In the Spring of 1943, RAF Predannack was the launching point for many Air-Sea rescues in the Bay of Biscay and the North Atlantic. The allied convoys transporting goods and weapons from the USA were coming under increased attack from submarines and Focke-Wulf FW200 Condor long range bombers, as Hitler hoped to starve the British into submission. This conflict became known as the Battle of the Atlantic.
Although the Beaufighter aircraft of 141 Squadron had limited range, they would be sent out in large numbers to scour the sea for other "downed" pilots, or torpedoed ships' crews, often more in hope than expectation of finding anyone. The navigation aids the RAF had were still very primitive, with only the system of "dead reckoning" and predicting wind shifts by looking at the sea surface, to help plot your course once you were beyond the range of the primitive, land based radar. Then, once the crew had reached what they thought was their search area, they had to try and pick out a small dinghy or individual person floating in sometimes very rough seas. Almost impossible you would think, but often surprisingly successful in rescuing stricken crews from "the drink".
RAF Predannack Memorial
My Grandfather, Howard Kelsey, took part in one such "search and patrol" on 18th April 1943 as he noted in his Pilot's log book. This was his 2nd "Op" (operation) as denoted by his red underlining and red number 2 in the right hand margin.
Log Book 18th April 1943
The ORB (Operations Record Book) for 141 Squadron, which is published on the Public Records Office website, tells us he took off on patrol in Beaufighter X7643 at 14.50 with his trusty navigator Sgt. E. Smith. They returned again at 17.25 after an "Unsuccessful Air/Sea rescue patrol"
18th April 1943 ORB Detail of Events
With the wonders of the internet, I found a photo of what the website claims is Beaufighter X7643, although I cannot see any identifying numbers.
They were part of an Air/Sea Rescue search group of 5 Beaus that were ultimately successful in pinpointing a Spitfire pilot, Sgt. G. F. Emes from 602 squadron who had been shot down 8 days before whilst on a shipping reconnaissance mission.
1. F/O H. C. Kelsey with Nav/Rad Sgt. E. Smith in Beaufighter 1F X7643
2. P/O/ A. C. Newton with Nav/Rad Sgt. V. G. McBurney in Beaufighter 1F R2149
3. F/lt D. C. Maltby with Nav/Rad F/O J. E. Watts in Beaufighter 1F X7805
4. S/L S. T. Beal ('A' Flight O.C.) with Nav/Rad P/O J. C. Hair in Beaufighter 1F X7552
5. F/O R. C. MacAndrew with Nav/Rad P/O L. Wilk in beau fighter 1F T4626
After being successfully spotted by the 141 Squadron Beaufighter crew of F/O R. C. MacAndrew and Nav/Rad P/O L. Wilk, they were able to direct a Walrus amphibious aircraft to the position to rescue the Spitfire pilot. He was picked up in his dinghy 50 miles SW of the Lizard but due to heavy seas, were unable to take off again so had to taxi for five hours all the way to Mullion Cove and the whole of 141 squadron "turned out to assist to pull it up onto the beach" (Braham). The pilot thankfully survived this ordeal. On this one day, 47 aircraft in total were used in Air/Sea Rescue searches by 10 Group. This level of commitment to rescue pilots was a huge morale boost and gave some reassurance to young men heading out over the sea with little to help them navigate home again.
18th April 1943 ORB Summary of Events
Walrus seaplane picking up downed pilot 1943- histomil.com
The pugnacious Beaufighter was not exactly a beautiful aircraft, which is perhaps why it got it's slightly ironic name. However, the pilot had a really good view of his surroundings through the huge glazed cockpit, with the only obstructions being the massive Bristol Hercules engines on either wing.
A Beaufighter pilot waves away the ground crew. - pinterest
The navigator, sitting half way back down the fuselage, also had really good all-round sight-lines through his perspex canopy, which made the Beaufighter an excellent aircraft for search and rescue patrols.
Beaufighter Navigator position - pinterest
During his time at RAF Predannack, my Grandfather and the other officers were billeted in the beautiful Mullion Cove Hotel, with it's panoramic views of the Atlantic.
Mullion Cove Hotel 2018
View from Mullion Cove Hotel, Cornwall
Mullion Cove entrance
This, along with many other large hotels, had been requisitioned for the war by the Government. The 141 squadron C.O. , Bob Braham, also recounts from his book, "Scramble" that their time at Predannack coincided with some generally beautiful weather and on days off, they would take a group of officers in the squadron Oxford transport aircraft to the Scilly Isles. Here they would delight in the daffodil covered islands with their "almost tropical climate" and whilst drinking a beer in the warm sunshine, it was "difficult to imagine the war raging so close across the Channel". I hope my Grandfather managed to tag along on one of these trips. His wartime exploits in Cornwall were one of the few stories that he would readily tell me about with a smile on his face. With the freedom of the roads due to petrol rationing and the relatively long periods of time waiting to fly, he and his mates spent many happy days exploring the secluded coves, swimming and enjoying themselves. I'm pleased he had a chance of so much fun, having seen how busy his war was soon to become.
The war was indeed still raging just across the Channel. On 19th April 1943, the Jewish ghetto in Warsaw once again had an uprising, following an attempt by the German SS auxiliary forces to complete the deportation of Jews to the death camps. The uprising continued until 16th May 1943 when the Great Synagogue of Warsaw was demolished on the orders of SS-Brigadeführer Jürgen Stroop. 13,000 jews were killed during the uprising and of the remaining residents of the Warsaw ghetto, some 50,000 men, women and children, were shipped to concentration and extermination camps, principally Treblinka.
