We fly to save
BV417 & BV411
Both BV417 & BV411 worked with 281 Sqn out of Wick, NE Scotland & both flown by the same crew. These aircraft were used for Air Sea Rescue, looking for ditched aircrew well out into the Atlantic or in the North Sea over to Norway & Denmark.
Many aircrews owe their lives to these large but lightly armed aircraft, and brave crews, who would fly in all weathers and risking contact with enemy fighters to drop a liftboat that would offer more chance and hope than the flimsy rubber liferafts that most aircraft carried !.
A dropped airborne lifeboat lifeboat set up being tested
BV417 (P4)
One of the groups most important and exciting projects for 2009 is the hunt for the wreck of Warwick BV417 which ditched into Scapa Flow on 10th June 1944. F/O Jack Murray and his crew left Wick on 9th June 1944 to search for a Catalina belived to have been shot down by a U Boat 120 miles north of Shetland. Late that night the search was called off with nothing found, BV417 started her long trip back to Wick. At 12.45 next morning while over Orkney they suffered an engine faliure and F/O Murray dumped his lifeboat and then skillfully brought his aircraft down into the waters of Scapa Flow.
All the crew survived and the group are in touch with two of them, Ted Russell and Cledwyn Evans who have added so much to this project.
After many hours research looking through ships logs and reports we now have very good idea of where this aircraft will be.
This picture shows a Warwick with the lifeboat under the bomb bay.
(Photo Ted Russell)
The above photograph shows the crew of BV417 & later BV411 in front of their Warwick BV417.
L to R: Obs. F/O John Bartholomew, 2nd Pilot H.Bath, W/AG F/Sgt Ted Russell, Pilot F/O Jack Murray, W/AG F/Sgt Cledwyn Evans, W/AG F/Sgt Colin Acton & F/O C.H. Haywood.
Note: H.Bath was not on BV417.
photo Ted Russell
Pilot F/O Jack Murray
12/9/2009. ARGOS reports with great sadness that Sgt Colin Acton, Wireless Op/Air Gunner in F/O Jack Murray`s crew from Warwicks BV411 & BV417 passed away on 3/9/2009 aged 86, he was the youngest member of the crew.
Sgt Colin Acton.
Above: The Airborne Lifeboat from Warwick BV417 now in Lyness, having been modified somewhat from it`s original status, fibre glassed, renamed ZULU and used as a sailing boat. For years it lay on a trailer at Ness Point, Stromness where it unfortunatly broke its back but was saved ten years ago it now lays in a shed at the museum badly in need of some TLC. Photo: Kevin Heath.
BV411 B4
BV411 was lost off Sumburgh, Shetland and once again all the crew survived.
The Aircraft took off from Sumburgh and almost immediatly an engine caught fire ! F/O Jack Murray, once again skillfully brought BV411 back to the airstrip and managed a crash landing but the aircraft shot off the end of the runway and into the sea breaking up on the rocks in shallow water. All of the crew climbed out of the burning aircraft and crawled over the slippery rocks back to shore!
(Ted Russell)
The crew on B4 at Sumburgh were. Jack Murray, John E.Bartholomew, Cledwyn Evans
and Ted Russell plus three passengers who were being giving a lift to Wick. 1011532 Cpl
Lyon. 1030325 Cpl Rodber and 1340765 Lac Shields.
TED RUSSELL` S ACCOUNT. BV411 Sumburgh September 14th 1944.
"We took off at 18.25hrs en route to Wick. I was in the second pilots seat, it was rough With lots of vibration, not unusual as we had brakes on and plenty of revs to commence our run with the restrictions at Sumburgh. We started to climb and I Noticed the oil pressure dropping on the Port engine together with a temperature Rise. Jack said" he was going to feather the Engine "and I said "I am out of here on to Radio, do you want emergency "Jack said "yes", so I went on the set and sent out the Distress signals and fixed down the key, The crew were told to get into crash Positions and we instructed our passengers to do the same. I then changed the signal to S.O.S.
Jack was keeping me informed of height etc, then told me get rid of fuel he was going to try and make it back. Fire started on the remaining engine and started to come down the fuselage on the Starboard side. We did not have the height to use the long runway, so came in sea to sea with a strong cross tail wind, we could not sit down until about two thirds had gone, we tried to raise the undercarriage but it would not fold because of the hydraulic lock, after much stabbing of brakes one wheel went up,we carried on like that loosing bits and went over the grass then stalled more or less onto very large rocks that took off the outer wings, front turret, wind screen. Instrument Panel a wheel and bomb bay overload tank.
When we stopped the port engine was off and all after the mid up turret broke off and turned up 90o. I got the airman on the floor near me up, moved to the Navs compartment and there was Bart on the floor ( in his crash position ) with all his gear and table on top of him. I lifted that off him and stood him up under the Astro dome gave him a shove and followed so fast I hit my head on his boots. I should mention that the flames were blowing over the hatch and the sea was on fire. The tide was further in than when the photo' was taken but I still wonder how we missed the bolts that should have been holding the engine on we could not swim or stand up due to the rocks and seaweed, but we crawled very fast. I put my hand on the airman's shoulder on the beach, his great coat was like tar and just crumbled away, he was more concerned about loosing the fresh crofters eggs he was taking home to his Mother!!. It was his first flight, I believe he went to Wick on an old Jarrow (Handley Page Harrow) they used for the newspaper run and it crash landed, Wonder if he ever flew again. I still can't believe how lucky we were to get out without to many injuries or burns".
Ted Russell 281 Squadron R.A.F. Coastal Command 18 Group.
David Earl went to look for BV411 and was informed by a local airport worker that the crash site is now under the extended airstrip at Sumburgh Airport! This runway runs E to W and it was the eastern end that was extended,but we have still to establish which runway was used by BV411 for if NE to SW was used then there is still a possibility that the Warwick ditched on the NE side of the runway and there could still be some remains.
