Page 92 - KBHA BULLETIN 6

directed toward the lifeboats. As they were approaching the area, two crewmen reported

that an aircraft had crashed into the sea about a quarter of a mile away. The launch

immediately altered course to the crash scene, but could not identify any wreckage
associated with an aircraft. The area was strewn with all kinds of flotsam, such as drums,

timber and packing cases. Finding no sign of any airmen, the boat proceeded back towards
the lifeboats. In heavy swells and waters filled with oil and wreckage, R0 picked up the

survivors at 17h05. Of the 110 men on the 2 ships all but 3 were saved.

As R0 began to turn for home an aircraft indicated that there was someone in the water.

Upon arrival at the position indicated by the aircraft, the crew found a badly injured airman
astride a crate. He was covered in oil and the rescue crew had great difficulty placing him

in the wire stretcher, on which he was hauled aboard. It is presumed that the crewman came

from the only aircraft record as missing on that day, an Avro Anson serial 1130 ex 9572 of
66 Air School, Youngsfield, which ran out of fuel and crashed in the sea. Unfortunately the

airman died three days later from his injuries.

Whilst on its way from Kalk Bay to Gordon’s Bay on 5 July 1943, the steering on R0
failed. The vessel and crew had completed standby duties for aircraft that had been engaged

on an anti-aircraft shoot off Strandfontein. On inspection, it was found that both rudders

were missing and yet no underwater object had been hit. Captain Boyle noted that the
rudders had been fitted on 4 July and that the cause was traced to metal fatigue.

Bad weather and storms arrived in False Bay in the middle of September 1943.

Immediately prior to this R0 had been on local range duties and on standby at Kalk Bay
harbour for an AA shoot. A strong south-west swell and breaking seas in False Bay, on 15

September, caused No. 1 Sea Target to break in half and No. 2 Sea Target to break adrift

and be broken up on the rocks at D Quadrant Tower, Eerste Rivier Bombing Range. Heavy
seas coincided with a high spring tide and in fact the sea rose 6 inches over the boat pier

and two carpenter's tool boxes floated off to drift aimlessly amongst the boats until

salvaged. It was only two days later on Friday 17 September that PL1, under the command
of Lt. Moffat, could go to sea to inspect the damaged No. 1 target and the still intact No. 3.

89