U-742 under attack from a Catalina patrol plane. Despite suffering from a staggering 72 wounds sustained during the bombing, RAF pilot John Cruickshank sank the U-boat and returned to base 5 and a half hours away. He was awarded the Victoria Cross.
F/L Cruickshank and his crew sank U-347 July 17 1944. If the picture is of U-742, records show that F/O R Vaughan and his crew, who were also flying a Catalina IVA out of Sullom Voe, sank the boat the following day. There are a number of extraordinary similarities in the details of the 2 actions. I cite www.crcshetland.co.uk/index.php?=wwiicrashlog (where you can find details of all known aircraft losses in Shetland during WWII) and also uboat.net/boats/u742.htm. My father was a member of F/O Vaughan's crew.
