Wreck of the Japanese fishing ship Noshemi Maru on Minerva Reef. This is where Tongan fishermen were rescued from by a No. 5 Squadron Sunderland after being castaways.

Aerial oblique view of Minerva Reef with the Wreck of the Japanese fishing ship Noshemi Maru. This is where Tongan fishermen were rescued from by a No. 5 Squadron Sunderland after being castaways.

Image from the KR Bremner personal collection. Four Tongan castaways beside the wreck of the Japanese fishing trawler ship Noshemi Maru on Minerva Reef.

Image from the KR Bremner personal collection. A member of the rescue crew from No. 5 Squadron, standing with some of the castaways beside the wreck of the Japanese fishing trawler ship Noshemi Maru on Minerva Reef.

Image from the KR Bremner personal collection. A member of the rescue crew from No. 5 Squadron, standing with some of the castaways beside the wreck of the Japanese fishing trawler ship Noshemi Maru on Minerva Reef.

Image from the KR Bremner personal collection. Tongan man with his still in the shipwreck of a Japanese fishing trawler ship on Minerva Reef.

Group of Tongan Castaways signal to the No. 5 Squadron Sunderland circling overhead the wrecked fishing boat on Minerva Reef.

Image from the KR Bremner personal collection. Tongan castaways in a rubber dinghy during their rescue from Minerva Reef by a No. 5 Squadron Sunderland crew.

Image from the DH Mann personal album collection. "Paddling 'K' type dinghy after Lindholme Dinghy." Aerial oblique view of a downed No. 489 Squadron crew, DH Mann and DM Kennedy (RAF), in their life raft. Douglas Haig Mann's log book records "Aircraft badly damaged in starboard wing by collision. Ditched off Terschelling at 0155 hrs. Picked up by H.S.L. [High Speed launch] 2679 off Texel on 10/10/44 after 184 hrs 35 mins in dinghy."

Image from the DH Mann personal album collection. "Paddling 'K' type dinghy after Lindholme Dinghy." Aerial oblique view of a downed No. 489 Squadron crew, DH Mann and DM Kennedy (RAF), in their life raft. Douglas Haig Mann's log book records "Aircraft badly damaged in starboard wing by collision. Ditched off Terschelling at 0155 hrs. Picked up by H.S.L. [High Speed launch] 2679 off Texel on 10/10/44 after 184 hrs 35 mins in dinghy."

Image from the DH Mann personal album collection. "Paddling 'K' type dinghy after Lindholme Dinghy." Aerial oblique view of a downed No. 489 Squadron crew, DH Mann and DM Kennedy (RAF), in their life raft. Douglas Haig Mann's log book records "Aircraft badly damaged in starboard wing by collision. Ditched off Terschelling at 0155 hrs. Picked up by H.S.L. [High Speed launch] 2679 off Texel on 10/10/44 after 184 hrs 35 mins in dinghy."

Image from the DH Mann personal album collection. "Paddling 'K' type dinghy after Lindholme Dinghy." Aerial oblique view of a downed No. 489 Squadron crew, DH Mann and DM Kennedy (RAF), in their life raft. Douglas Haig Mann's log book records "Aircraft badly damaged in starboard wing by collision. Ditched off Terschelling at 0155 hrs. Picked up by H.S.L. [High Speed launch] 2679 off Texel on 10/10/44 after 184 hrs 35 mins in dinghy."

Image from the DH Mann personal album collection. No. 489 Squadron Observer "Don Kennedy After Rescue." Douglas Haig Mann's log book records "Aircraft badly damaged in starboard wing by collision. Ditched off Terschelling at 0155 hrs. Picked up by H.S.L. [High Speed launch] 2679 off Texel on 10/10/44 after 184 hrs 35 mins in dinghy."

No. 489 Squadron crew, Flying Officer DH Mann and his English Navigator, Flight Sergeant DM Kennedy being rescued from their dinghy by personnel on RAF High Speed launch 2679. Douglas Haig Mann's log book records "Aircraft badly damaged in starboard wing by collision. Ditched off Terschelling at 0155 hrs. Picked up by H.S.L. [High Speed launch] 2679 off Texel on 10/10/44 after 184 hrs 35 mins in dinghy."

Two crew members from a No. 5 Squadron Sunderland pose with an SOS message painted on the end of a drum on Minerva Reef. Squadron Leader Kelvin Bremner, Medical Officer (left) and Squadron Leader Bernie O'Connor, Pilot (right).

Exercise with the crew of a 'ditched' aircraft being taken aboard a Walrus. Believed to be the Seaplane Training Flight, RNZAF Station Hobsonville. Helping downed crewman aboard is Corporal 'Snow' Melbye [?]. The pilot, Squadron Leader Hickson (Commanding Officer of the Seaplane Training Flight), is standing behind. See Contact Magazine, January 1944, page 38.

Plaque presented to No. 5 Squadron by a grateful family after they searched for a found the crew of the missing yacht 'Wairemu' on 14 April 1982. NB. Original negative out of focus.

Ditched aircrew, afloat in a rubber dinghy, scan the sky, searching for the Air-Sea Rescue aircraft. Believed to be an exercise near RNZAF Station Hobsonville. See Contact Magazine, January 1944, pages 28-38.

Practice extracting an immobilised pilot from a No. 75 Squadron Skyhawk using Coles crane, number plate ER8802. RNZAF Base Ohakea.

Practice extracting an immobilised pilot from a No. 75 Squadron Skyhawk using Coles crane, number plate ER8802. RNZAF Base Ohakea.

No. 5 Squadron search and rescue of the distressed ship Fuji Maru II, from RNZAF Station Lauthala Bay. Lindholme gear on the braby pontoon dock ready to be taken to the Sunderland. NZ4115 in the background.

No. 5 Squadron search and rescue of the distressed ship Fuji Maru II, from RNZAF Station Lauthala Bay. Personnel attaching the Lindholme gear to the bomb racks of Sunderland NZ4114.

No. 5 Squadron search and rescue of the distressed ship Fuji Maru II, from RNZAF Station Lauthala Bay. Crew looking out of the observers hatch in Sunderland NZ4114.

No. 5 Squadron search and rescue of the distressed ship Fuji Maru II, from RNZAF Station Lauthala Bay. Crew looking out of the observers hatch in Sunderland NZ4114 at the ship 'Fairsky'

No. 5 Squadron search and rescue of the distressed ship Fuji Maru II, from RNZAF Station Lauthala Bay. Pilot Officer Longbottom signalling the distressed ship with an Aldis signalling lamp.