Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A particularly fine 1939-45 War Flying Log Book appertaining to Pilot Officer Burrell, Royal Air Force, a long-served Coastal Command W.O./A.G. who was present in no less than four U-Boat interceptions in Ansons of No. 25 Squadron - one of them a highly controversial action which resulted in claims of ‘cold-blooded murder’

comprising original R.A.F. (Form 1767) Observer’s and Air Gunner’s Flying Log Book, with opening endorsement ‘Original log destroyed by enemy action, Detling, 13.8.40. Totals carried forward: operational 98 hours, non-operational 45 hours’, and thence covering the period November 1941 to July 1946, with several photographic inserts, including U-Boats under attack, and an old copy of a congratulatory message from the A.O.C. Eastern Command regarding a spate of successful U-Boat attacks carried out by No. 500 Squadron in November 1942, taped/detached spine, tears and worn overall, but content generally good and a fine record of active service in Coastal Command
£400-500

Burrell commenced his operational career as a Wireless Operator and Air Gunner in No. 500 (County of Kent) Squadrom, Auxiliary Air Force, in September 1939, and was indeed based at Detling on 13 August 1940 when an enemy raid by 40 Ju. 87s resulted in the loss of 66 service and civilian personnel, in addition to the destruction of all of the airfield’s hangars and three crew messes.

Notwithstanding such punishment, No. 500 remained operational and, with the advent of 1941, was posted to Bircham Newton, Norfolk, to assume responsibility for North Sea convoys from Yorkshire down to the Thames, in addition to carrying out intruder operations against enemy airfields. Having then been re-located to Stornaway in the Hebrides, with a detachment at Limvaldy in Northern Ireland, in early 1942, its Ansons during the “Channel Dash” in February 1942, in addition to carrying out further operations over Norway and Denmark.

But it was on No. 500’s move to Gibraltar, and thence Blida, towards the end of the year, that the Squadron really entered its finest hour, the whole under the leadership of Wing Commander Spotswood, afterwards Air Chief Marshal Sir Denis Spotswood, K.C.B., C.B.E., D.S.O., D.F.C. Among his most distinguished pilots at this time was Flying Officer Mike Ensor, who gained a D.S.O. and two D.F.Cs with the Squadron, and with whom Burrell flew on several occasions, but it was as a member of Squadron Leader Ian Paterson’s crew that he was to witness no less than four spectacular U-Boat strikes in the winter 1942.

Thus, as per Burrell’s Flying Log Book, the Squadron O.R.B. and the recommendation for Patterson’s immediate D.S.O.:

8 November 1942: ‘Attacked large U-Boat with D.C.I. Good results seen.’

Squadron records state of this action:

‘At 1014 a U-Boat was sighted on the surface 15 miles ahead and the aircraft dived to attack crossing directly over the U-Boat as it had just started to dive. The depth charges hung up so the aircraft made a half-turn and then released the depth charges (four) three seconds after the U-Boat submerged, at an angle of 70 degrees to the U-Boat’s track and 50 yards ahead of the swirl, the centre of the stick being under the U-Boats track. Three minutes later a stream of dark bubbles appeared and these continued for ten minutes. Nothing further was seen although the aircraft returned to the scene after 30 minutes and searched along the U-Boat’s track.’

Patterson’s D.S.O. recommendation states:

‘On 8 November 1942, Squadron Leader Patterson was the Captain of a Hudson aircraft taking part in an anti-submarine sweep in the Mediterranean, when he sighted a U-Boat shadowing one of our convoys. He approached the U-Boat in such a manner that the aircraft was not seen until just prior to the attack, and dropped four depth charges in such a position, that at the very least it must have caused serious damage to the U-Boat.’

13 November 1942: ‘A./S. sweep - Mediterranean. Sighted and attacked large U-Boat which was badly damaged if not destroyed’.

Squadron records state of this action:

‘This aircraft saw three U-Boats on this patrol. The first one at 0801 had dived before the aircraft could attack. At 0930 a second u-Boat was sighted and attacked on the surface. The depth charges straddled the U-Boat astern and after the attack the stern rose vertically out of the water and then slowly subsided, to be followed two minutes later by a large number of air bubbles. Nothing further was seen and the aircraft continued its patrol. At 1128 a third U-Boat was sighted, but although ‘Z’ immediately dived to 600 feet the U-Boat had submerged and an attack was not deemed to be feasible with the one remaining A./S. bomb.’

Patterson’s D.S.O. recommendation states:

‘On 13 November 1942, Squadron Leader Patterson was again on patrol when he sighted a fully surfaced U-Boat some distance ahead. This enemy submerged before he was able to deliver the attack. He again showed his skill and persistence as the Captain of an aircraft employed on these duties and adopted baiting tactics for two hours. His persistence and devotion to duty was then rewarded when the U-Boat came to the surface. Then, with skilful use of cloud cover, he was able to manoeuvre his aircraft into such a position that he delivered a completely surprise attack. The U-Boat's stern was blown completely out of the water, slowly assumed a vertical position and gradually disappeared at right angles to the surface of the sea.’
 

17 November 1942: ‘A./S. sweep - Mediterranean. Sighted large German U-Boat on surface. Attacked with D.Cs and machine-guns for 45 minutes killing 50% of crew. U-Boat then surrendered and we returned to Maison BLanc (Algiers) for Naval assistance. Returned to U-Boat with destroyer to escort it into Algiers. Just before destroyer arrived U-Boat was torpedoed by an Albacore (Did we run the F.A.A. down!!!), Returned to Maison Blanc.’

Here, then, what might have amounted to one of the most important incidents of the War, but for an over-zealous Albacore pilot. Seek and Strike, by Andrew Hendrie, takes up the story:

‘On the 17th, an anti-submarine sweep was laid on using five Hudsons operating from Tafaraouri, and which included ‘Z’ captained by Squadron Leader Patterson, the O.C. of B Flight. All five aircraft were airborne just after 0800 hours. Patterson on sighting a surfaced U-boat, attacked with three depth charges which straddled the vessel causing it to lift out of the water at the bows. The Hudson followed with a second attack using an anti-submarine bomb and machine-gun fire, as by this time some of the U-boat’s crew had emerged from the conning tower.

Sergeant Young, the Captain of ‘C’, now arrived on the scene and also attacked using three depth charges and machine-gun fire.

A final attack on the U-boat was made by Flight Lieutenant Barwood with the release of four more depth charges from Hudson L/500. Both Barwood and Young then left the scene. Patterson remained circling the U-boat, and again machine-gunned the vessel. Shortly afterwards black smoke was seen coming from the stern of the U-boat. Several of the crew were by now on its deck and waving white pieces of material in token of surrender. Squadron Leader Patterson had transmitted a radio report, but having received no reply, at 1327 hours flew to Maison Blanche and informed the Naval authorities there. They arranged to send a destroyer to the scene of the surrender. A Hurricane fighter took off with the Hudson to confirm the surrender. The U-boat crew were by now sitting on boxes on the deck of their vessel and were obviously waiting to be rescued.

At this stage, three official versions differ in their emphasis. The squadron records report the arrival of a Martlet, Swordfish and Albacore, and refer to the attempts made by 500 Squadron aircrew to signal by ‘V/S’ - (probably Aldis lamp) and signal cartridges. Captain Roskill, R.N., refers to naval aircraft from H.M.S. Formidable not seeing the surrender signals and sinking the U-boat by torpedo. This torpedo was (vide 500 Squadron records) released by the Albacore. Some survivors from the U-boat were rescued by a Walrus amphibian.

Coastal Command give a terse ‘Hudsons Z, L, C/500’ shared with the F.A.A.’ in referring to the sinking of U-331 east of the Straits of Gibraltar.

RAF aircrew may well have asked, ‘Why could the Royal Navy not see the type of signal they themselves advocated, i.e. visual signals?’ (even if the men sitting on the deck of the U-boat showing white flags could not be seen). The redeeming features of this incident are firstly the masterly attack by Squadron Leader Patterson, and then his regard for a defeated enemy. ‘In victory - magnanimity.’

In fact No. 500 Squadron’s O.R.B. reveals a rather more serious allegation being levelled at the Fleet Air Arm, namely its actions ‘could only be termed as cold blooded murder’.

While the recommendation for Patterson’s D.S.O. states:

‘Still again, on 17 November 1942, Squadron Leader Patterson sighted another fully surfaced U-Boat twenty miles away, when he was flying at 9,000 feet. He immediately dived to attack, caught the enemy unawares, and dropped four depth charges which straddled the target. The Rear Gunner saw the stern of the U-Boat lift from the sea from this attack. Squadron Leader Patterson then saw that the U-Boat had been seriously damaged by his depth charges, the conning tower being stoved in, and that the crew were preparing to man the guns. He successfully prevented this by continuous attacks, killing many of the crew. The U-Boat was then attacked by another aircraft and eventually surrendered.’
 
17 December 1942: A./S. sweep. Sighted and attacked large Italian submarine which was co-operating wit a Cant 1007. Aircraft was shot down by W-500 (F./L. Holmes). No survivors’.

Squadron records state of this action:

‘Special A./S. reconnaissance. Aircraft ‘Z’ [Patterson and Burrell] delivered an attack on a large Italian submarine, identified as one of the Ballila class. The submarine remained on the surface and four depth charges were released across the U-Boat’s track and were observed to straddle it. After the attack, which all the crew thought a good one, the submarine continued on its course and submerged very slowly. Squadron Leader Patterson believes that the depth charges were not effective against a submarine of such solid construction.’

Patterson’s D.S.O. recommendation states:

‘Again, on 17 December 1942, Squadron Leader Patterson attacked an Italian U-Boat of the Ballila class. His depth charges were again dropped with great accuracy and straddled the target which must have caused some damage to a submarine even of this size.’

A few days later, Patterson and his crew were called to the assistance of the torpedoed Strathallan, a terrible sight with the ship on fire from stem to stern and the sea crowded with lifeboats and rafts.

In due course Patterson was gazetted for a well-earned D.S.O. (London Gazette 16 February 1943 refers), but for the equally gallant Burrell there was to be no reward, an extraordinary oversight in view of such an exceptional career - indeed by the time he departed the Squadron in April 1943, he has amassed nearly 500 hours of operational flying. Instead, he ended the War with the sole entitlement of the 1939-45 Star, Air Crew Europe Star, clasp Atlantic, Africa Star, and the Defence and War Medals, having in the interim been employed at Boscpombe Down.

It is believed that all four of the recipient’s U-Boat engagements led to confirmed victories