AIR-27-761-2 March 1941
Flying duties commenced from Freetown and Bathurst
Convoy Escort / Patrol (Sunderland & Crew)
N9090 F/O Baggott (Capt) 9 Crew
N9050 F/Lt Gibson (Capt.) 10 Crew
L5805 P/O Bailey (Capt) 8 Crew
L5805 P/O Bailey (Capt) 8 Crew
L5805 P/O Bailey (Capt) 10 Crew
N9090 F/Lt Gibson (Capt) 9 Crew
L5905 P/O Bailey (Capt) 9 Crew
AIR-27-761-3
PEMBROKE DOCK 31st March 1941
W/C PEARCE left, arriving Freetown 5th April 1941, to take over the command of 95 Sqdn from the existing CO. S/LDR LEGGATE. S/L LOMBARD resumed his duties as Flight Commander.
AIR-27-761-5
12th June 1941
Mr Harriman, President Roosvelt’s Envoy, General Rogers, U.S. Army, Colonel Jason (?), American Embassy, London & Air Commodore Thorold arrived form Bathurst by air and were shown over Hastings & Jui and given an outline of the building progress of these two stations.
Report Made by Squadron Leader J.R. Leggate, temporary Officer, 95 Squadron
for March 1941
OBJECT OF OPERATIONS
The object of the operations has been A/S escort with convoys SL.69 and SL.70 and search along shipping lines.
FORCES AT THE DISPOSAL OF THE COMMANDER
Strength of 95 Squadron
Two Sunderlands – One en route from UK
Officers 7, Airmen Pilots 1,
Officer Obs. & A.G. 4,
Sergt. A.G. 2
11 Officer. 2 W.O. 24 Sgts. 164 airmen.
AREA OF THE OPERATIONS
The two convoys with which 95 Squadron have been carrying out escort duties have left
Freetown, Sierra Leone to U.K., and have passed to the east of the Cape Verde Islands; they have been escorted as far north at parallel 16.30 NO.
(Standard 10 hour flights)
SUMMARY OF NARRATIVE EVENTS
RESULTS ACHIEVED
No enemy submarines, aircraft or ships were sighted during the period.
HEALTH OF PERSONNEL
Of 20 Personnel of the Flying Boat Control Unit which disembarked at Freetown on 25th January, 4 have or have had malaria. Of 95 Squadron who disembarked 4th March, 2 have already gone down with malaria. Added to this small knee or arm wounds are very liable to infection and take considerably longer to heal than they would in a normal climate.
ORGANISATION AND TRAINING
Accommodation. The present situation is that 60 men are billeted at an Army Camp approximately 10 miles form the main party. The main party are under canvas in the grounds of Fourah Bay College which is half a mile from the flying boat moorings.
Certain difficulties are at present being experienced in the operational control of the men but this will be relieved when in approximately one month all 95 Squadron personnel will move into Fourah Bay College which has been vacated by the College authorities for our use.
Finding solid accommodation for the men before the rains start in May has been one of the principal problems since the Squadron arrived in Freetown.
CASUALTIES
Nil
Health of Personal. Of 30 personnel of the Flying Boat Control Unit which disembarked at Freetown on 25th January, 4 have or have had malaria. Of 95 Squadron who disembarked 4th March, 2 have already gone down with malaria. Added to this small knee or arm wounds are very liable to infection and take considerably longer to heal than they would in a normal climate.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HONOURS AND AWARDS
Nil
WRITTEN AND SIGNED AT FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE, 1st April, 1941
Note: Commencement of Anti-Submarine Patrols, Convoy Escorts, Transit Recce's and Searches
« Arrival in Freetown Jan 1941 | The Search for Sunderland L5805 B/95 »
