News > Ted Muffitt’s Wreath at LEYC
Created: 6/29/2009 4:13:02 AM, Updated: 6/29/2009 4:42:22 AM
 On a peaceful June day, grand daughter Jenny Jones and Commodore, Mary Anne Sutton laid a wreath together at LEYC for Ted Muffitt lost at sea in wartime.
Mary Anne Sutton welcomed Canadian, Jenny Jones, husband Steward and son Ryan. She spoke of her sadness that a family had lost husband and father yet did not know how it happened, and of her pleasure that LEYC could help by laying a wreath where he left on that last fatal flight.
Jenny Jones, holding a picture of her grandmother and Ted’s two children, thanked local WW2 historians who researched the story in time for her late grandmother to appreciate it. Now, thanks to LEYC hospitality and laying the wreath a family at last was at peace with its past.
Local historian, Joe O’Loughlin outlined research by himself and four others. Catalina FP 120 went out on 2 November 1943 from OUT 131 to find Rockall, and there to drop depth charges. Allan Deller in The Kid Glove Pilot described how one exploded prematurely, brought down the aircraft, and all crew were lost.
Ted Muffitt is listed on the Roll of Honour in LEYC club house, drawn up by Joe O’Loughlin and unveiled by then Commodore, John McCrea in November 2005. The OTU 131 memorial stone, another of Joe's initiatives, and where Ted's wreath was laid, was unveiled in May 2000 by then Commodore, Jorgen Pedersen with Bud Crooks, wartime member of RCAF 422 Sunderland squadron, and surviving colleagues who had trained at RAF Killadeas.
RAF Killadeas began in winter 1941 when two Catalina squadrons moved here from RAF Stranraer. In 1942 an Operations Training Unit, OTU 131, was added, to train crews as a team for wartime operations against U-boats. Catalina and Sunderland crews trained for war, where today LEYC trains for sailing in peace.
More on RAF Killadeas – go to downloads for History LEYC Site in WW2
Also available are Shaun Sowden’s photographs, speakers notes etc.
Michael Clarke, LEYC Historian
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