The Fleet Air Arm’s Telegraphist Air Gunners Saunders and Wood are fictional characters; however, their tales of adventure are factual, shared at annual reunions of Telegraphist Air Gunners in the post-war years.

Dogfights and Low Flying

Wood and Saunders sat across from each other at a mess table at East Camp at RCAF Station Yarmouth. Dogfights and low-flying loomed large in their conversation. “Over the Tusket Islands,” Wood began, “there’s that old wreck of a freighter. I was in on some low-flying action. Saunders raised an eyebrow. “Ah, that’s common knowledge! Your pilot left air tracks on the water, didn’t he?” asked Wood. Saunders leaned in, his eyes glinting. “True, but here’s the twist. An Anson returned yesterday with a seagull lodged in the port engine. Now there’s an inquiry. Flying over that wreck might be history.” Wood chuckled. “Or it’ll be like the US cigarette run from the Camp to that tiny airstrip in Eastport, Maine.” Saunders nodded. “Heard about that. The engine and props left ticking at low revs. One of our guys catches the bus into Eastport, buys the cigarettes, and heads back.” Wood leaned closer, his voice conspiratorial. “But here’s the kicker. One bloke returned with forty or fifty feet of telephone cable trailing from the rudder.” Saunders laughed. “And at the inquiry? They spun a different tale. Claimed they got lost above the clouds, tried to land, but the runway was too short. Somehow snagged that wire on their way back up!” As they swapped stories, the old freighter off the Tusket Islands seemed to fade into insignificance, replaced by more wild tales by the TAGs.