‘Transatlantic Poole, and the Flying Boats of Bermuda’
G-AFCZ Clare ~ Transatlantic Poole
by Colin Pomeroy
PFBC Flying Fish & Chip Supper: 25th. March
Please see our Flier for all the details which will follow asap.
Sqdn Ldr Colin Pomeroy RAF (Ret.) & acclaimed author, is
our Presenter to launch PFBC Transatlantic Celebrations 2010
Colin will no doubt explain, there are many fascinating links
between Poole & Bermuda associated with the Flying Boats,
and those who once proudly served with Imperial & BOAC…
as well as those on service with the Fleet Air Arm & the RAF.
©
“G-AFCZ Clare at a South Coast Port”… likely very near to You Despite Censorship in 1940 - clearly Poole: Salterns →Sandbanks
G-AFCZ Clare is arguably the most significant Flying Boat
to have been based at Poole - though there is an impressive
selection of others (- also Seaplanes) as possible candidates !
The association of Clare & Poole might never have happened
had it not been for a freak accident which occurred at Basra:
Constructed as a standard S.23, it was originally launched in
March 1939 as ZK-AMB Australia & then intended to be one
of a trio destined for Tasman Empire Airways Ltd. (TEAL)...
Yet, due to a series of delays a loan was made to Imperial as
G-AFCZ Australia, operating April onwards from The Solent.
On 7th Aug. en route to Karachi, some damage was incurred
in following a fare-path on take-off so G-AFCZ was beached.
Whilst saving the aircraft, it wasn’t until February 1940 that
G-AFCZ was patched up enough to be ferried back to the UK.
A rebuild was undertaken at Hythe - so that G-AFCZ Clare
emerged as a longer distance S.30; re-launched in July 1940.
G-AFCZ Clare joined the other S.30s at Poole - but by then
Cabot & Caribou had been impressed + lost, leaving behind
G-AFCT Champion, G-AFKZ Cathay with G-AFCX Clyde...
Both Clare & Clyde (just like Cabot & Caribou previously)
had been modified for in-flight refuelling to carry them over
the Atlantic when supplied by Sir Alan Cobham’s FR tankers.
The objective was to restore a Transatlantic series from Poole
during the Dark Days of war to send messages of propaganda
- Britain was determined to succeed in the face of adversity !
Arrival of Clare at La Guardia captured the attention of the
US media & the Nation, as did a triumphant return to Poole !
The resulting photos now remain as a wonderful record for us.
In all there were 5 such flights: 4 by Clare and one by Clyde.
Commencing on 3rd. August, this Transatlantic series was
successfully concluded by mid-October with Clyde’s return.
[ In the eventuality it was the last ever crossing by Empire Class.]
Clyde had seemingly been prepared for the second crossing
in the series, but had been switched to an equally demanding
& important task of a proving flight to W. Africa via Lisbon.
This had also been used to transport a Free French Mission
to secure colonies that were under control of Vichy Forces !
The outcome here was the initiation of a vital route to link
up with the Congo, and the Horseshoe Route to the Middle
East, the Indian sub-continent and beyond by Flying Boats.
We are very fortunate that a first Century of British Aviation
has been so rich with the exploits and courage of its Aviators:
There were so many linked with the History of Flying Boats
during their relatively short time of precedence, & with Poole.
One such remarkable person was Capt. Griffith Taffy Powell.
- As Colin notes, ‘Capt. Powell was the first British pilot to
have his licence endorsed for both land and marine aircraft’...
In October 1937, he piloted G-ADHM Caledonia to survey a
Transatlantic route (island-hopping) via Horta in the Azores,
+ Bermuda (where he was based with Imperial in May 1938).
Eventually, he returned to the UK before the outbreak of war
- so was switched to the Senior Role in IAL’s move to Poole !
Our special Guest for this Celebration will be Victor Pitcher:
PFBC is very delighted to have Vic as an Hon. Vice President .
He served as the Navigator on BOAC’s three Boeing 314As,
- and was honoured by the International Guild of Navigators !
*It will be a great Evening - look forward to seeing you there.
G-AFCZ Clare together with the other S.30s, + Sunderlands
(and later the BOAC Catalinas - G-AGBJ Guba & G-AGDA)
worked this lifeline eventually joined by the 3 Boeing 314As.
However, by Autumn 1941 vestiges of a Transmediterranean
route were restored on 12th.October by Clare with Capt. May
from Poole via, Lisbon, Malta to Cairo (Malta under siege) !
The whole flight had to be without radio contact, so terrific
navigational skills, and courage, were required by the crew !
On 3rd. Feb. 1942 Clare put in at Malta & was damaged by
incendiaries but was saved by the heroic actions of the crew.
Soon after, Clyde when moored in the Tagus at Lisbon, was
lost in a hurricane on 15th. Feb. and could not be salvaged…
And tragically on 24th. Sept. en route to Poole from Lagos,
Clare was lost in flames when trying to return to Bathurst:~
The fire claimed all the lives of the Capt. Musson & 4 crew,
together with the 13 passengers… This ended the flights for
all Empire C-Classes from Poole on the West African route.
©
BOAC Boeing: G-AGBZ Bristol taking off from Baltimore, USA,
(where there was a maintenance facility for BOAC’s three 314As)
en route to Poole in 1946 via Bermuda, West Africa and Portugal
It is noted that Newfoundland was discovered in 1497 by
John Cabot (of Italian extraction) in his vessel Matthew.
Transatlantic Poole to Newfoundland...with Botwood
Poole has enjoyed very significant links with Newfoundland
which date back to the C.16th. through fishing off its coast…
Indeed, some of the first settlers there once came from Poole.
The trade between Poole and Newfoundland helped our port
prosper, with a centre for shipbuilding on Hamworthy shore.
Poole mainly exported pottery wares & manufactured items,
whilst fish and timber were imported as well as dogs.
These were known as the St. Johns Water Dogs from
which all the popular Labradors of today were bred !
Despite the establishment of a lucrative trade route between
Newfoundland, Europe & Poole (wine, olive oil & salt → Poole)
much of Poole’s shipping dwindled in the early 1800s - due
chiefly to the coming of the railways, and to deepwater ports.
‘Transatlantic Perspectives’ for Poole were restored by the
arrival of the Flying Boats, firstly through G-AFCU Cabot,
then a series of crossings by G-AFCZ Clare + G-AFCX Clyde
Poole to Foynes, to Botwood, Montreal & La Guardia (NY);
before the acquisition of three large Flying Boats for BOAC.
Then G-AGBZ Bristol, G-AGCA Berwick & G-AGCB Bangor
BOAC’s 3 Boeing 314As from Dec. 1941 until Summer ’46,
became famously associated with Poole & all ports of call on
the Transatlantic Routes and BOAC’s new Base at Baltimore.
Wessex Newfoundland Society Trip 14th. - 21st. August
The Preferential Package now available to Friends of PFBC…
for the cost of £1300 per person (based on 2 people sharing)
- which includes a package normally costing approx £3,000:
> Air Canada Return Flight: Heathrow → St. Johns = £782.10
> 7 Night Bed & Breakfast at the Quality Hotel, Harbourview,
Hill O’Chips, St. Johns - by the historic site of Signal Hill !
> Package inc: St. Johns tour, Cabot Tower, Cathedral Basilica,
Visit to Cupids 400 original settlement site of Cuppers Cove
for 400th. Anniv. on 17th. Aug., and Supper at Harbour Grace.
> Extras include Trip to Botwood Flying Boat Base via Gander,
Reception at Govt. House, Trip to St. Pierre M, Bird Watching,
+ Meeting of Newfoundland-Wessex Soc. at Marine Institute.
Replies to: Bryan Keeping 20 Greenwood Ave., Poole BH14 8QD
or by email: [email protected]
BOOK RIGHT NOW
G-AFCU Cabot of Imperial Airways completed a series of flights
along with G-AFCV Caribou ~ as ‘Transatlantic Crossings’ from
The Solent, but as war had been declared there was a new home:
So that on 30th. September 1939 Cabot returned instead to Poole !
CONTACTS
‘PFBC @ 113’
Friends of PFBC: Own address...with Bertie Bowman
at... 113 Commercial Road, Parkstone, Poole BH14 0JD
The same applies to offers of Membership of the PFBC Task Forces
- or assistance to benefit PFBC’s Archive: Contact Harry Alexander
For bookings of tickets for PFBC Celebrations contact Ken Sanson
and all other general enquiries - via PFBC’s Office reg’d. address:
PFBC... at 113 Banks Rd., Sandbanks, Poole BH13 7QQ
PFBC Email: [email protected]
PFBC Website: www.pooleflyingboats.com (+ Forumsite)
Poole Flying Boats Celebration
Charity No. 1123274
PFBC Friends Newsletter: March 2010
THE
PICK
A
BACK
PAIR
Your Invitation: PFBC’s History Day at Lake Yard
This will be at Lake Yard, Hamworthy - Saturday 6th March
where PFBC will provide display boards and some artefacts
to support the great interest at Lake in Poole’s Local History.
Those who came along last year had a very enjoyable time !
PFBC is very grateful to Robin Culpan & his staff for these
arrangements & for making Friends of PFBC most welcome.
There is a bar & also catering available: Please park outside.
So look forward to seeing you there in the marvellous setting
of Lake Yard and its facilities with a most glorious outlook !
With our display boards & important Days at Lake, Dolphin,
+ Memories, we are reaching out to make PFBC’s Archives
ever more accessible, and also gathering Info. & Memories !
For it is essentially a 2-way process where you can take part:
Coming along to our Celebrations and to other Special Days,
in turn does raise public awareness & appreciation of PFBC.
Without the Friends’ initiatives much would be lost forever.
Here is your opportunity to be part of Memorable Occasions !
The pair Cabot & Caribou were moored in Poole Harbour until
impressed by RAF + converted for radar facilities in March ’40.
Both were destroyed when moored at Bodő, Norway 5/6th. May
during enemy attacks; thankfully all crew made it home safely !
Poole’s own Cabot
©
www.pooleflyingboats.com ( THE PICKABACK PAIR
in colour )
There is a significant Transatlantic Theme to this Newsletter.
Following on from the earlier ventures of Maia and Mercury,
Imperial Airways Ltd. forged ahead with a series of Crossings
from the Solent via Foynes, Botwood, Montreal & La Guardia.
This was in the immediate prewar period with an interruption
of war which caused a diversion of G-AFCU Cabot to Poole,
as this had become the new home of Imperial’s Flying Boats.
Capt. Don Bennett completed this first TA flight into Poole…
who later rejoined the RAF & became the famous Pathfinder !
During the Dark Days of 1940, the resumption of a series of
Transatlantic crossings by G-AFCZ Clare & G-AFCX Clyde
using the same route from Poole, helped lift national gloom !
However the Censor made sure that Poole was not referred to
- as if that would bemuse the Luftwaffe who had knowledge
/comprehensive photos of the Harbour and the Flying Boats !
Then to reaffirm BOAC’s commitment to flying the Atlantic
via its range of routes, 3 large American Flying Boats were
purchased to give 5½ years ‘stalwart service’ based at Poole.
Each completed a million miles before being switched to its
Baltimore - Bermuda flights... Finally bought by US outfits.
The presentation by Colin Pomeroy - on the occasion of our
Flying Fish & Chip Supper on Thursday 25th. March at 7pm
will focus upon this theme and his wonderful book about the
Flying Boats of Bermuda, which is now much sought-after !
This launches PFBC’s Celebrations for the 70th. Anniversary
of BOAC’s Transatlantic series by Clare + Clyde from Poole
with such an exciting prospect: Tickets will be snapped up !
Also there is the great opportunity to travel to Botwood (NF)
in a group being organised by Wessex Newfoundland Society
- so see inside for details about this & for other Celebrations.