A well documented Sunderland Flying Boat Navigator and Gold Fish Club member’s Atlantic Star and Log Book group awarded to Flight Lieutenant B.J. Court, Royal Air Force who saw wartime service as a Navigator with 228 Squadron in Sunderland Flying Boats on Anti-Submarine patrols in the Irish Sea, along the English Channel and around the Channel Islands. He became a member of the Goldfish club just days before the end of the war on 27th April 1945 when his aircraft attacked a possible U-Boat ‘Schnorkel’ with 6 depth charges, one of which detonated in the aircraft causing it to crash into the English Channel. He latterly served in the Air Training Corps and resigned his commission on 1st October 1969.
Group of 4: 1939-1945 Star; Atlantic Star; Defence Medal; War Medal, all unnamed as issued in Air Ministry box of issue addressed to St. Aidan’s Road, St. George, Bristol. The label torn to remove the name and the house number.
Condition: Good Very Fine
Along with:
228 Squadron sleeve badge
Goldfish Club cloth sleeve badge
Royal Air Force Observer’s Brevet
Royal Canadian Air Force Observer’s and Air Gunner’s Flying Log Book awarded to 129354 F/O Court B.J.
Royal Air Force Service and Release Book to Flight Lieutenant B.J. Court, Royal Air Force.
Royal Air Force Airman’s Service and Pay Book to Bernard John Court.
Royal Air Force Airman’s Pay Book to L.A.C. Bernard John Court.
Royal Air Force Officer’s Medical Record Card to Bernard John Court.
Postcard image of Court in Royal Air Force uniform.
Letter dated 19th May 1939 from the Civil Service Commission confirming his appointment in the General Clerical Class of the Air Ministry.
Letter dated 24th June 1946 confirming him passing his Oxford School Certificate in 1938 at Dr. Morgan’s School, Bridgwater.
Letter dated 11th August 1948 from the Air Ministry confirming his resignation as a Clerical Officer with the Air Ministry effective 31st August 1948
Letter dated 2nd June 1954 from the Air Ministry stating it had been decided to discontinue the R.A.F. Supplementary List of Officers as result of the Navy, Army and Air Force Reserves Act 1954.
Letter dated 13th July 1964 from Taunton Technical College thanking him for the trouble he had taken in preparing talks on government but that now a full time member of staff who includes Government in the subjects he offers had been appointed.
Letter dated 26th December 1964 from O.A.R. Air Force Department stating it was a great pleasure to see him and how it was good that he was maintaining the standards of earlier years
Letter dated 17th November 1969 from the Ministry of Defence thanking him for the service he had rendered to the Air Training Corps and giving permission to retain the rank of Flight Lieutenant as a courtesy title in civil life after his resignation.
Letter dated 24th November 1969 from HQ Air Cadets approving his request to resign his commission in the Training Branch of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Letter dated 24th November 1969 from HQ Air Cadets confirming the resignation of his commission effective 1st October 1969.
Letter dated 15th October 1982 from the Department of the Environment and the Department of Transport Common services thanking him for his loyal service over the previous 12 years.
Memorandum regarding the Official Secrets Act from the Ministry of Defence
School Certificate
Book - ‘Take Off’ by Robert Duce
Book – 228 Squadron War Diary – this water damaged
Magazine – Flying Boat Haven by John Evans covering Flying Boats in Pembroke Dock
Booklet – The Sunderland Flying Boat Queen by John Evans
Booklet – The Sunderland Flying Boat Queen – Volume Two by John Evans
Booklet – Mount Batten: Flying Boat Base Plymouth 1913-1986 by Dennis C. Teague.
Bernard John Court began his training in Canada on 21st April 1942 and qualified as an Air Navigator on 14th August 1942, and having completed his training in the UK would join No. 228 Squadron as a Navigator and taking part in his first anti-submarine patrol as a Navigator of a Sunderland Flying Boat on 9th December 1943, he would take part in 3 further patrols that month for a total of 31 hours 25m daytime flying and 4 hours night flying.
A long break then occurs, and it was 19th May 1944 before Court flew once more, this time as a Second Navigator on a Special Anti-Submarine patrol.
Court began flying regularly in June 1944, taking part in Anti-Submarine patrols in the Bay of Biscay on 11th June, and then on others on 19th June, 22nd June, and 27th June 1944. Further patrols followed in July on 7th, 10th, 27th and 30th of that month. Court wouldn’t fly in August, but on 11th September took part in his only patrol of that month. It would then be 30th October before he took part in his next patrol, with November seeing a bit more action. A patrol in the English Channel Approaches taking place on 1st November 1944, a patrol of an undisclosed location occurring on 13th November 1944 and then off the South West of Ireland on 15th November 1944.
On 4th December 1944 he would patrol in the Irish Sea and off the Bristol Channel, 20th December 1944 saw a patrol of an undisclosed location, 27th and 29th December 1944 for a patrol west of the Channel Islands.
On 1st January 1945 he patrolled between Portland Bill and the Channel Islands being attacked by flak from Alderney and diverting to the Scillies.
On 5th February he undertook an Anti-Submarine Patrol from base to the Mull of Kintyre, the 8th February saw an Anti-Submarine patrol in which he was diverted to Calshot, and then on 20th February and 23rd February further patrols were mounted, the last involving a diversion to Castle Archdale.
March would see patrols on the 4th, 9th, 12th and on 24th where a torn aileron caused an aborted mission after 50 minutes. The 30th would then see another patrol. On 2nd April 1945 Court would undertake an anti-submarine patrol around Bristol and St. George’s Channel, followed by a patrol around Brest on 24th April 1945.
On 27th April during an Anti-Submarine patrol his aircraft would sight a possible Schnorkel, the aircraft would attack with 6 depth charges, at least one of the depth charges would explode prematurely and the aircraft would crash out of control with six survivors with Court amongst them.
In later life Court would serve with the Air Training Corps and would resign on 1st October 1969 retaining the honorary rank of Flight Lieutenant.
