Essex Association WWII Photo Album Main 04

Two Seafire's which landed on the USS Essex on 09 August 1945 came from HMS Implacable. Here are some photos of Seafire's on the Implacable and HMS Implacable etc. Notice how all the propellers are lined up when the Seafire's are on deck. HMS Implacable was scrapped in the mid 50's as its hangars were not big enough to keep the new generation of planes being used.

To see the Log Book relating to the landing of the two Seafire's on the Essex click here. On 9th August, Ben Tillet and Bill Squires have +'s by their names. They couldn't find their carrier at all, ran out of fuel and crashed into the pacific. Their voices were heard on the HMS Implacable's radio as they searched in vain for their mother ship. What a tragic fate so near the end of the war. If it were not for the USS Essex, that fate might have fallen to my father and Ken Newton.

Click here for extracts from a book called "They Gave me a Seafire by Commander R.Mike Crosley DSC, RN". The extracts cover the landing of Ken (Issac) Newton and Mike (Iron Swede) Banyard on the USS Essex when they were running out of fuel and could not make it back to HMS Implacable. (Swede is Royal Naval slang for head).

Submitted by Alex Banyard


*Back*	*Next*