Robert le Page flew with the Fleet Air Arm from 1940 to 1945, mostly
in 816 Squadron flying carrier-based Fairey Swordfish. He saw action mine-laying
off Cherbourg, hunting U-boats, escorting convoys
in North Atlantic and in the Arctic seas and
covering D-Day. Much of his early war years were aboard HMS Dasher and he was
lucky to be ashore when the carrier mysteriously blew and sank in the Clyde. This decimated 816 Squadron which was eventually
re-equipped and then worked up to operational readiness to fly from HMS Tracker.
His story is full of insights into wartime naval flying. When they were tasked
with finding and attacking German E Boats they found that in a headwind these
powerful boats could outdistance the ‘Stringbag’. They devised a plan which was
to glide as quietly as possible on their approach to the quarry and power up the
engine only seconds before they attacked – however they never managed to sink
one. Once when landing in rough weather his aircraft was waved to go round
again. With throttle wide open the Swordfish struggled back into the air, but
alas the tailhook snagged the top wire of the barrier protecting other parked
aircraft. The author remembered staring down from the stalling aircraft to see a
terror stricken fitter gazing up at him. Fortunately all
survived.
