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Albert Victor (Taffy) DORMAN
276 Squadron pilot
The episode below is also related in Nick Berryman's autobiography.
Follow the link to 'In the Nick of Time' Page 132
Welder 29: F/O B (Barry) Hill (A B Hill)
Welder 33: Sgt. V Dorman
From the 276 Squadron ORB 7th June 1943
After landing at Bolt Head with R/T trouble, Walrus 2271 was ordered to proceed on search; airborne at 1635hrs, a course of 186 degrees for 81 miles was followed; this brought the Walrus within 5 miles of the French coast at which point Spitfires were seen orbiting a position just off Le Sept Isles.
On joining the Spitfires a dinghy with one occupant was found; the sea being very smooth, pilot's fluorescence left a very easy target. The Walrus landed on the water and picked up the pilot (P/O Thatcher No.412 (RCAF) Squadron) without difficulty. The Walrus engine was stopped during the rescue and restarted by P/O Butterfield after survivor had been made comfortable. Owing to the smoothness of the sea a certain amount of difficult was experienced in taking off but after two unsuccessful attempts the Walrus was airborne. Owing to R/T being unserviceable, W/T contact was maintained with Exeter HF DF, throughout and they were contacted at 1911 hrs and informed the pilot was rescued.
On the return journey 'Bogey' warnings to escorting Spitfires was intercepted; 20 FW190's were plotted in the vicinity but the escort did a good job of work and the Walrus returned to base unmolested. Meanwhile 2 Spitfire's of this squadron proceeded to the original search position with a view to dropping supplies to the pilot should the Walrus be unable to land on the sea.
Bolt Head was passed about 1810 hrs. and a course of 180 degrees followed for 28 minutes. The Sept Isles and French coast were sighted and search commenced; dinghy located and position orbitted. Welder 29 on seeing the dinghy empty instructed Welder 33 to return to base; this message was acknowledged and after firing several bursts at the dinghy Welder 29 also returned to base.
On arrival he was informed that his No.2 had not returned. Later reports proved that he had been 'jumped on' by a strong force of F.W. 190's a very unfortunate sequel to a successful rescue.
