13.20 at St. Teilo church, Bishopston

21^st December 1941, Flight W3998, Short Sunderland II, took off from Mount Batton RAF Seaplane Station, Plymouth Sound, Devon.

 

During the Second World War, the airbase was home to a squadron of Sunderland bombers, who used the sheltered waters for frequent forays over the Atlantic on seek-and-destroy missions against the German U-boats.

The Short Sunderland planes were nicknamed ‘flying boats’, the German Luftwaffe weren’t the only potentially danger.  Taking off and landing could prove equally as hazardous.

Flight W3998, took off in near darkness, the plane thundered along the flare-lit runaway in near darkness, the pilot Flight Lieutenant David Fletcher, of 201 squadron, struggled to get the plane, powered by four Bristol Pegasus engines, into the air.

Fletcher, who was fearful of striking the semi-submerged breakwater, taxied the plane for a second attempted to take off.  This time, after clearing the breakwater, the bombers engines stalled and dropped into the sea and burst into flames.

The crew, who were to fly over to Gibraltar for a Christmas break, prior to a new posting to train Sunderland flight crews, they had enjoyed two days break at Mount Batton.  The plane had been loaded with additional equipment and a crew of 15 men – 8 men more than normal.

11 men, including the pilot, Flight Lieutenant David Fletcher and Corporal John Humphrey Martin.  4 men survived the crash.

John Humphrey Martin, 22-year-old, was the son of Frederick William and Hilda Martin, of Murton, Bishopston, he was buried at St. Teilo Church, Bishopston.

 

 

St. Teilo church the tower, which has been described as simple in construction, is either English or Norman, having been dated either 12^th or 13^th century. The tower had been designed as a safe refuge from attacks by marauders from the sea.  The roof was thatch until 1831, after that date, it was tiled. 1886 the clock was purchased from the Old Brewery, Singleton Street, Swansea.