Sunderland DW110

 The Times 10th April 1944

Flight Lieutenant Howard Charles Sheffield Armstrong DFC killed in action, was born in 1919 in Tonbridge. His home was at Chislehurst Kent. Educated at Repton School, he entered the RAF as a pupil in 1939 and was commissioned the same year. He received the DFC in December, 1943, in recognition of his fine operational record of a captain of aircraft with No. 228 Squadron. While on an anti-submarine patrol in the Bay of Biscay in the previous September he sighted two dinghies, containing survivors of an aircraft. He reported to his base, and, obtaining the necessary permission, landed successfully on the open sea and rescued 12 survivors. The occupants of the dinghies had tried to deter him from landing as there was a 30ft swell, but in spite of this he suceeded in taking off without incident. The whole operation was only made possible by his admirable coolness and skill.

Flight Lieutenant Howard Charles Sheffield Armstrong was the son of Charles Sheffied Armstrong and Catherine Myfanwy Armstrong of Carlisle - he is buried in Dalston Rd Cemetery Carlisle.

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This extract is taken from John Quinns "Down in a Free State"

The Skipper of the Sunderland DW110 was Howard Armstrong who had recived his DFC for the rescue of a Canadian Air Crew in the Bay of Biscay on the 6th September 1943. The sea off the North Atlantic can be turbulent and as Jim Gilchrist, who was on Armstrong's crew that day stated "We landed in the trough of the huge rolling swell for which the Bay of  Biscay is renowned and managed to rescue all twelve young men, Our take off was breathtaking"

He paid tribute to Armstrong for skill and daring in an Epic rescue.

It is believed that most of the crew on DW110 were also involved in this rescue.

Another extract from the same book.

Don Wells from Canada one of the rescued that day tells about the rescue.

A wing came up and we were afraid it was too tough to attempt a landing.  We tried to wave him off but the pilot found the right trough and dropped it like a real pro. We were all rather weak after three days of soaking in salt water and had to be helped into the aircraft.  I was given a cup of tea and place in the bomb bay with my back to the wall. The take-off was awesome, we were sure the aircraft would come apart but the pilot finally got it into the air and set course for home.

The flight was not entirely uneventful as we came a bit close to Brest (it was dark at that time) and the Anti-aircraft gunners had a go at us.  Not too long after we were landing at Pembroke Dock.  The aircraft was out of fuel and the tide was out as well.  After an interminable wait we were towed to the pier and managed to climb to the top of a lot of steps and walk a very long way to dry land.