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Tim, the book details are shown in the PDF, but for convenience, here they are:-
"Failed to Return - Mysteries of the air, 1939 - 1945." by Roy Conyers Nesbit, published 1988 by Patrick Stephens Limited, Wellingborough, England. ISBN 1-85260-194-9.
Mike, the full details published in the chapter in the book, cover the Search and Rescue element, or lack of it. Apart from the fact that no distress signal was received, the incident was not officially known about, due to the Bombing mission being aborted due to recall. As the Lancasters had not undertaken an 'Operation', the crews from the various squadrons did not attend a de-brief, being dismissed upon arrival at their home bases. Therefore any talk of the incident by those who might have witnessed an aircraft 'going in' (and at that time the aircraft was still unidentified as to the unit, and passengers), would have been just that - talk amongst tired aircrew, the effects of built-up tensions for a mission that never was having their effect, with no reports logged or recorded due to lack of de-brief.
As explained in the article, the procedure for non-arrival / missing aircraft was followed as normal, this being just 'any old sortie', as far as the 'authorities' were concerned, and bear in mind no flight plan was lodged, so even if a SAR mision had been launched, and even if there were survivors, which is extremely unlikely, they would have perished (from hypothermia or drowning, on average 15 to 30 minutes after entering these waters) long before any help could have arrived. This would have happened, if launched, one to two days later, bearing in mind the reporting procedure etc, and with absolutely no idea where the aircraft had gone missing, it is highly likely that such a SAR mission would not even have been contemplated after such a time lapse.
Sounds a bit callous, but, given the circumstances, and the procedures of the time, that's the way it was.
I guess I'm recalling the huge SAR that ensued over Earhart's disappearance. I guess I expected at least something to have been done. wonder if the army would have done anything if Stewart or Gable had gone missing
Miller went down over the Channel in the middle of a war zone.