Commemorating bravery of WW2 Catalina Pilots on 80th anniversary

July 17 2024 marks the 80 years since Victoria Cross (VC) decorations were awarded to Catalina pilots Flt Lt John Cruickshank and Flt Lt David Hornell. To commemorate this milestone, we take a look back at the extraordinary experiences of both men, who flew Catalinas during the Second World War.

Flt Lt John Cruickshank VC

Flt Lt John Cruickshank was the captain of a Catalina flying boat with 210 Squadron, flying submarine hunting missions from RAF Sulom Voe in Shetland.

On 17 July 1944, on a patrol north into the Norwegian Sea to protect the British Home Fleet as it returned from an attack on the German battleship Tirpitz, John and his crew spotted a German Type U-boat on the surface. John dropped depth charges, sinking the U-boat while four of his crew were injured, and his navigator killed, by German anti-aircraft fire. John sustained 72 injuries, two of which were life threatening including wounds to his lungs. However, he managed to get the aircraft and his surviving crew members home and land safely.

The second pilot brought the aircraft back to Sullom Voe; a journey lasting five and a half hours during which time John lapsed in and out of consciousness. He returned to the cockpit and took command of the aircraft. After another hour, John landed the aircraft and ran it ashore to stop it from sinking. He needed a blood transfusion before he could be taken to hospital and refused morphine so that his judgement would not be affected.

John was awarded the VC - the UK’s highest award for gallantry - for his bravery and efforts in sinking the submarine and saving his crew. He is the last living recipient to have been awarded the VC during the Second World War and in May 2024, John celebrated his 104th birthday.

Members of John Cruickshank's Catalina IVA s/n JV928 crew were:  F/O John Cruickshank, Captain; Flt Sgt JS Garnett, 2nd pilot; Flt Sgt John Appleton; F/O JC ‘Dickie’ Dickson, Navigator/Bomb Aimer; SB ‘Paddy” Harbison, Flt Eng; Sgt I Fidler, 3rd Pilot; W/O WC Jenkins and Flt Sgt Gershenson, WOPs; Flt Sgt AI Cretan, Rigger and Sgt RSC Procter, Flight Mechanic Engines. Dickson was killed on board from gun fire and he is buried in Lerwick New Cemetery.

Flt Lt David Hornell VC

On 24 June 1944, Flt Lt David Hornell was awarded a posthumous VC for action flying a Catalina of 162 (Bomber Reconnaissance) Squadron RCAF out of RAF Wick.

Flt Lt Hornell and his crew attacked and sank the German submarine U-1225. The Catalina was badly damaged in the engagement but, despite the aircraft being on fire and losing the starboard engine, David managed to land it on a heavy swell. The crew used the only serviceable dinghy and then took turns in the cold water. By the time they were rescued, 21 hours later, flight engineers Sgt Donald Scott and Sgt Fernand St Laurent had died, and David died shortly afterwards. David is buried in Lerwick New Cemetery.  

Members of David Hornell’s Canso A s/n 9754 crew were: F/L. D.E. Hornell, Captain; F/O B.C. Denomy, Co-captain; F/O S.E. Matheson, Nav; F/O G. Campbell, 1st WAG; F/Sgt I.J. Bodnoff, 2nd WAG; F/Sgt S.R. Cole, 3rd WAG; Sgt. D.S. Scott, 1st Eng; Sgt F. St. Laurent, 2nd Eng.

To mark the 80th anniversary of both events, a commemorative flight in a PBY-5A Catalina flying boat, with an experienced crew, is planned from the Imperial War Museum in Duxford. It will overfly various RAF Coastal Command bases, landing in Aberdeen where John Cruickshank lives before continuing to Sumburgh, Shetland. A flight is planned over Lerwick New Cemetery and Sullom Voe before returning to Duxford via the west coast and a number of RAF Coastal Command stations: Wick, Invergordon, Alness, Inverness and Oban.  The whole trip will take five days, weather permitting.

A crowdfunding page has been set up by Catalina Aircraft Limited to support the funding of the commemorative flight, which can be viewed here.

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