On June 24, 1944, Flight Lieutenant David Hornell was on a patrolling mission in his Catalina Canso A 9754 from the 162nd Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force. As the patrol was nearing its end, the crew spotted a German submarine, the U-1225. The Catalina turned towards it and started an attack run on the Germans, who replied with their anti-aircraft cannons. The Catalina managed to drop it’s depth charges but was badly damaged by the German defense. The Canadian crew were forced to ditch into the freezing waters. Stranded in the Norwegian Sea, the crew fought to try and survive the cold and high waves for more than 20 hours.
00:00 Catalina pilot spots the U-boat
01:03 Sidney Cole tries to send a transmission
03:21 U-boat is sunk
04:43 PBY Catalina hits the sea
06:18 Where is Laurent?
07:46 Flares are sent
09:22 Laurent is gone
10:21 The boat is dropped
11:20 The rescue boat arrives
11:59 Hornell’s heroic act
Credit to : Yarnhub