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Mervyn Hector Dendy Lawton Service No: 207321V
92 Squadron 18 May 1944
In the ensuing chase LT M LAWTON (SAAF) destroyed one E/A, the pilot baling out at 600 ft.
During one of these later operations Captain Lawton SAAF was hit by flak and forced to bail out. He arrived back at the Squadron the following day none the worse for his experience which he described in his own words: “As I hit the water I released my ‘chute, wriggled free and inflated my dingy. After about twenty minutes I saw the Walrus and after it had landed I paddled to the flame float it had dropped and waved it about to indicate my position. I had no trouble in boarding the Walrus through the back hatch. The machine had to taxi back as it was too heavy to take off. About forty five minutes later it was mistaken for a German ‘E’ boat and was fired upon and set on fire by two Royal Navy Motor Torpedo Boats. The three of us dived into the water and swam away with the aid of our Mae West’s. Fifteen minutes later we were picked up by the MTBs. At about one o’clock in the morning the one MTB hit a mine and had to be towed back. I was then taken on board another boat and taken to Ancona”. The Doc’ prescribed some leave at Sorrento.
