Hi Helen,
Well I had a look at the ORB for 1941 and W/O Wheeler was flying Sunderlands as second pilot then first pilot in the squadron.
He appears every few days or so in the operational logs. Need to be a bit careful not to mix him up as the squadron also had a P/O Wheeler flying as pilot as well.
On 15th April W/O Wheeler was first pilot on a transit flight of Catalina Oban to Stranraer as the squadron converted onto that type.
He continues on the Catalina operations as first pilot.
1st May Catalina AH533, sighted lifeboat with survivors and dropped food.
He now starts to fly with the USN Ensigns who carried out operational flights with the squadron (7 months before the USA declared war on Germany).
20th May 1941 he was detached with a single aircraft to Sullom Voe.
This was the start of the hunt for Bismark.
25th May 1941 detached to Iceland to operate from there.
28th May returned to Oban
1st June detached to Sullom Voe
1st July returned to Oban from Loch Boisdale
20th July 1941.
Sullom Voe 23:25 hrs Catalina W8418, W/O Wheeler and W/O Williams left on transit flight to Archangel (Russia) with special passengers.
21st July 1941.
Archangel, waterbourne 14:58 hrs
22nd July 1941.
17:47 hrs Catalina W8418 W/O Wheeler DFC left to return to Invergordon
So looks like an immediate award of DFC for this trip.
23rd July 1941
11:13 waterbourne, Invergordon
He continues operational flying from Oban
14th August left for temporary detachment at Mount Batten
18th August 1941
Lough Erne
Took off in Catalina AH535 at 19:11
07:45 on 19th attacked U-Boat in position PHAG 1614 from 50 feet with 2 x 450lb depth charges.
He is still flying operationally with the squadron in Dec 1941 but then disappears from the operational flight logs.
I'll try the No.502 Sqn ORB for Jan 1942 to see if he appears there.
Regards
Ross
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