Fly Past

84 FLYPAST May 2018

SIX

1918 2018

I

celand was a haven for Allied

convoys bound for Murmansk

in the Soviet Union’s far north.

Ships would gather in Hvalfjö rður

Bay close to the island nation’s

capital, Reykjavík, before setting off

on the hazardous journey along the

Norwegian coast.

This of course attracted U-boats to

the area in considerable numbers. As

well as the waters to the south and

east, the Denmark Strait between

Iceland and Greenland was also a

contested area.

Stationed at

Limavady

in Northern Ireland, 221 Squadron

flew convoy escorts and anti-

submarine patrols. At the end of

September 1941, the unit started

its move to Iceland, setting up

headquarters at Reykjavík Airport.

It was to be a brief detachment, but

despite bad weather, poor airstrips,

short winter days and almost no air

navigation, 221 Squadron managed

to fly for 950 hours in November.

During its time in Iceland, the

unit lost only one aircraft. Although

a low loss rate, compared with

other units based on the island, the

circumstances behind the tragedy

remain unresolved.

SEARCH PARTY

On November 28 at 1420 Vickers

Wellington VIII T2988 H for

Harry of 221 Squadron took off

from Reykjavík on a patrol over the

Denmark Strait. Fg Off John Ewart

Speak captained a crew of five.

On the return journey they

encountered a storm and low cloud.

They flew over Breiðafjö rður Bay and

into Hvammsfjö rður Fjord, at the end

of the bay, about 60 miles (100km)

north of Reykjavík, and circled

the town of Stykkishólmur.

GRAVESGRAVESGRAVESGRAVES

KARL SMÁ RI HREINSSON AND SHONA FERGUS

EXPLORE THE MYSTERY BEHIND THE CRASH OF A

COASTAL COMMAND WELLINGTON

Above right

The badge of 221

Squadron, as approved

by King George VI,

depicted a fl ying fi sh

and the motto ‘From

Sea to Sea’. ALL VIA

AUTHORS UNLESS NOTED