On the night of 20/21 October 1941 Wellington N2852 NZ-D of 304 was shot down and crashed in the sea South east of Heligoland. The plane got off an SOS but the rescue mission failed. Can anyone please suggest where the rescue mission would have been launched from? Many thanks.
It might have involved the newly forming 278 Squadron: No. 278 Squadron (RAF) during the Second World War in its early days at Matlaske (3 Flight) RAF Matlaske - Wikipedia but you would inevitably need logs ...... Some backgound info is in: https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/documents/research/RAF-Historical-Society-Journals/Journal-40.pdf which suggests it was within the area of responsibility for the Sea Rescue Officer attached to 16 Gp RAF Coastal Command, the event occurring beyond the 20 mile English coastal demarkation for Fighter Command’s Lysanders.
This aircraft made a forced landing on 13th or 14th August 1941 at RAF East Wretham about nine weeks before it was lost. Would there be any detail in the station ORB as the Squadron's own ORB is very sketchy on the subject.
The Station ORB is not the best place to look for detail Form 1180 Accident Card from RAFAHB or RAF Museum is a much better summary source for an accident not directly due to enemy action. Attached is the F1180 Also for your Heligoland enquiry the Hudsons from RAF North Coates were more usually tasked with this under Op Search and Op Seek flights Ross
In a similar suggestion - for a loss attributed to enemy action (as well as any fatality on board) the Casualty file is the best resource. Flying Officer A Gisman, Sergeant M Zykow: killed; Pilot Officer S J Borzecki, Sergeant... | The National Archives I see it includes photos and was open until 1951 so some post war entries as well Ross