RAF STATION MOUNT BATTEN, PLYMOUTH, ENGLAND. C. 1942. AIRCRAFT NO. P.9605 WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ...

RAF STATION MOUNT BATTEN, PLYMOUTH, ENGLAND. C. 1942. AIRCRAFT NO. P.9605 WAS ONE OF THE FIRST NINE SUNDERLANDS DELIVERED TO NO. 10 SQUADRON RAAF ON 1939-12-21. ON 1939-12-26, DETACHMENTS FROM AUSTRALIA ARRIVED IN ENGLAND AND UNITED AT RAF STATION PEMBROKE DOCK, WALES WITH RAAF PERSONNEL ALREADY IN ENGLAND AND NO. 10 SQUADRON FUNCTIONED FOR THE FIRST TIME AS A COMPLETE UNIT. ON 1940-01-14 THE SQUADRON WAS VISITED BY THE RIGHT HONOURABLE (RT HON) S. M. BRUCE CH MC; THE RT HON ANTHONY EDEN; AIR MARSHAL SIR CHARLES S. BURNETT KCB CBE DSO, RAF; AIR VICE MARSHAL R. WILLIAMS CB OBE DSO, RAAF; GROUP CAPTAIN F. H. MCNAMARA VC CBE; LORD HUNTINGFIELD AND SQUADRON LEADER M. O. WATSON, RAAF. ON THAT DAY P.9605, CAPTAINED BY FLIGHT LIEUTENANT (FLT LT) C. W. PEARCE, FIRST PILOT FLYING OFFICER I. S. PODGER, TOOK MR BRUCE AND AIR MARSHAL BURNETT FOR A SHORT FLIGHT. ON 1940-02-06 P.9605 MADE ITS FIRST OPERATIONAL SORTIE ON CONVOY PATROL, CAPTAINED BY FLT LT C. W. PEARCE. THIS WAS THE FIRST OPERATIONAL DUTY OF THE SQUADRON IN THE WAR. THIS SUNDERLAND HAS A MERITORIOUS ASSOCIATION WITH NO. 10 SQUADRON RAAF WITH WHOM IT COMPLETED A TOUR BEFORE IT LEFT THE SQUADRON ON 1942-03-14 BUT CONTINUED IN SERVICE UNTIL 1944-05 AT AN OPERATIONAL TRAINING UNIT.