The date is July 30, 1943; the scene is the Bay of Biscay, that expanse of sea between the Brest Peninsula and the north coast of Spain, where the German U-boats were at their most vulnerable as they set out and returned from their deadly missions in the Atlantic Ocean. Three German U-boats, heading for the Wolf Packs with fuel, ammunition and supplies, have been caught on the surface by aircraft from RAF Coastal Command and, under instructions from Admiral Donitz, the submarines will remain on the surface and fight.

Circling in a defensive pattern, each of the three submarines could bring to bear 10 guns to welcome an intruder, together providing an intense wall of firepower comprising no fewer than 30 cannons plus machine guns. The effective use of depth charges demanded an attack from an extremely low level, and the dangers to the aircrews were therefore intense.

A predominantly Australian crewed Sunderland from No. 461 Squadron RAAF arrived on the scene. Its pilot, Flight Lieutenant Dudley Marrows, having assessed the situation, immediately heads into the attack. Bringing his massive flying boat, identification letter U, down to wave top height, he makes a daring run at the nearest U-boat. By a strange quirk of fate, his chosen target is U-461, a type XIV tanker.

Robert Taylor's dramatic rendering captures the final moments of U-461 as Marrows powers his four-engine aircraft over the conning tower, through a hail of gunfire from all three submarines. Seven depth charges straddled U-461 and the explosions literally blew the ship apart. Climbing away to assess the situation Dudley Marrows could see survivors in the water and in an involuntary act of compassion, flew back over the scene to drop one of his three dinghies to the survivors. It saved their lives.

Aided by; a Liberator of 53 Sqn. RAF, a Sunderland of 228 Sqn., a Catalina of 210 Sqn., together with Captain Walker's Royal Navy destroyers in the final action, the Allies air and surface forces accounted for the two remaining submarines, thus wiping out an entire U-boat group.

Now, some 57 years later, surviving crewmembers of Sunderland U/461 and of U-boat U-461 have come together to sign what can only be described as a truly remarkable collectors edition.

"The only thing that ever really frightened me during the war was the U-boat peril"

Winston Churchill

"The U-boats were maneuvering in formation, keeping bows pointed towards the attacking aircraft, putting up a formidable barrage of cannon and machine gun fire. I decided the only thing to do was to go in as low as possible. We went in, jinking violently, with all 30 guns of three submarines firing at us. Shrapnel was hitting the fuselage like hail. Just skimming the swell tops, I had to pull up to clear the sub as I dropped my depth charges. We just cleared the conning tower."

Sunderland pilot, Flight Lieutenant Dudley Marrows RAAF

Caught On The Surface by Robert Taylor
The Signed & Numbered Edition
500 s/n prints w/FOUR crew of Sunderland 'U', and FOUR crew of U-461.	SOLD OUT
50 s/n Artist Proof prints w/FOUR crew of Sunderland 'U', and FOUR crew of U-461. (Our print number is 1 of 50, only one in stock)	US $650
The Victoria Cross Edition Individually numbered 1 - 65 and issued with matching numbered companion drawing.
65 proofs, signed by additional Sunderland 'U' signatories, and three additional highly decorated RAF and RCAF Catalina pilots.	SOLD OUT

THE SIGNED & NUMBERED EDITION
Individually numbered 1 - 500 each print of Caught On The Surface is signed by FOUR crew of Sunderland 'U', and FOUR crew of U-461.

The crew of Sunderland U, 461 Squadron RAAF, the 'ANZAC' Squadron:

Flight Lieutenant Dudley Marrows DSO DFC (Captain and Pilot)
On 30 July 1943, Dudley Marrows captained Sunderland U/461 Sqn., and took part in the "Greatest air/U-boat battle of WWII". During the engagement, all three U-boats were sunk, whilst Marrow's Sunderland 'U' of 461 accounted for U/461. On 16 September, 1943, his Sunderland was attacked by six JU88s, after having battled them for more than an hour, shooting one down and loosing three engines in the process, he force landed on the Bay of Biscay in a 15' swell. His Sunderland, riddled with bullet holes subsequently sank with all crew surviving to be rescued by the Royal Navy. Marrows then Captained one of six Sunderlands to Australia for service with 40 Sqn. RAAF.

Flight Lieutenant John 'Jock' Rolland (Navigator)
Flight Lieutenant Peter Jensen (1st Wireless Operator - Air Gunner)
Warrant Officer Horrie Morgan (Wireless Operator - Air Gunner)
Flight Lieutenant Gerald Watson (Engineer) - Victoria Cross Edition only
Flying Officer Robert Webster (Wireless Operator - Air Gunner) - Victoria Cross Edition only

The crew of German U-boat U-461:

Leading Seaman Alois Momper
Medical Orderly Wilhelm Hoffken
Able Seaman Helmut Roschinski
Able Seaman Gerhard Korbuhn

Surface Action

by Robert Taylor

THE VICTORIA CROSS EDITION
65 Proofs of Caught On The Surface, signed by additional Sunderland 'U' signatories, and issued with a matching numbered Companion Print drawing signed by three additional highly decorated Catalina pilots.

Flight Lieutenant John Alexander Cruickshank VC
On 17th July 1944, Cruickshank was a pilot of a Coastal Command Catalina. After eight hours of patrolling, the aircraft spotted U-347 on the surface and attacked. Heavy flak from the U-boat riddled the Catalina, with one shell exploding inside the aircraft killing the navigator and seriously injuring several crewmembers. Cruickshank received severe wounds to his chest and legs but giving no indication of his injury he pressed home his attack, sinking U-347 with six depth charges. With his aircraft badly damaged, Cruickshank turned for home but his wounds were so great that he lapsed in and out of consciousness, barely able to nurse his aircraft home. After landing he was found to have a staggering total of 72 individual wounds. He was awarded the Victoria Cross.

Air Commodore Leonard Birchall DFC OBE 'The Saviuor of Ceylon'
In 1942 the Japanese fleet which attacked Pearl Harbor was planning to attack the British island of Ceylon, which would force the closure of the Suez Canal to the Allies.

On April 4th, Leonard Birchall was piloting a Catalina of 413 Squadron on what was one of the war's most significant missions. After patrolling for 12 hours, 350 miles south of Ceylon, he spotted the massive Japanese fleet, including 5 aircraft carriers. He managed to transmit their position before being attacked by 14 Zeroes. Shot down with three of his crew being killed, Birchall was taken prisoner of war but his actions had saved the Royal Navy fleet from surprise attack.

Air Commodore Edward Hale DFC CD
Edward Hale joined the RCAF in 1939. After training, he was soon flying Catalinas with 161 (Bomber Reconnaissance) Squadron RCAF on anti-submarine patrols from the east coast of Canada, based at Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. On the night of September 24th, 1943, flying Canso 9837, he attacked and sunk a German U-boat in the North Atlantic during a mission that lasted 23 hours and 55 minutes.

He was awarded the DFC in January 1945 after 120 operational sorties. He later served with distinction in Korea flying the F-86 Sabre, attached to the US 51st Fighter Group under Gabby Gabreski.

Just four Coastal Command crew were awarded the Victoria Cross - three of these were posthumously. The fourth was John Cruickshank. Robert Taylor's fine pencil drawing shows the RAF Coastal Command Catalina flown by John Cruickshank sinking U-boat U-347 on 17 July, 1944. Though badly injured by gunfire, Cruickshank pressed home his attack and, for his act of extreme heroism, was awarded the Victoria Cross. Just 65 Proofs of this exceptional drawing are signed by John Cruickshank and two other highly decorated Catalina pilots.