Hello I am the son of one of those brave and little known souls who served on board the high speed launches of the RAF Air Sea Rescue service in the war. Mostly around the English Channel and North Sea. I am on a mission to try to find out more about my father's experience in the war. Not easy as, like others who served, he did not talk about it much in his entire life. I would love to hear from anyone who has successfully managed to obtain copies of the ASR ORBs from particularly Grimsby, Ramsgate, Dover, Calshot, Mountbatten, Felixstowe and Pembroke dock. Also any other information , documents or photos would be greatly appreciated.Any of the bases. I run several Facebook groups dedicated to this cause. Please do apply to join. Just search RAF Air Sea Rescue. To date I have now identified the names of some 250 men who served in this way and some details on their boats and bases. Do please email me if you wish on steveandjane.hale(at)gmail.com Many many thanks. Steve Hale. Oxfordshire.
There could be quite a bit of reading in these files - Search results: raf air sea rescue | The National Archives Bit difficult to obtain copies at the moment but after the pandemic .................... TD
The specific search for the RAF High Speed Launch Marine Craft Unit is ASRMCU limited to AIR29 Search results: asrmcu | The National Archives As a finding aid I posted this a few years ago Air Sea Rescue Marine Craft Unit Location PRO File No.1 Lerwick AIR29/441 No.2 Shapinsay/Orkney AIR29/441 No.4 Wick AIR29/441 No.6 Invergordon AIR29/441 No.7 Burgh Head AIR29/441 No.8 Buckie AIR29/441 No.9 Fraserburgh AIR29/442 No.10 Torry/Aberdeen AIR29/442 No.11 Montrose AIR29/442 No.12 Tayport AIR29/442 No.14 Berwick-Upon-Tweed AIR29/442 No.15 Blyth AIR29/442 No.17 Scalloway AIR29/443 No.21 Bridlington AIR29/443 No.22 Grimsby AIR29/443 No.23 Wells AIR29/443 No.24 Lowestoft/Gorleston AIR29/443 No.26 Felixstowe AIR29/444 No.27 Ferry Dock/ Dover AIR29/445 No.28 Newhaven AIR29/446 No.29 Littlehampton AIR29/446 No.30 Calshot/Gosport/Cowes AIR29/446 No.31 Sheerness AIR29/446 No.32 Calshot/Ostende AIR29/446 No.33 Calshot/Norway AIR29/447 No.36 Poole AIR29/447 No.37 Lyme Regis AIR29/447 No.38 Exemouth AIR29/447 No.39 Torquay AIR29/447 No.40 Weymouth AIR29/447 No.41 Salcombe AIR29/447 No.42 Newlyn AIR29/447 No.43 Mountbatten AIR29/447 No.44 Padstow AIR29/448 No.45 Barry AIR29/448 No.46 Porthcawl AIR29/448 No.47 Aberystwyth AIR29/448 No.48 Tenby AIR29/448 No.49 Goodwick AIR29/448 No.51 Pwllheli AIR29/448 No.52 Fleetwood AIR29/448 No.53 Fleetwood AIR29/448 No.54 Isle of Man AIR29/448 No.55 Kirkcudbright AIR29/448 No.56 Portaferry AIR29/448 No.57 Donaghadee AIR29/448 No.58 Larne AIR29/448 No.60 Culmore AIR29/448 No.61 Campbeltown AIR29/448 No.62 Lochboisdale AIR29/448 No.63 Menai Bridge AIR29/449 No.64 Drummore, Ayr AIR29/449 No.65 Oban AIR29/449 No.66 Stornoway AIR29/449 No.67 Port Ellen AIR29/449 RAF Air Sea Rescue Units Ross