Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Statement by Flight Sgt Redden 69 Squadron - Wireless Operator and survivor of crew of Baltimore 1943

Carried out patrol with only 1 sighting of 3 M/v’s just north of Cape Spartivento going south. This was reported by W/T.
On completion of patrol, crossed tow of Italy via Catanzaro at low level. Usually a/c would carry on straight out to sea and then set course for base, but today the Captain decided to coast crawl southwards with the object of relocating the M/v’s previously sighted.
After 5 minutes flying, 2 a/c were sighted on parallel course but flying reciprocal about 2,000 yards away on the port side. These continued on their own course until they were about a mile astern then they turned and started chasing. Immediately these aircraft turned around the Captain increased speed but the enemy aircraft gained rapidly. Baltimore now at full throttle. Enemy aircraft were identified as Me 210’s One of the 210’s seemed very much faster than the other and opened up with cannon fire dead astern from about 800 yards (approx.) I did not see the second 210 again. The cannon shells fell short and the enemy aircraft closed in to 500 yards (approx.) and fired another burst. On both occasions, Baltimore tried to turn into the attack but 210 had very much superior speed and manoeuvrability. Finally, a cannon shell struck the starboard engine which caught fire. I sent SOS message to base. In the meantime a cannon shell hit the W/T equipment which blew up.
Enemy aircraft continued attacking and I saw holes appearing in the port wing and also a piece of rudder was shot off. By this time the Captain had given orders that he was going to ditch and that dinghies were to be in readiness. I secured my dinghy (K Type) on my harness and put a Very pistol and 5 or 6 cartridges in my Mae West. Mae West was inflated by the compressed air bottle in the equipment which worked well. I then pulled the inter-communications cable from the socket and pushed that inside my Mae West. I went through the rear gunner’s compartment and braced myself on the floor immediately behind the rear spar. The gunner, P/O Smailes who had been continuously returning the fire of the enemy aircraft was also bracing himself on the floor, on the port side, a little to the rear. I couldn’t see whether he had attached his dinghy owing to too much smoke inside the aircraft. The last seen of the enemy aircraft was that he was flying about 3/400 yards to starboard and was not firing. After this, the starboard engine probably seized up (port engine was still running) for the a/c swung round to starboard and crashed into the sea. I remember a loud crunching noise when the a/c hit the sea but can remember nothing else until coming to the surface of the sea. Pieces of the aircraft were floating over an area of about 50 yards and there were large patches of burning oil and petrol. I was drifting towards one of these and ducked my head under the sea for several seconds and later found myself clear having escaped with a burn to the forehead. The flying helmet was later found to be scorched and undoubtedly saved me from being burned severely. I then released my parachute harness and secured K type dinghy and proceeded to inflate. Sea was fairly calm but with a slight swell. The inflation device worked perfectly. I then discovered that I had been injured in the back and left leg and could not get into the correct position to board the dinghy. The dinghy kept inverting so that I was underneath. During this time I saw a body, unidentified, floating face downwards with clothes badly burned. The enemy aircraft flew over twice, very low and then disappeared. About 30 minutes later, sighted petrol or bomb-bay tank floating with top just showing and I paddled towards this, climbed on top, pulled the dinghy alongside and rolled into it. The petrol tank sank immediately afterwards. After resting for a few minutes in the dinghy I decided to take stock of my position and found that 2 Roman candles distress signals and a small tin of emergency rations (48 hours) and a pair of silk gloves which had been placed for safety in my flying boot had disappeared. I also found that 5 or 6 Very cartridges which I had placed in my Mae West had also disappeared by the Very pistol was still there. Fortunately, another 48 hr ration tin, together with an escape map (handkerchief type) and a compass were in the inside pocket of my battle dress and these were wet but undamaged. The map was legible and the rations were subsequently found to be dry and eatable. I then tore up and threw overboard some wireless instructions and information also my personal notebook also containing W/T information.
I then made myself as comfortable as possible in the dinghy. There were about 3 inches of water in the bottom of the dinghy but owing to the injuries to my back, I was unable to bale it out. About 1600 a Baltimore appeared from the west about a mile and a half away, disappearing and appearing later on the opposite side, still miles away. I had a chromium plated mirror but this was not used as the sun was behind a cloud. Baltimore was almost out of sight then turned to port and disappeared completely. An enemy flying boat had appeared by this time and appeared to be searching about 2 miles north of the dinghy. This remained in the area until dusk. Another Baltimore appeared about a quarter of an hour after the first and disappeared and flew straight towards the dinghy and circled several times, finally dropping an inflated Mae West containing water, rations, Very pistol and cartridges and 2 Roman candle distress signals. This fell about 10 yards away from the dinghy and I had not trouble in securing it. The water was particularly welcome and then I ate some chocolate and Horlicks tablets which were quite eatable. The Baltimore went off immediately after dropping the rations.
Nothing more happened until after dusk when several porpoises appeared and started diving in and out of the sea around the dinghy. I did not move but kept a sharp look out and the porpoises finally disappeared. The sea was still calm except for a slight swell and I was not sea sick. Previously sea water had caused me to vomit. I suffered from cold and pulled up the flaps of the dinghy, covering myself completely, which protected me to some extent from the wind. After dozing fitfully, at 0145 the sound of engines was heard and I immediately fired 2 Very cartridges and heard the engines coming nearer. I then fired a Roman candle and a minute or so later recognised the craft as a submarine. I shouted and was answered by a voice which shouted ‘Ahoy’, to my relief, unmistakably English. Subsequently it was found that the dinghy was about an hours journey away from the position given and had it not been for the pyrotechnic signals the submarine could not possibly have located the dinghy. The sky was overcast and the moon, such as it was, was not much help.
By this time I was very stiff and my back and legs were very painful and I could do no more than paddle towards the submarine. Seeing my difficulty, the submarine submerged very slightly and members of the crew managed to pull the dinghy on to one of the hydroplanes (fins to keep the s/m stable in heavy seas) and from there I was placed on a stretcher and was taken below. Medical attention was immediately at hand and I was most hospitably treated. During subsequent conversation it transpired that the rescuing submarine had sunk two of the M/v’s which had previously been sighted.
W/op. discussed with the S/m Commander the degree of priority used when the Baltimore which sighted the dinghy sent his sighting report.
The signal had apparently been sent market with a low degree of priority and if it had been marked ‘Emergency’ it would have made an appreciable difference in re-transmission by Rugby W/T station.

Comments
A Water bottle is a good thing to carry
Inadvisable to carry equipment in flying boots
Roman candles are far better than Very cartridges and Cartridges are apt to swell after immersion, making it difficult to fit them in pistol.

W/Op has also been involved in an accident when a Hudson crashed near Luqa as Motors cut – June 1942.