Arrived at RAF Bradwell Bay 21/04/1944
Departed RAF Bradwell Bay 27/09/1944
Aircraft Flown at Bradwell Bay Anson l
Airspeed Oxford
Spitfire VB
Warwick 1
Squadron Code MY
IWM (MH 5337)
Air Sea Rescue sections had not really developed by the RAF until 1941, and even then, the service was quite sparse. RAF Bradwell Bay was reliant on the Navy for rescue launches from St Osyth and Brightlingsea.
With the anticipated Normandy Invasion Air Sea Rescue cover was revised, in terms of ASR Air cover 278 Squadron moved to Bradwell Bay, in fact it was one flight, ‘A’ flight that moved to Bradwell Bay. ‘B’ flight was based at Martlesham, where they had the amphibious Walrus Aircraft. The movement of ASR aircraft was to provide wider coverage for the forth coming Normandy Invasion. On D Day itself there were 4 patrols flown from early morning in Warwick aircraft from Bradwell Bay until late evening. Flying over the Channel Islands and general invasion area. The Anson also patrolled for about 5 hours.