The aircraft in question was Mosquito LR347 crewed by Flt. Lt. Stanley G Nunn and Flying Officer J. M. Carlin, one of several 248 Squadron Mosquitos that mobbed the submarine on this day. U-821 would eventually sink with the loss of all hands but one. Unfortunately like most RAF gun camera from WWII footage the quality of the film is extremely poor, but nonetheless historically interesting.
German submarine U-821 was a short-lived Type VIIC U-boat built by Oderwerke in Stettin during World War II for service in the Battle of the Atlantic. She only participated in two brief combat patrols. Following her sea trials and warming-up period, U-821 departed Bergen, Norway in March 1944 for her first war patrol, during which she spent 24 fruitless days in the North Atlantic before returning to Brest, France for resupply.
Her second patrol was more eventful, as just four days out from Brest and not far from Ushant, Royal Air Force aircraft spotted and attacked the U-boat on the surface. Her captain made the decision to battle it out rather than dive, and engaged in a running firefight with three Mosquitos of 248 Squadron and a Consolidated Liberator of 206 Squadron. One Mosquito was shot down in the clash, but strafing, rockets and depth charges took their toll on the submarine which soon sank, taking with her 50 sailors, in position 48°31′N 05°11′WCoordinates: 48°31′N 05°11′W. One survivor was pulled from the sea by small German Naval units a few hours later.
Mosquito LR347 again flown by Nunn would later be damaged by flak on a shipping strike on July 16th 1944 and was written off in a crash landing.
