The first entry in this page of the log book has always struck me as rather poignant: it's for an Air Sea Rescue search for H/95, and noted as unsuccessful. On the opposite page, it's recorded as an 11hr 35m flight, 8hrs 35mins of which are recorded as being at night.
Bathurst 30th April - 07:17hrs
DV956 H/95 (F/L MA Wood and crew) on A/S patrol, ditched after engine failure. Messages sent from crew in dinghy, but unable to immediately able to locate.
The aircraft was lost but all crew were rescued by Portuguese M/V GUINE and landed on CAPE VERDI ISLANDS, from which they returned to base on 12.5.45, in Chasseur 72.
After several search patrols, W6076 D/95 (F/O A Gardner and crew) on ASR Search for H/95 picked up message stating that all crew "H" safe on board MV "GUINE"
Another entry, in November 1944, reads: "AIR SEA RESCUE USAAF DAKOTA, WRECKAGE OFF C. BALD"
That was a 7 hour 25 minute day time flight
Log entry - Alan Gardner
Flying Logs
(Click images to view enlarged)
Alan Gardner D/95
Sunderland D/95
Painted by Charles Morton
in 1999 for Alan Gardner
(Courtesy of his son Chris Gardner)