What an amazing thread!

Sgt Terence John (Jack) Culnane was my uncle and an older brother to my late father who also served in Bomber Command (RAF Dishforth) during the War. The family story has it that Jack died from exposure in the dinghy; I now wonder if his parents had ever been told this version? I know my late father would have been shocked.

Only a few years there was an article on the RAFA Stornoway website about this mission with a photograph of the crew. I downloaded the photo and my father was delighted to see Jack’s memory was being kept alive by others. He was by then a little vague but he said that Jack was in some way a special navigator (?) with some sort of special skill or knowledge….

It was the age of “stiff upper lip” etc and my own father refused to discuss his own service experiences even with my mother. He only said that he flew over the N Sea in planes that had all their windows blacked out. We have assumed these were some experimental activities…. However in later years and shortly before his death he let slip that on one flight his plane had crashed and there were fatalities – whether from enemy action remains a mystery – any assistance by pointing me in the direction of places that might help me shed light on this would be gratefully received.