Fell, Herbert Walter (Flight Sergeant)
Killed in Action 1943-November-13
Birth Date: 1919
Born:
Parents: FREDERICK AND ALICE FELL, OF STOKE, COVENTRY.
Spouse:
Home: STOKE, COVENTRY.
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: unkown date
Service
RAFVR
Unit
423 (GR) Sqn- Squadron
Quaerimus Et Petimus We search and strike
Base
Castle Archdale
Rank
Flight Sergeant
Position
Service Numbers
942837
Crew or Other Personnel
Sunderland DD863
Mission
Sunderland Mk. III DD863
Reconnaissance 1943-November-13 to 1943-November-13
423 (GR) Sqn (RCAF) Castle Archdale
On October 8, 1943, DD863 achieved No. 423 Squadron’s third U-boat kill when its crew spotted and sank the German submarine U-610 in the North Atlantic (55-45N 24-33W).Loss: Shortly after, on November 13, 1943, DD863 suffered an engine failure during a patrol mission.and twenty minutes later the wireless operator sent an S.O.S. giving their location as over Donegal Bay off Killala, Northern Ireland. The flying boat crashed into the sea off the Irish coast near Donegal, resulting in the loss of all crew members on board.Silverhawk author, Harold Skaarup
Unit Desciption
423 (GR) Sqn Quaerimus Et Petimus ()
History of the Squadron during World War II (Aircraft: Sunderland III, Liberator VI, VII)
The squadron was formed as a General Reconnaissance unit at Oban, Scotland 
, on 18 May 1942. It was the RCAF's 21st, and sixth and last Coastal squadron formed overseas in WWII. The unit flew Short Sunderland flying boats as convoy escorts and on anti-U-boat missions. It remained at Oban until November 1942, when it transferred to Castle Archdale in Northern Ireland .
When hostilities terminated in Europe, the squadron was re-designated as a Transport unit and was slated to move to the Far East as part of the "Tiger Force" that was assembling to carry on the war with Japan. To this end, the squadron was equipped with Consolidated Liberator aircraft, but the termination of hostilities with Japan meant that the squadron was no longer required in the transport role, and it was disbanded at Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire, England , on September 4, 1945.
The squadron claimed the sinking of a number of U-boats. Flight Lieutenant J. Musgrave and crew shared with destroyers HMCS Drumheller and HMS Lagan the sinking of what was thought to be U-456 on May 12, 1943 (later research established that the U-boat sunk was U-753, see link below). On August 4, 1943, Flying Officer A.A. Bishop and crew sank U-489; on October 8. 1943 Flying Officer A.H. Russell and crew sank U-610; on April 24, 1944 Flying Officer F.G. Fellows and crew sank U-311 (later research showed that the boat attacked was U672, see link below, and that it was damaged but not sunk); on September 11, 1944 it was claimed that Flying Officer J.N. Farren and crew shared in the sinking of U-484 with HMCS Dunver and HMCS Hespeler. Later research showed that this was probably a non-submarine target (see link below). In the course of the war, the squadron won 4 DFCs and 1 DFM. Battle Honours were: Atlantic 1942-45, English Channel and North Sea 1944-45, Normandy 1944, Biscay 1944.Wikipedia, Kostenuk and Griffin, uboat.net
Maps for Movements of 423 Squadron 1942-45
MAP 1: 423 Squadron Movements 1942-45 (right-click on image to display enlarged in new tab)
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MAP 2: 423 Squadron U-boat sinkings 1943-44
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Sinking of U-484423 Squadron History Summary 1942-45
History of the Squadron Post-WWII (Aircraft: Canuck 3B & 4B, Sea King, Cyclone)
The squadron was re-formed on 1 June 1953 at RCAF Station St Hubert, Quebec flying the Avro CF-100 Canuck in a continental defence role. It was transferred to RCAF Station Grostenquin, France in February 1957 where it replaced No. 416 Squadron which flew Sabres. The squadron was disbanded in 1962 when the RCAF's CF-100s were removed from service. In 1974, it was re-formed a final time as No. 423 Anti-Submarine Squadron. In 1995 its name was changed to 423 Maritime Helicopter Squadron. It flew CH-124 Sea King helicopter, which it used in support of Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) warships during the 1991 Gulf War and in the Arabian Sea after the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks. It now operates the Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone since January 2018. On 30 April 2020, an RCAF CH-148 from 423 Squadron, attached to HMCS Fredericton and based at the Shearwater Heliport crashed in the Ionian Sea during a NATO Mediterranean exercise. All six crew members aboard the aircraft were killed.
Sunderland DD863 Mk. III - Reconnaissance - 1943-11-13 to 1943-11-13
Squadron: 423 (GR) Sqn (RCAF)
Start Date: 1943-11-13
Completion Date: 1943-11-13
Mission: Reconnaissance
Operation: unspecified
Target City:
Target Specific:
Base: Castle Archdale
Take Off Time:
Squadron Code:
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City:
Crash Specifics:
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason:
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim:
War Diary Unavailable
6 Group Unavailable
6 Group Unavailable
On October 8, 1943, DD863 achieved No. 423 Squadron’s third U-boat kill when its crew spotted and sank the German submarine U-610 in the North Atlantic (55-45N 24-33W).Loss: Shortly after, on November 13, 1943, DD863 suffered an engine failure during a patrol mission.and twenty minutes later the wireless operator sent an S.O.S. giving their location as over Donegal Bay off Killala, Northern Ireland. The flying boat crashed into the sea off the Irish coast near Donegal, resulting in the loss of all crew members on board.Silverhawk author, Harold Skaarup