An ex-engine fitter told me that once when he was working out on the wing of a Sunderland on a mooring at Pembroke Dock there was a mighty splash and a very worried armourer shouted that an armed depth charge had dropped off its under-wing hook into the water. The depth charge was fused to go off at a depth of thirty feet and the tide was rising. He and the armourer started running up and down the wings waving frantically and shouting at the Marine Craft section for a quick trip ashore.
Eventually a tender started out towards them and as it drew alongside the armourer shouted “Quick, quick, there’s a depth charge below us and it’s likely to explode at any moment”. “Thanks mate” said the coxswain and promptly shot off back to the MCS leaving our two heroes aboard the Sunderland.
Lesson; the timing of a message can be vital.
The eventual fix was to un-moor the flying boat and to let her drift to a tender that was standing off at a respectful distance.