Page 27 - Demo

27it was declared operational in a matter of days and just in time to contribute to the attack on Arnhem. Towing gliders during the assault phase and dropping supplies thereafter, the squadron lost four aircraft, twelve aircrew and nine Army air despatchers. Canada also made a significant contribution to the coastal and anti8submarine tasks. By the spring of 1944 it was fielding two squadrons of Sunderlands at Castle Archdale, a pair of torpedo8armed Wellingtons squadrons; one at Bircham Newton the other at Chivenor, and a Beaufighter squadron at Davidstow Moor engaged in anti8shipping work. On D8Day, this squadron attacked three enemy destroyers which were trying to interdict the invasion fleet and sank all of them. To reinforce the anti8submarine capability over the invasion period, No 162 Sqn %u2013 a home8based RCAF unit %u2013 was loaned to Coastal Command and operated the Canso (a Canadian?built Catalina. Ed) from Wick. Their success in denying the northern transit route to enemy U8boats was spectacularly successful and the unit was involved in five successful sinkings. During one of these attacks, a Canso piloted by Flight Lieutenant David Hornell was shot down and the survivors spent 21 hours in the water before being rescued. Unfortunately, Hornell died shortly after being taken from the water but received a posthumous Victoria Cross for his actions. Having formed on Catalinas at Stranraer in July 1941, No 413 Sqn was sent to reinforce Ceylon in March the following year. Within a A Sunderland of No 422 Sqn RCAF alighting at Castle Archdale.