Arundel Campbell Martin DFM - 1943 Mediterranean incident?

[wwrsimon]

Hello

A bit of a long shot, but here goes...the Newcastle Journal of September 8th 1943 reported the following:

Tyne flier cheats fire and sea deaths
The man who sighted the Bismarck from a Catalina flying boat during the great hunt that followed the destruction of the Hood has narrowly escaped death in the Mediterranean.
He is Flight Sergeant A. C. Martin, DFM, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Martin, of 35, Alexander Place, Sandyford, Newcastle.
On a patrol over the Mediterranean the plane in which he was flying was attacked and shot down in flames.
FOUR DAYS IN DINGHY
After spending four days and nights in a rubber dinghy without food or water he was picked up. On survivor’s leave he looked none the worse for his hazardous experience.
He was educated at Heaton Park Road School and then at Heaton Technical College.
In 1936 he achieved his ambition and was accepted for the R.A.F.

I'd like to find the aircraft involved in the incident described in the above article. He won his D.F.M. as part of the crew of Denis Alfred Briggs with 209 Sqn. On the off-chance I've had a look at the 209 Sqn ORB for June to September 1943, but they were based in Kenya at that time?

There were a few reports in newspapers in March 1943 describing the crew of a Wellington which ditched in the Med and spent four days in a dinghy, but he's not one of the crew listed for that.

I'm guessing the incident described above is also a Coastal Command aircraft? It's a bit of an ask, but can anyone help?

Regards

Simon

[COL BRUGGY]

Hello,

F/Sgt A. C. Martin DFM, was aboard No.210 Sqn Catalina FP155 'F'(out of Ginraltar), which was shot down on 9 July, 1943, whilst attacking U-642.

F/L D M Ryan - Pilot
Sgt J I McCrone - 2nd Pilot
F/O R L Hunter RCAF - Nav. +
Sgt E S Aldenton - Engineer - Slightly wounded, died of a heart attack, 10/07/43.
Sgt L J Doyle - Rigger
F/S J Dawson - WOM/AG.
F/S A C Martin DFM - WEM/AG.
Sgt L Yarnell - WOP/AG +
Sgt R W Cooper - WOP/AG.
Sgt R W Aubrey - FME/AG.

Survivors picked by the HM Frigate 'Swale'.

See:
U-Boat versus Aircraft.
Franks,Norman & Eric Zimmerman
London:Grub Street,1998.
pp.51-4

and ...

https://www.aircrew-saltire.org/lib204.html

Col.

[wwrsimon]

Many thanks indeed Col, very much appreciated.

Regards

Simon

EDIT - I'm not 100% sure that's correct about Aldenton. The ORB Form 540 has 637206 Aldenton E. S. who is Edward Sidney Aldenton (from Air 78), b. 1918, d. 1993...?