1940-08-22, Swordfish I
1940-08-22, 12.00, Swordfish I, L2819, 812 Sqdr., Lt.(A) N.M. Hearle, Goederede
No german fighter claims that day on a Swordfish. Probably hit by Flak or engine failure.
Target: Mine laying operation coast of Schouwen-Duiveland and Goeree
Information revealed by W. de Meester however indicating that this crash must have taken place in the Oosterschelde;
"According to KTB Marine Artillery Rgt 22 (RM45/II/268) two British airmen were found floating in a dinghy off Zierikzee. Both men were subsequently transferred to Luftgau Holland. Interrogation revealed that they had to make an emergency landing at sea owing to bad weather.
One week later (30 August) Außenstelle Veere spotted the wreckage near the Sandbank Neeltje Jans (Oosterschelde) and succeeded in securing instruments and 2 MG's.
Lt. Nathaniel Martin Heale and Sub-Lt. Rupert L.G.Davies went to Stalag Luft III Sagan."
As a result this crash is outside our initial investigation area. I will leave it on the site out of respect for both airmen.
Operation.
In April 1940 Swordfish attached to the Royal Air Force (RAF) Coastal Command were operating out of the UK on mine-laying missions against German ports. A single 680 kilogram (1,500 pound) mine could be carried on the centerline of a Swordfish. The next month, the Nazi "Blitzkrieg" against the Low Countries and France forced the British to call on every resource they had to stave off disaster. Four squadrons of Swordfish in all were attached to Coastal Command and put to every task for which they were capable: mine-laying, bombing of naval and ground targets, spotting, and reconnaissance.
From May 1940 onwards into the succeeding months, Swordfish squadrons were loaned to RAF Coastal Command and conducted mine-laying operations and convoy patrols in the English Channel and North Sea against German, Dutch, Begian and French ports. The Nazi "Blitzkrieg" against the Low Countries and France forced the RAF and FAA to call on every resource they had to stave off complete disaster; four squadrons of Swordfish in all were attached to RAF Coastal Command operating out of RAF Thorney Island, RAF North Coates, RAF Detling, RAF Manston, and were put to every task for which they were capable: mine-laying, bombing of naval and ground targets, spotting, and reconnaissance often flying individually with pilot and observer alone throughout the night. With the threat of invasion from Europe these four squadrons were called upon to bomb the build up of invasion barges in enemy ports and to lay mines in the harbours. Their task went on into the Battle of Briatin period from July till October 1940.
NM Hearle RN
Squadron: 812
Ship/Air Station: RAF North Coates
Captured: 22.8.1940
L/Cdr N M Hearle. RN
The tragic story of Lt/Cdr N M Hearle's death is documented underneath. He had a very unlucky naval career; being taken prisoner of war after a mine-laying operation off Holland in August 1940 flying a Swordfish of 812 Squadron, and was not released until the end of the war in 1945.
His Observer on this operation was the well known film actor Rupert Davies, better known for his role as the pipe-smoking French detective Inspector Maigret, in the popular TV series of the 1960's. Both were interned in the notorious Stalag Luft III Concentration Camp and were actively involved in the escape tunnelling as shown in the film 'The Great Escape'.
bron : http://www.hmstheseus.co.uk/Sword.htm
Name: HEARLE, NATHANIEL MARTIN
Initials: N M
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Lieut-Commander
Regiment/Service: Royal Navy
Unit Text: H.M.S. Theseus
Age: 32
Date of Death: 20/07/1947
Additional information: Son of Kathleen May Hearle, of Malvern Link, Worcestershire.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Bay 6, Panel 7.
Memorial: LEE-ON-SOLENT MEMORIAL
Source: CWGC
Lt Cdr N M Hearle's POW Documents
A letter home.
It could be said that fate wasn't very kind to Lt Cdr Nat Hearle. He was taken POW after a mine-laying operation off Holland in July 1940 flying a Swordfish of 812 Squadron. He was released at the end of the war in 1945.
Rejoining 812 Squadron (Fireflies) 1st Oct 1946 as Senior Pilot the squadron embarked in HMS Theseus Feb 1947 for a Far Eastern Tour. 20th July 1947 saw the squadron carrying out flying exercises over Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne, Australia. Whilst joining up in formation, another aircraft tragically collided with Lt Cdr Hearle. The two aircraft locked together in mid-air and spiralled into the sea. All four crew members were killed instantly. Lt Cdr Hearle's body was recovered and re-buried at sea the next day.
http://www.hmstheseus.co.uk/hearle.htm
THE FUNERAL OF LT/CDR N.M. HEARLE
& ORDINARY SEAMAN ANTHONY ELI AUGUSTUS TIMMONS
In Memory of
Lieut-Commander NATHANIEL MARTIN HEARLE
H.M.S. Theseus, Royal Navy
who died age 32
on 20 July 1947
Son of Kathleen May Hearle, of Malvern Link, Worcestershire.
Remembered with honour
LEE-ON-SOLENT MEMORIAL
THESE OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE FLEET AIR ARM DIED IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY AND HAVE NO GRAVE BUT THE SEA.
Rupert Davies (22 May 1916 – 22 November 1976) was a British actor. He remains best known for playing the title role in the BBC's 1960s televisionadaptation of Maigret, based the Maigret novels written by Georges Simenon.
Davies was born in Liverpool. After serving in the British Merchant Navy, during the Second World War he served as a Sub-Lieutenant Observer with theFleet Air Arm. In 1940 the 'Swordfish' in which he was flying ditched in the sea off the Dutch Coast. Davies was captured and interned in the famous Stalag Luft III POW camp. He made three attempts to escape. All failed. It was during his captivity that he began to take part in theatre performances, entertaining his fellow prisoners. He also played a role in the Great escape from Stalag Luft III by given cover to the tunneling activities.
The prisoners soon ran out of places to hide the sand coming from the tunnels and snow cover made it impractical to scatter it over the ground. Underneath the seats in the theatre was a huge enclosed area, but the theatre had been built using tools and materials supplied on parole and the parole system was regarded as inviolate - such equipment was never used for other purposes. Internal "legal advice" was taken, and the SBOs decided that the theatre itself did not fall under the parole system. Seat 13 was hinged and the sand problem solved. The theater team had to cover these activities and therefore rehursed daily for new shows.
On his release, Davies resumed his career in acting almost immediately, starring in an ex Prisoner Of War show, 'Back Home', which was hosted at the Stoll Theatre, London.
After the war Davies became a staple of British television appearing in numerous plays and series, including Quatermass II, Ivanhoe, Emergency - Ward 10,Danger Man, The Champions and Doctor at Large (1971). He also provided the voice of "Professor Ian McClaine" in the Gerry Anderson series Joe 90.
In 1964 he became the first person to be awarded Pipe Smoker of the Year.
Davies also played supporting roles in many films, appearing briefly as George Smiley in The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965). He also appeared in several horror films in the late 1960s, including Witchfinder General (1968) and Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968), as well as such international blockbusters as Waterloo (1970) and Zeppelin (1971).
He died of cancer in London in 1976, leaving a wife, Jessica, and two sons, Timothy and Hogan, and is buried at Pistyll Cemetery, near Nefyn in North Wales.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rupert_Davies
The Sunday Express newspaper regarding the Swordfish mine laying activities in the Baltic prior too Dunkirk this is a small extract although over sixty years old and written with a certain amount of press propaganda the article gives an insight into flying in the Stringbags and the men who did it.
Just when the Blitzkrieg on Norway had started I was staying at a Coastal Command station of the RAF….. which was a regular aeronautical menagerie. The day I got there our newspapers had published maps of the new minefields blocking the German and Danish harbours in the Baltic, from which ships had to take troops to Norway.
Our people said how did our mine-layers or submarines get through the German minefields and past the German submarines and destroyers and air force to lay those mines
On the airfield was a squadron of Fairey Swordfish the machine was built for Fleet reconnaissance and as a torpedo dropper so it’s a weight lifter and its best cruising speed is that of one of the trainers one sees floating overhead. These Swordfish where however different .
Where the navigator ought to sit was an enormous petrol tank which stuck up between the pilot and the aft cockpit. The navigator had to sit with his legs underneath a mass of petrol ready to drown him in flames if an incendiary bullet caught it.
Now figure to yourself that sort of courage.
The machine outrageously overloaded
Carrying a mine which would leave nothing to pick up if it exploded and carrying a truck load of fuel to give it the thousand mile range, it’s speed such that the worst anti aircraft gunner or search light operator could hardly miss it. Its only protection against fighters the fact that it was too slow for them to stay with it and shoot at it.
‘They had none of the excitement of the single seat fighter or his interval for refreshment after a three hour patrol ,and none of the companionship of an aircraft cabin just an open cockpit and a voice at the end of a pipe or the crewman ship of the big bombers or flying boats There was “solitude a deux” for most of ten hours at a stretch .
“ they were the bravest men I have met. I have know a good many VC’s and plenty of DSO’s. none of these FAA lads had any decorations then . I hope they have got them since Nobody admires our bomber crews and coastal reconnaissance people, and our fighter pilots more than I do. But those couples in the Swordfish deserve to be recorded in history for they made so much history themselves’..........
The air station was Bircham Newton in Norfolk and the 29 nightly mine laying ops took place near the Frisian Islands.
812
squadron
Operational History and Background
PreWar Fairey Swordfish L9761 of 812 sqdn, HMS Ark Royal
At the outset of war, the squadron’s Swordfish were stationed at Dekheila, then sailed with her ship HMS Glorious to the Indian Ocean in search of enemy shipping, spending time in Ceylon and subsequently the Red Sea. On return to Malta and a refit in January 1940, the ship was recalled back to the UK for the German invasion of Norway.
The squadron was then disembarked to RAF North Coates with RAF Coastal Command and flew mining and bombing operations in coastal areas of Holland, Belgium, Germany and France, taking part in the defence of the Dunkirk evacuations.
812 squadron TAG late 1940
In March 1941 the squadron left Coastal Command, a detachment of 6 Swordfish providing anti-submarine patrols for Gibraltar convoys from HMS Argus ferrying RAF fighters to Malta.
In July 1941 the entire squadron embarked for operations to attack the Arctic Port of Petsamo from HMS Furious, and this followed with further Malta convoy duties from HMS Furious, and from September in HMS Ark Royal.
Ark Royal was torpedoed in November 1941 and the squadron regrouped at North Front, Gibraltar where the squadron received the new ASV radar which was subsequently used to make the first night sinking of a U-Boat, U-451.
Subsequently the squadron served briefly both on HMS Argus, and as shore based when 5 U-Boats were damaged.
In April 1942, the squadron returned to the UK on USS Wasp and rejoined Coastal Command in September for night operations in the English Channel. Finally merging with 811 squadron in December 1942.
In June 1944, the squadron reformed at Stretton as a Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance (TBR) squadron with 12 Barracuda IIs.
In January 1945 the squadron embarked on HMS Vengeance to the Mediterranean, sailing to join the British Pacific Fleet in July 1945 and not encountering any combat up till VJ-Day.
'No.812 Royal Navy Squadron'
(3rd April 1933 to 12th August 1946)
No.812 Squadron was first formed on the 3rd April 1933, as a Fleet Torpedo Bomber unit, combining No.461 and No.462 flights, aboard H.M.S. Glorious and then serving in the Mediterranean area. The squadron's initial aircraft, were 12 Ripons, but these were later changed to Baffins in January 1934.
At the outbreak of War in 1939, H.M.S. Glorious sailed for the Indian Ocean, searching for Merchant ships and enemy raiders. H.M.S. Glorious underwent another re-fit in January 1940 in Malta, before being called home on the German invasion of Norway. In April 1940, the squadron disembarked and joined the R.A.F. Coastal Command, for minelaying and bombing operations in the coastal area's of Holland, Belgium and France.
No.812 Squadron left Coastal Command in March 1941 and 6 of the squadron aircraft embarked on H.M.S. Argus, to provide anti-submarine protection for a convoy ferrying R.A.F. fighters to Malta. In July 1941, the whole squadron embarked on H.M.S. Furious, reducing it's strength to 9 aircraft, to take part in an attack on the Artic port of Petsamo.
This was followed by further Malta convoy escort duties, initially with H.M.S. Furious and then transferring to H.M.S. Ark Royal in September 1941. H.M.S. Ark Royal was torpedoed on the 13th November 1941 and No.812 Squadron had sufficient aircraft airborne, enabling them to subsequently regroup in Gibraltar.
While based at North Front, the Squadron received new aircraft, equipped with ASV radar and on the 21st December 1941, this was put to good use, when the first sinking of a U-boat at night was achieved, with the loss of U-451. Brief spells were spent aboard H.M.S. Argus by the squadron and during this period, the shore based aircraft damaged a further five U-boats on the surface, during anti-submarine searches. The Squadron returned to the U.K. in April 1942, aboard the American Carrier, U.S.S. Wasp.
The squadron was reduced to 6 aircraft and rejoined Coastal Command in September 1942, for night operations in the English Channel, before amalgamating with No.811 Squadron on the 18th December 1942.
No.812 Squadron was reformed on the 1st June 1944 at H.M.S. Blackcap, Stretton, as a torpedo bomber reconnaissance squadron, equipped with 12 Barracuda II's, this was increased to 16, soon afterwards. On the 13th July 1944, when the squadron were stationed at H.M.S. Jackdaw, Crail, Scotland they had their first casualties since reforming, when an aircraft crashed into a field not far from Crail. Both aircrew were killed, Pilot Petty Officer Blakey and TAG Leading Airman Sargent. Tragedy again struck on the 25th November when the squadron were stationed at H.M.S. Owl, Fearn, Scotland, when two aircraft both attempted to fill a gap, left by an unserviceable aircraft. One aircraft ascended, the other descended, one sitting on top of the other. Both aircraft crashed, killing five of the six aircrew, Pilot Petty Officer Hunt, Observer S/L. Crosthwaite, TAG Leading Airman Hughes, Pilot S/L. Muncer and TAG Leading Airman Balsam. Observer S/L. Saggs survived, with a broken back. By December 1944, the squadron reached it's full strength of 18 aircraft. After a brief spell at H.M.S. Corncrake, Ballyhalbert, Northern Ireland, (a former R.A.F. base) No.812 Squadron embarked on H.M.S. Vengeance, on the 26th January 1945 for a short time, before departing to H.M.S. Wagtail (another former R.A.F. base) at Ayr, Scotland in February 1945.
On the 27th February 1945, No.812 Squadron again embarked on H.M.S. Vengeance, forming the 11th Aircraft Carrier Squadrons, with No.1850 Squadron, who had joined the ship 2 day's earlier. The ship and squadron's were destined for the British Pacific Fleet and due to German U-boat activity in the Clyde Approaches and Irish Sea, (U- 1302) were diverted to the Mediterranean.
At 12.45hrs. on the 12th March 1945, H.M.S. Vengeance, together with other members of the 11th ACS (Aircraft Carrier Squadrons), H.M.S. Colossus, H.M.S. Glory and H.M.S. Venerable, escorted by Destroyer Escorts, H.M.S. Tartar, H.M.S. Cotton, H.M.S. Inman, H.M.S. Assiniboine, H.M.S. Stockham and H.M.S. Ulysses, left the Clyde and sailed around the North, then West coasts of Ireland towards Gibraltar. On the same day U-260 was sunk off Fastnet Rock, South of Ireland, which may have been waiting for the Fleet.
No.812 Squadron's first base on this trip, was at H.M.S. Falcon, R.N.A.S. Hal Far, Malta, which was not new to the squadron, having been based there on numerous occasions, before being reformed. Arriving at Hal Far on the 20th March 1945, the squadron continued 'working up' procedures and on the 29th March 1945, flew their first sorties over Sicily, with No.1850 Squadron as escort. On the 5th April 1945, aircraft from No.812 Squadron again escorted by No.1850 Squadron (Chance Vought Corsair's Mk.IV) flew to Syracusa, Sicily on bombing raid exercises. On the 6th April 1945, when returning from an Interception Exercise, a pilot from No.1850 Squadron had to bail out from his aircraft. The position was clearly marked and on return to Hal Far, a search for the pilot was launched. After 3 hours, the aircraft returned to Hal Far, then took off again to continue the search, using aluminium markers from 500 feet to ensure an accurate search pattern, this continued for a further 3 hours and again the aircraft returned to Hal Far and a night search commenced. The squadron encountered further casualties on this search, Pilot S/L. J. Birch, Observer S/L. D. Robins and TAG Leading Airman H. Hamill failed to return from the night search, and the Corsair Pilot, S/L. Bardner, was never found. The squadron remained at Hal Far until 23rd April 1945, when they returned to H.M.S. Vengeance in Valletta Harbour, celebrating 'VE Day' on the 8th May 1945, in Malta. The War was now officially over in Europe, although continuing in the Pacific and this is where No.812 Squadron was heading.
On the 8th June 1945, the squadron's next base was at H.M.S. Ukussa, Katukurunda, Ceylon, where they remained, until returning to H.M.S. Vengeance on the 4th July 1945.
The next base for 812 Squadron was H.M.S. Nabswick, Jervis Bay, Australia, (MONAB V) with No.1850 Squadron, arriving on the 22nd July 1945. The squadron remained there in readiness and continued practice procedures in the Pacific, until the 13th August 1945, when they returned to H.M.S. Vengeance, which was anchored in Sydney. With the end of the War imminent, there was a rush to get squadron's re-embarked onto their respective carriers. The squadron was briefed for an operation against a Japanese held Island called Truk, which was still heavily defended. Both No.812 and No.1850 Squadron's, as part of the 11th ACS (Aircraft Carrier Squadrons) was ultimately destined to cover the Invasion of Japan, should this have been required. On the 15th August 1945, (VJ-Day) the Pacific War ended, however, there was no time for celebrations, as H.M.S. Vengeance sailed from Australia, in company with H.M.S. Indomitable, H.M.S. Colossus, and H.M.S. Venerable, followed by cruisers H.M.S. Bermuda and H.M.S. Swiftsure, destroyers H.M.S. Quadrant, H.M.S. Tuscan, H.M.S. Tyrian, H.M.S. Ursa, H.M.S. Kempenfelt and H.M.S. Whirlwind.
The next base for No.812 Squadron, although very short, was Ponam in the Admiralty Isles, this was the British Pacific Fleets forward Operating Base, named H.M.S. Nabaron (MONAB IV), arriving on the 28th August 1945, 5 day's after No.1850 Squadron, and returning to H.M.S. Vengeance on the 30th August 1945.
From there, No.812 Squadron went to Hong Kong, arriving at H.M.S. Nabcatcher, Kai-Tak Airfield, (MONAB VIII) on the 8th October 1945, sometime after the arrival of No.1850 Squadron. During this time the 1st and the 11th ACS (Aircraft Carrier Squadrons) we
Specifications (Swordfish I)
Data from Fairey Aircraft since 1915
General characteristics
Crew: Three (pilot, observer, and radio operator/rear gunner)
Length: 35 ft 8 in (10.87 m)
Wingspan: 45 ft 6 in (13.87 m)
Height: 12 ft 4 in (3.76 m)
Wing area: 607 ft² (56.4 m²)
Empty weight: 4,195 lb (1,900 kg)
Loaded weight: 7,720 lb (3,500 kg)
Powerplant: 1× Bristol Pegasus IIIM.3 radial engine, 690 hp (510 kW)
Performance
Maximum speed: 139 mph (224 km/h, 121 knots) at 4,750 ft (1,450 m)
Range: 546 mi (879 km, 475 nmi) normal fuel carrying torpedo
Endurance: 5.7 hr
Service ceiling: 19,250 ft (5,870 m)
Climb to 5,000 ft (1,520 m): 10 min
Armament
Guns:
1 × fixed, forward-firing .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun in engine cowling
1 × .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis or Vickers K machine gun in rear cockpit
Rockets: 8 × "60 lb" RP-3 rocket projectiles (Mk.II and later)
Bombs: 1 × 1,670 lb (760 kg) torpedo or 1,500 lb (700 kg) mine under fuselage or 1,500 lb bombs under fuselage and wings