RAF Coastal Command

SS Nerissa – photo taken 30 April 1941. Click for a larger version

Deryck McCusker 1941 . Click for a larger version

Deryck McCusker 2008. Click for a larger version

Coastal Command No. 224 Squadron RAF

During the Second World War several airbases were situated along the coast of Scotland and Ireland to provide vital anti-submarine and anti-shipping patrols in the North Atlantic.

Sgt. Deryck McCusker was a member of No. 224 Squadron RAF stationed at Limavady, Londonderry, Ireland. On the morning of April 30, 1941 Sgt. McCusker’s aircraft, a Lockheed Hudson, was sent to escort the SS Nerissa on the final leg of her journey to Liverpool. The Nerissa was not part of a convoy so was vulnerable to u-boat attacks.

Deryck’s plane was the first aircraft dispatched to escort the Nerissa at 0717 hrs on April 30th. It arrived back at base at 1417 hrs. Deryck was the wireless operator/gunner on the aircraft. Other crew members were Sgt. Timms, Sgt. Brown, and Sgt. Martin. The aircraft circled the Nerissa for about 5 hours, occasionally exchanging friendly “chit-chat” with the Nerissa radio operators via Aldis lamp. Three other planes were sent from Coastal Command, the last one leaving Limavady at 1657 hrs and returning to base at 2146 hrs. This left the Nerissa without escort. She was torpedoed at approximately 2230 hrs that evening.

During Deryck’s shift he took two photos of the Nerissa through the window of the plane. Later he wrote on the edge of the photos – “S.S. Nerissa, sunk by U552 on 30.4,1941, approx. 80-100 miles to the south of Rockall when I took these pictures.” Sadly these would be the last photos taken of the Nerissa.

Coastal Command No. 224 Squadron RAF

Aircraft Type and No.
Lockheed Hudson P. 5136
Crew                     
Sgt. Timms
Sgt. Brown
Sgt. McCusker
Sgt. Martin
Duty
Escort "NERISSA"
Time Up
0717
Time Down
1417
Details of Sortie or Flight
Escorted "NERISSA" from 56.59N. 13.48W. to
56.46N. 13.07W.

Aircraft Type and No.
Lockheed Hudson T. 9337
Crew
P/O Wright
P/O Prime
Sgt. Rowlands
Sgt. Uezzell
Duty
Escort "NERISSA"
Time Up
0852
Time Down
1623
Details of Sortie or Flight
Escorted "NERISSA" from 56.22N. 13.58W. to
56.28N. 12.10W.

Aircraft Type and No.
Lockheed Hudson N. 7252
Crew
P/O Puplett
P/O Flowers
Sgt. Chandler
Sgt. Taylor
Duty
Escort "NERISSA"
Time Up
1259
Time Down 
2008
Details of Sortie or Flight
Escorted "NERISSA" from 56.29N. 12.10W. to
56.17N. 11.29W.

Aircraft Type and No.
Lockheed Hudson N. 7376
Crew
P/O Drummond
P/O Peteroy
Sgt. Page
Sgt. Cooke
Duty
Escort "NERISSA"
Time Up
1657
Time Down
2146
Details of Sortie or Flight
Escorted "NERISSA" from 56.16N. 11.35W. to
56.15N. 11.00W.

1st May 1941 – Search for the SS Nerissa

2 Whitley aircraft sent to search for the Nerissa May 1, 1941. Click for a larger version