It is an extract of the ORB that I acquired some years ago, but having placed a specific emphasis upon missions involving my great uncle Fred (Copp) This would appear to cover all of Fred's flights, Jim Gilchrist and Cyril Greenwood completed 20 missions together. Howard Armstrong was the skipper on 18 of these missions with Vince Wareing completing 14, Flt Lt Maurice Gillingham 2 and Flt Sgt Fred Green RCAF being on his first flight (having replaced the sick WO H Holdsworth.
I believe Flt Lt Haseldine may have completed his operational tours as he does not appear again in the papers that I have. Flt Lt Majendie was a veteran of the crew who continued to operate for some time after Armstrong took over the captaincy and he was involved in the rescue of Sept 43 - he appears to have left the crew in Dec 43. Sparse details of the rescue are recorded but do not quite reflect the sea conditions as relayed in Andrew Hendrie's book 'Short Sunderland in World war Two'
(From Glyn Nation (Fred Copps Gt Nephew).
A/C No. JM679 13 Aug 1943
Anti-submarine patrol
Crew: (Captian) - F/O A T Haseldine, F/L A M Majendie, P/O M Wareing, P/O J Trull, P/O A Gray, P/O C Kelly, Sgt C Greenwood, Sgt J Gilchrist, Sgt J Parsons, F/Sgt J Richardson, Sgt F Copp.
FLIGHT International, 5 February 1970 records
"Mr A. M. A. Majendie
We regret to record the death, on February 1, of Mr A. M. A. Majendie MA, FRAes, FinstNav, FRGS, at the age of 49. Mr Majendie was chairman of the Civil Air Transport Training Board.
Mr Majendie's varied career in aviation began during his wartime service in the RAF, which
he joined on leaving King's College, Cambridge, in 1940.
He became a 1 QFI in the RAF, " served with Coastal Command, had a tour of test flying in the Middle East and ferried flying boats. He was mentioned in despatches.
His flying-boat experience stood him in good stead when he joined BOAC in 1946. In eight years with the corporation Capt Majendie rose to become flight captain Comet fleet (1951) and commanded the world's first scheduled passenger-jet service, from Heathrow to Johannesburg on May 2, 1952, in a Comet 1"
8 Sep 43 in aircraft R/228 (JM679) Rescue Mission when Armstrong got the DFC
F/Lt. Armstrong, F/Lt Majendine, F/O Wareing, F/O Trull, F/O Kelly, F/S Richardson, Sgt Copp, Sgt Parsons, Sgt Greenwood, F/S Robey,W/O Holdsworth,Sgt Gilchrist.
The sea rescue was 8.9.43 in R/228.He picked up 12 survivors from P/422. On his way back he sighted another 6 men and dropped them rations and radioed Base. They were in a dinghy.
So, its seems they did fly again with parts of the crew on occasion. I would imagine that the crews chopped and changed somewat on a daily basis as operational needs arose.
From Dennis Burke and Eric Harrison (ex 228 Squadron)
These would have been in JM679 a Mk2 Sunderland, they took control of DW110 in December and that was a Mk3. We are building an ORB up so if you have any snippets please let me know.
Dyan