyshire (WAG) - W/O W. Wilkinson (WAG), F/S L.E. Proudfoot (WAG) - F/S R.L. McCleary (WAG).

F/O Roly Hall is not noted in the ORB for this mission but Leslie Waltham (flight engineer) confirms that he was there...

"It said that on an operation with FLT Comacho a sinking of a U-Boat in the North Sea...Roland wasn't
on that particular op. l was the Flight Engineer on Flt Comacho's crew and l can assure you that Roland was with us that day. He was firing the front gun while the other navigator/FO Shewry/ New Zealander....operated the dropping of the Depth Charges. Roland was a Flight Sergeant in those days. l liked Roland..he wore his hat on the back of his head and always had a stupid grin on his face. We flew several operations together. Respectfully - Leslie Waltham"

U-292
Type

VIIC/41

Ordered 14 Oct, 1941
Laid down 12 Nov, 1942 Bremer Vulkan, Bremen-Vegesack (werk 57)
Launched 20 Jul, 1943
Commissioned 25 Aug, 1943 Ltnt. Werner Schmidt
Commanders
25 Aug, 1943 - 27 May, 1944 Oblt. Werner Schmidt
Career 1 patrol 25 Aug, 1943 - 30 Apr, 1944 8. Flottille (training)
1 May, 1944 - 27 May, 1944 1. Flottille (front boat)
Successes No ships sunk or damaged

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