WW2 Catalina loss near Port Etienne, Mauretania

[Icare9]

Hi, I've been contacted by a neighbour who has a metal mug with hand written label stating that it was made from part of a Catalina that crashed near Port Etienne in about 1944, killing all or most of the crew.

This tankard was made from the remains of a Catalina flying boat which was sabotaged at Port Etienne in 1944. The hand written note with the tankard says the following.

"In 1944, following the North African landings the allies swept the Vichy’ites and the Germans out of West Africa. An RAF Coastal Command base was set up at Port Etienne to launch attacks on the U boats and to escort troopships and convoys. The operations at this base were a joint British/Free French affair.

Sorties by Sunderland and Catalina flying boats were carried out. The navigator of a Catalina fell sick and a young operations controller volunteered to take his place. The plane was no sooner airborne than it exploded – killing all on board. Fragments of the plane were salvaged and made into mementoes of which this tankard is one. Sabotaged by the so-called Free French." (I think that means "Vichy")

Does anyone have any information that could lead to identification of the crew?

270 and 490 (RNZAF) appear to have been operating out of that area, but were any supplied to the Free French Air Force?

Thanks for any information.

[Icare9]

From what I've now discovered, it appears to have been a 95 Squadron aircraft. However, they had Sunderlands, but otherwise the details appear to tally. It may be that they had a Sunderland crash in the jungle, any further info appreciated.

Name: CAMPBELL, DAVID MASON. Initials: D M. Rank: Sergeant
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Unit Text: 95 Sqdn.
Age: 22. Date of Death: 05/01/1944. Service No: 1343817
Additional information: Son of Thomas G. B. and Mary E. Campbell, of Glasgow.
Memorial Reference: Panel 14, Column 2. Memorial: Malta Memorial

Name: CRATE, ROY STUART. Initials: R S. Rank: Corporal
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Unit Text: 95 Sqdn.
Age: 23. Date of Death: 05/01/1944. Service No: 753247
Additional information: Son of Harry Clifford and Edith Tremaine Crate, of Eltham, London. Alternative Commemoration - buried in Port Etienne Cemetery.
Memorial Reference: Spec. Memorial. Cemetery: St. Etienne Chapel Cemetery, Nouadihibou

Name: EWEN, THOMAS WILLIAM. Initials: T W. Rank: Sergeant (Air Gnr.)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Unit Text: 95 Sqdn.
Date of Death: 05/01/1944. Service No: 1004464
Additional information: Alternative Commemoration - buried in Port Etienne Cemetery.
Memorial Reference: Spec. Memorial. Cemetery: St. Etienne Chapel Cemetery, Nouadihibou

Name: GIBSON, GILBERT CAMERON. Initials: G C. Rank: Sergeant
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Unit Text: 95 Sqdn.
Age: 29. Date of Death: 05/01/1944. Service No: 1369021
Additional information: Son of Robert and Cissie Gibson, of Crieff, Perthshire; husband of Alice Theresa Gibson, of Crieff.
Memorial Reference: Panel 15, Column 1. Memorial: Malta Memorial

Name: MULLETT, KENNETH GILBERT. Initials: K G. Rank: Flying Officer (Nav.)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Unit Text: 95 Sqdn.
Age: 23. Date of Death: 05/01/1944. Service No: 139714
Additional information: Son of Gilbert William and Alice Kate Mullett, of Downley, Buckinghamshire. Alternative Commemoration - buried in Port Etienne Cemetery.
Memorial Reference: Spec. Memorial. Cemetery: St. Etienne Chapel Cemetery, Nouadihibou

Name: NORRIS, CHARLES ERNEST. Initials: C E. Rank: Sergeant
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Unit Text: 95 Sqdn.
Age: 31. Date of Death: 05/01/1944. Service No: 1280880
Additional information: Son of Charles and Marion Emblom Norris; husband of Doris Emilie Norris, of Boscombe, Bournemouth, Hampshire. Memorial Reference: Panel 15, Column 2. Memorial: Malta Memorial

Name: PHILLIPS, SELWYN GUY. Initials: S G. Rank: Flying Officer
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Unit Text: 95 Sqdn.
Date of Death: 05/01/1944. Service No: 142240
Additional information: Son of Henry William and Fanny Phillips, of Westminster, London. Alternative Commemoration - buried in Port Etienne Cemetery.
Memorial Reference: Spec. Memorial. Cemetery: St. Etienne Chapel Cemetery, Nouadihibou

Name: ROPER, DEREK ANTHONY. Initials: D A. Rank: Flying Officer (W.Op./Air Gnr.)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Unit Text: 95 Sqdn.
Date of Death: 05/01/1944. Service No: 142478
Additional information: Alternative Commemoration - buried in Port Etienne Cemetery.
Memorial Reference: Spec. Memorial. Cemetery: St. Etienne Chapel Cemetery, Nouadihibou

Name: SADLEIR, THOMAS WILLOUGHBY. Initials: T W. Rank: Pilot Officer
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Unit Text: 95 Sqdn.
Date of Death: 05/01/1944. Service No: 171950
Memorial Reference: Panel 13, Column 2. Memorial: Malta Memorial

The cemetery contains a memorial to five Commonwealth airmen of the Second World War, buried in Port Etienne Cemetery, whose graves could no longer be maintained there.

The Malta Memorial commemorates almost 2,300 airmen who lost their lives during the Second World War whilst serving with the Commonwealth Air Forces flying from bases in Austria, Italy, Sicily, islands of the Adriatic and Mediterranean, Malta, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, West Africa, Yugoslavia and Gibraltar, and who have no known grave.

[Raikum]

I can't answer your query but I would point out that the one thing that is absolutely certain is that there is no jungle to crash into in Mauri! Nouadhibou (formerly Port-Etienne) is on the coast in North West Mauretania surrounded by sand and more sand aka the Sahara.

[Icare9]

Thanks and welcome Raikum. Nice to see new people here!
I bow to your superior knowledge of Mauritania.
However, the description was taken from the 95 Squadron website AND if you look through the photo gallery, there are trees and heavy vegetation especially along the river.....
d / 029_jpg.jpg (http://www.95squadron.webs.com/Photos/Album_1/pages/029_jpg_jpg.htm)

[Good Vibs]

As I have been flying there professionally for several years (2003-2007) I can confirm that there is no jungle in Mauritania. The only possible heavier vegetation, ie trees, brush & grass is along the border to Senegal on the Senegal River. This is in the south. The rest of Mauritania, as mentioned, is desert or semidesert/savanna.
Of course over the years the vegetation does change, but not that much I would think.
Perhaps the crash was in Senegal. South of the city Dakar the vegetation gets greener the closer you get to Gambia and Guinea. And there are quite a few rivers in that area.

[Icare9]

Good vibs. Thanks. I think we're agreed about the country. I can't see much call for a flying boat over desert.

Back to the point of my question: Any record of a Catalina loss that could fit with the tankard label? When was it and who were flying in it?

Thanks in advance

[predictedflak]

95 Squadron's own website
After flying patrols, the Squadron began to arrive at its base at Freetown, Sierra Leone to begin anti-submarine patrols over the South Atlantic.In March 1943, No. 95 moved to Gambia, operating detachments from Sierra Leone, Dakar and Liberia for the rest of the war.
No sign of Mauritania. I'd listen to the people like "good vibs" who have flown there.
And get an atlas:ok:

[BobTheBinman]

Just came across the above subject. My father was an armourer in West Africa with 95 squadron and was DEFINITELY based at Port Etienne during 1944 and related a story about the above crash to me several years ago. I'll ask him more details of what he remembers and add it to this trail soon ....

[JW411]

Courtesy of Air-Britain, how about this one?

Sunderland III DW105 95 Sqn Crashed in sea after take-off from Port Etienne, 05.01.44.

[240 Gardner]

Bob

My father flew 95/D (W6076) during 1944/5, and I am still in touch with one of his crew members. I wonder if your father might have known either of them

[BobTheBinman]

My Dad's name was Peter Inman, perhaps your father or his mate remember him. I've made copies of many old photos taken at Pt Etienne and Bathurst/Freetown at that time.
Regards, Bob

[Enbo0]

Hi, my mother is the sister of one of the airmen killed on-board. We think the volunteer replacement navigator as he was not aircrew. Roy Crate, his family never understood why he was on board as he was ground crew.
Can you let us have as much information as possible it is news to her that there is a memorial in Mauritania. She is 83 and only has a small photo of a military funeral in what looks like the desert. The family have very little knowledge of events but always thought it was a Sunderland that he died in.

[afarm]

My mother was also a sister of one of the guys killed on this plane, Derek Anthony Roper.
She would love to get in touch with anyone & exchange stories, memories etc
I do hope someone will reply.