Coastal Command | A day in the life of a Sunderland flying boat (1942)
Channel: Armoured Archivist
Date: 28/06/2023

The work of Coastal Command is illustrated by this story (published November 1942) of a single (fictional) operation, and of the various ground and flying personnel involved, particularly the crew of Sunderland 'T for Tommy'.
The crew is introduced in the course of a routine convoy-escort patrol, which is uneventful for them though their relief (a Catalina) sinks a U-boat. The main story concerns the shadowing of a German raider (the Düsseldorf) and the Coastal Command attacks which leave it ready for a naval death blow. The raider's attempted break-out is first spotted by a Catalina, which watches a torpedo attack by Beauforts from Iceland before turning for home. 'T for Tommy', the relief 'shadow', briefly loses the Düsseldorf but then guides in a Hudson bombing strike. Flying low to spot damage, the Sunderland is itself damaged by flak; returning home it is attacked by four Ju 88s. Rescue arrives, first with another Sunderland, then four Beaufighters. 'T for Tommy' gets home with two crew members injured; a closing sequence shows its departure for duty in West Africa.

https://film.iwmcollections.org.uk/record/470