DIARY
Ray's diary commences on June 2nd 1943 with the account of the flight home after Sunderland N/461 was attacked by eight Junkers JU88 fighters while over the Bay of Biscay. Whether or not Ray ever kept another diary is not known. Officially diarys were considered a security risk and against regulations as they could fall into enemy hands and reveal information that may be useful in time of war. Unofficially, many were kept...
'Doc' Watson warned me we might have to ditch at any time said he would bang on the turret doors if we had to go down into the drink. On the way back I was startled to see large objects some shiny apparently breaking away from the plane, dropping behind and hitting the sea some distance from the plane, some of the crew were throwing everything movable to lighten the plane, Phil Turner was even going round with an axe cutting things off the plane all our personal gear went over the side.
Three hundred miles to go, one motor burnt out & the prop dropped off, the kite riddled with holes, elevators damaged, one chain on the rudder shot to pieces. Wireless U.S., a cannon shell exploded in it, instruments all U.S., even the Marine Distress Signals riddled (lucky they didn't explode). Still we made the English Coast good navigation by Ken Simpson, Astro Nav & a second compass, even though Ken had been wounded.
The Skipper F/L Walker made a 'wizard' landing on a wild looking rocky cliff lined coast. We got up through the Astro Hatch onto the wings; one dinghy inflated, another was riddled with holes; then the Skipper decided to beach the 'kite', & we came down inside the plane again, touched the sand & we got through the Galley Hatch into four feet of water & waded ashore.
On the Beach (Praa Sands, in South Cornwall), we turned round looked at the plane & went back to try & salvage as much as we could. Ted Miles body was first brought ashore, we all placed our May Wests over him, & I spread our Australian Flag over the top. Quite a lot of local people had by this time come down to the beach & helped us, one woman was walking round with a Whisky Bottle asking if anyone would like a drink.
Original
(Size 100kb)
Can't say how much we appreciated their kindness & hospitality to us all, particularly Mr & Mrs Billingsley & their daughter Mrs Sandon who gave us all dry socks & slippers, & prepared a wonderful meal. I'm afraid none of us wanted anything to eat, but we did drink a lot of coffee. One of the women dressed Ken's leg, later on Ken, Harry, & I were taken in an ambulance to "Domain" Hospital Mullion, Sth Cornwall, a R.A.F. Hospital from Predannack R.A.F. Station, Nth Helston Sth Cornwall. Into bed but did not sleep too well... cont.