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John Cruickshank | Flight Lieutenant John Cruickshank VC Joined the Territorial Army in April 1939 and was mobilized for active service at the outbreak of World War II. He served mostly in south east England. In July 1941 he transferred to the RAF for aircrew duties, undergoing pilot training with the US Navy at Pensacola, Florida and gaining his pilot's wings in June 1942. Following a short period with the RAF Ferry Command in Canada and further operational training in the UK he joined 210 Sqdn based at Pembroke Dock, South Wales and later Poole Bay, Dorset. As captain of a Catalina flying boat, he carried out Anti-U-boat patrols in the Bay of Biscay and the Eastern Atlantic Ocean until December 1943. During this period, he carried out a detachment to Gibraltar for similar duties. In early 1944 elements of his Sqdn were moved to Sullom Voe in the Shetland Islands for Anti U-boat duties and General Maritime Reconnaissance in northern waters. In mid July 1944, while on an Anti U-boat patrol west of the Lofoten Islands, they sighted and attacked a surfaced German U-boat. During the attack, the aircraft received extensive damage from the U-boat's armaments also suffering crew casualties. The aircraft remained airborne and returned to base. For this action three members of the crew were decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Distinguished Flying Medal, and the Victoria Cross. Following this episode, Cruickshank became tour expired and moved to staff duties at Headquarters, Coastal Command, Northwood, near London. He was released from active service in early 1946 and returned to a civilian occupation. |
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Text for the above items : |
Black Cat, Indian Ocean, 1944 by David Pentland. A Catalina flying boat of the Royal Air Force shown at anchor in the Indian Ocean at night. |
Heading for the Convoys by Stephen Brown. RAF Catalinas of 210 Squadron over the West Coast of Scotland in 1944. The Consolidated Catalina PBY-5 proved invaluable to the RAF in its efforts to defend the vital convoys from the threat of enemy submarines, particularly during the Battle of the Atlantic. |
Catalina Attack by John Wynne Hopkins. D for Donald of 270 squadron, Royal Air Force, out of Freetown, West Africa operating in the Atlantic Ocean. It was during routine operation search that D for Donald surprised U515 on the surface and immediately attacked the submarine. U515 in putting up stiff resistance blew a large hole in the hull of D for Donald and the magazine of the starboard side 0.5 twin Browning was hit and the subsequent shrapnel wounded both blister gunners. U515 escaped but was sunk by an American naval hunter group a year later. D for Donald limped back to base and managed to make the beach before it would sink completely. |
On the Prowl by Timothy OBrien. Royal Air Force catalina over flys a Royal Navy Cruiser of Gibraltar while on patrol. |
Catalina Crescendo by Ivan Berryman. No text for this item |
Clipped Signature - John Cruickshank. Transferred to the RAF in 1941 and joined No.210 Sqn as a captain of a Catalina flying boat. On a patrol in 1944, his crew spotted and attacked a surfaced U-Boat, an action during which the aircraft was damaged and the crew suffered casualties. John Cruickshank got his aircraft back to base and for this action he was awarded the Victoria Cross. |
Constant Endeavour by Michael Rondot. No text for this item |
By Dawn's Light by Ivan Berryman. The Consolidated Model 28 PBY Catalina was so successful in its definitive form that it went on to become the most extensively built flying boat of all time. Here, a 210 Squadron Catalina Mk IVA from RAF Sullom Voe, Shetland, has located two weary downed aircrew, drained but grateful after a long night in the North Atlantic swell. |
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