Did three Sunderlands actually rescue the crew of a ship?

Interesting one, you can imagine it happening but I can't find any reference to it in my usual sources.

I have a vision of a Sunderland flying boat being torpedoed by a U-boat.........

Life reported something along the same lines in October 1939 one of the photos in the magazine does show what appears to be a Sunderland on the surface as part of the rescue.

there is a niggle that the pictures may be mocked up as the freighter profile appears identical in both and the aircraft in the air appears to have twin tailplanes (might be an optical effect)

the time magazine can be seen here books.google.co.uk/books?id=QkIEAAAAMBAJ...ying%20boats&f=false

some of the pictures are in the IWM collection

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RESCUE OF CREW OF STEAMSHIP KENSINGTON COURT BY RAF FLYING BOATS. © IWM (C 5) IWM Non Commercial Licence

The title of the collection is The SS KENSINGTON COURT, shelled by a U-boat off the Isles of Scilly and sinking by the bow, as seen from one of the three Sunderland flying boats from No. 228 Squadron RAF involved in the rescue of her crew, 18 September 1939.

So it seems that there may be a kernel of truth in it

a couple more references that seem to corroborate from eye witnesses the story three Sunderlands, two on the water the third dropping an inflatable were involved -the ship was carrying wheat so that part is incorrect.

EDIT: the picture describes a freighter not a tanker as I imagined so wheat is perfectly possible as a cargo

uboat.net/allies/merchants/35.html

At 12.38 hours on 18 Sep 1939 the unescorted Kensington Court (Master Joseph Schofield) was stopped by U-32 with 13 shots of gunfire about 120 miles west of Lands End. The ship was sunk by a coup de grâce at 14.00 hours. The master and 34 crew members were rescued by a Sunderland aircraft (228 Sqn RAF, pilot F/Lt Thurston M.W. Smith) and the Sunderland L5802 (204 Sqn RAF/E, pilot F/Lt John Barrett). On 2 November, each pilot was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for their feat.

and cited as from from The War Illustrated: 14 October 1939 pages 156-7
www.benjidog.co.uk/Court/Kensington%20Court.html

“The story of the rescue of the officers and crew of the SS Kensington Court adds a remarkable page to the history of the RAF. The ship, on her way from Argentina to Birkenhead, was stopped by fire from a U-Boat when nearing the English coast and 34 men were compelled to leave her. An SOS had been sent out before the Kensington Court sunk, and soon after the overloaded boat carrying 34 had pushed off, a flying-boat appeared and alighted near by, followed soon after by a second. Eventually all 34 men were transferred to a collapsible rubber boat launched by one of the 'planes and carried to the aircraft. A few hours later they were safe in England.”

Captain J Schofield's Account

Captain Schofield said that his ship, the 4,863-ton S.S. Kensington Court, which was bound for Birkenhead from the Argentine with a cargo of wheat, sent out an SOS when a U-boat appeared and attacked them without warning. They turned the vessel's stern to the submarine, which kept firing at them from a range of about a mile.

"After she had fired about five shots," he said, "she came very close to the ship's stern and I decided it was time to stop the ship. I gave three blasts on the whistle and the crew took to the boats. One of the boats was lost. Shortly after we got away in the port boat there was a big explosion in the starboard well. We did not know whether it was a torpedo or shell. We started rowing away and soon afterwards sighted an aeroplane. I said “This has come in reply to our SOS.” Everybody was pleased and we all started to cheer. Still, we did not think it was possible for them to rescue us that way. We thought they would give a signal to a warship or something like that. When the first 'plane alighted on the water and someone signalled to us from the wing, we began to realize that they were going to take us on board. There was a second 'plane there. We told the officer that there were 34 of us, and he said he would take about 20 and the other 'plane would take the rest.

While we were getting on board, a third 'plane came over and flew round. We wondered how they would get us on board, because the sea was choppy, but a door in the side of the flying-boat opened and a small collapsible boat was pushed out. It was all very remarkable to us. It was the modern method of rescue and we had never had any experience like it. When we got on board they gave us cups of tea and cigarettes.

Captain Schofield said that they sighted the first 'plane half an hour after they took to the boats. The submarine steamed away after seeing that the ship was settling. She had left before the 'planes arrived.

"The submarine," he declared, "gave no warning at all that she was going to sink us. The first shot she fired was straight at the ship, and it was an explosive shell. We saw the submarine for a few minutes before she opened fire."

RAF Pilot's Account

The pilot of the first machine on the spot, a 23-year-old flight-lieutenant, whose home is in Wimbledon, explained that they picked up Captain Schofield's SOS while they were in the air on patrol duty.

"We at once set our course for the spot indicated," he said, "and eventually found the 'Kensington Court' sinking. We alighted and, after signalling the men in the boat, blew up our rubber dinghy and pushed it out with a line to each end, and by this means we were able to ferry the men across two or three at a time."

The pilot commanding the other flying-boat was a 25-year-old flight-lieutenant from Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.

"When we arrived," he said, we saw the other aircraft on the water and had a darn good look round for the submarine. We saw that the other 'plane was making attempts to take' off the men. Quite obviously there were a lot, and so we decided to go down. In the meantime another aircraft arrived, and we signalled it to look 'out for the submarine. We took off 14 men."

One of the crew of the second: flying-boat was a young South African, who was second pilot

"We were patrolling quite independently," said one of the pilots. "The ship sank while the remainder of the crew were getting into a position to be taken off by us. The rescue was not very difficult." Here Captain Schofield interposed with the remark: " It was not difficult because they were efficient. There was a swell on the sea at the time." Then he concluded with the assertion, " If all the officers and men of the R.A.F. are like these young fellows who rescued us, then England has nothing to fear."

From Coastal Command 1939 -1942 HMSO 1942:

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leftorium;157461 wrote:

there is a niggle that the pictures may be mocked up as the freighter profile appears identical in both and the aircraft in the air appears to have twin tailplanes (might be an optical effect)

Think you will find that the 'tailplane' is in fact the Sunderland's port wing tip float.

Alec;157712 wrote:

Think you will find that the 'tailplane' is in fact the Sunderland's port wing tip float.

so it is, I was thinking the stbd one was a dinghy being dropped makes perfect sense