Your Memory is slipping hampten98

http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?112174-Sqn-Ldr-Brian-Lane-DFC-memorial-service-and-blue-plaque&highlight=brian+lane

Please can we have an easier question.
It is defiantly a BSA gun. The three rifles motif show that, but when it was made is anyone’s guess.:apologetic:

By the outbreak of the Second World War, BSA Guns Ltd at Small Heath, was the only factory producing rifles in the UK. The Royal Ordnance Factories did not begin production until 1941. BSA Guns Ltd was also producing .303 Browning machine guns for the Air Ministry at the rate of 600 guns per week in March 1939 and Browning production was to peak at 16,390 per month by March 1942.

Hi Rob,

Notes on services from RNLI Rescue Records 1939-46

13th May 1943

42-29752, B-17F-70-BO

MAY 1 3TH. – SHERINGHAM, NORFOLK.
At about 4.45 P.M. information was received that an aeroplane had come
down in the sea off Blakeney Point. The weather was fine with a strong S.W. breeze and a choppy sea. An exercise of the lifeboat had just been carried out by the District Inspector of Life-boats, Commander T. G. Michelmore, R.D., R.N.R., and when permission to launch had been given by the naval authorities the motor life-boat Foresters Centenary put out again at 5.3 P.M. Guided by a smoke float, dropped by a searching aeroplane, the life-boat picked up an American airman at 6.20 P.M. He was unconscious and though the crew tried artificial respiration for over two hours, they could not revive him. Another airman had been rescued by the R.A.F. rescue launch from
Wells, and she spoke to the life-boat and reported that the others had baled out over the land, and that the whole crew of the aeroplane were accounted for. The lifeboat then returned to her station, arriving at 8.30 P.M. – Rewards, £19 18s. 9d.

More to follow

Ross

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/story_of_remarkable_courage_and_tragedy_emerges_as_divers_discover_wreck_of_flying_fortress_off_north_norfolk_coast_1_4329118

Could not work out why the waist gunner was injured in EDP version.
But this version sounds better.

Shortly after taking off from Grafton Underwood the left waist gun, stored internally, accidently discharged while being checked by the gunner. The bullets injured the gunnner and seriously injured the tailgunner, as well as shooting away the right stabiliser and damaging the controls. Returning to base six crew members, included the two injured gunners, baled out safely. A/c was flown to the Wash area of the North Sea, where the bombs were jettisoned and the navigator and bombardier baled out safely. The pilot and co-pilot came down in the sea off Blakeney Point, Norfolk.

Crew list: P Capt Derrol W Rogers, CP 2 Lt Norville J Gorse, N 1 Lt Joe L Hudson, B 1 Lt George D Rawlings, E T/Sgt Basil F Maxwell, RO T/Sgt Robert L Bennett, BTG S/Sgt Alfred G Miles, WG S/Sgt Edwin C Wolfkuhle, WG S/Sgt Robert Dominick, TG S/Sgt Edward C Youngers

The bombardier 1st Lt George D. Rawlings, didn’t do much more flying during the war either. After attending a memorial service for Capt. Rogers, he was called to fill in for a sick bombardier on another crew and was shot down on 17 MAY 43 on a mission to Lorient. Total war service, two take offs, no landings, shot down twice in 4 days. Spent the rest of the war in Stalag Luft III. Continued in the Air Force and served in both Korean and Vietnam. Retired as Colonel in 1972.

I think the real reason is that the Debden history on that site starts in 1942, after the Americans took over, as many English men are noted on there. Including Flight Lieutenant Edward G. Brettell RAF 133 Squadron.

http://www.americanairmuseum.com/aircraft/18310

Thanks Adrian.
Strange I can’t find either man or planes listed on ARM.

Paul. I know exactly how you and your wife feel. It is a tremendous loss to lose a pet you love and who loves you. I also apologise if this post brings more tears to your eyes, but I am sure that Becky is at the Rainbow Bridge playing with all the other pets and my boys.

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together….
Author unknown…

Didn’t Realise it was a question.
But the answer is
October 14, 1943, when the Allied air forces suffered large losses during bombing in the Second Raid on Schweinfurt during World War II
And the next Black Thursday will be
The night of 16/17 December 1943, when RAF Bomber Command losses during the Berlin bombing campaign were particularly high due to combat losses and bad weather over home airfields.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Thursday

Mess bf 109 Range 528 mls.
Fw 190 Range 500 mls.

Stravanger Norway to Isle of Arran 470 mls.
Cherboug France to I of A 437 mls.
Calais France to I of A 433 mls.

Perhaps the pilot was in the sea as he had ran out of fuel.

Stravanger to Scapa flow = 309 mls.
Scapa Flow to Isle of Arran = 217 mls.
Strange that that works out at 528 mls.

Where your thinking is going wrong is the word Range.

Range = Distance an aircraft can fly between take off and landing.

Combat Radius = is a related measure based on the maximum distance a warplane can travel from its base of operations, accomplish some objective, and return to its original airfield with minimal reserves.

Therefore the Isle of Arran fits nicely into the area where an aircraft from France or Norway would run out of fuel.

Mothminor Just a shame you did not take a photo of the file then we could possible find out when it happened, what the weather was like and what areas were being attacked.