This is an intriguing loss, and the following details are from "Even The Birds Were Walking" by Kington & Rackliff Halifax C/157 LK962 "On 14 November 1944, Halifax C/157, Skipper F/O W H A Jones DFC, returned from an EPICURE B sortie, and was overhead Brawdy at 19.20 hours. However, the crew were unable to land because of a severe thunderstorm in the area. They were insructed by Flying Control to stand-off until conditions improved, but subsequent contact with the aircraft was lost due to heavy static and very poor R/T and W/T communications. The aircraft did not return and the fllowing day it was spotted floating in the Bristol Channel, not far from Lundy Island, but there was no sign of the crew. Remarkably, the aircraft was still afloat the following day and the RN decided to sink it, since it posed a threat to navigation. No one knows why it stayed afloat for so long. The whole thing was a mystery, particularly as there were no sign of the crew However, in the squadron ORB there is an entry for 2 Feb 1945, under casualties. This states 'Sgt D T Mulligan (MAO) previously reported missing from C/157 on 14 Nov 1944, now reported killed in action' It appears that the body of Sgt Mulligan was washed ashore on a Lancashire beach not far from Woodvale. No date is given but we have to assume it would be some time in January. Later access to the crew list and casualty cards revealed the following details: WO E Poole 2nd Pilot: Signal from squadron 'Body found at sea by trawler and re-buried at sea, 13 Dec 1944' WO J D Rice, WOp/AG: Body washed ashore at Red Wharf Bay near Portreath Sgt D T Mulligan MAO, Body washed ashore on a Lancashire beach (near Woodvale) some six weeks later F/O W H A Jones DFC Skipper: Assumed lost at sea Sgt A B Mason F/Eng: Assumed lost at sea F/Lt F C W Stewart WOp/AG: Assumed lost at sea F/Lt R H Dodsworth, Navigator: Assumed lost at sea WO E S Bruton WOp/AG: Assumed lost at sea"
