Date:	Tuesday 31 October 1939
Time:	afternoon
Type:	Supermarine Walrus Mk I
Owner/operator:	711 Sqn FAA RN
Registration:	L2261
MSN:	-
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage:	Aircraft missing
Location:	Missing off South Africa -   Atlantic Ocean
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	HMS Sussex
Destination airport:	HMS Sussex
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
711 Sqn. FAA Royal Navy, Supermarine Walrus L2261 ' F9-C' failed to return to the heavy cruiser HMS Sussex, following a reconnaissance patrol over the South Atlantic. The aircraft was lost with its three aircrew, Pilot, Lieutenant, Stanley Maurice Bird; Observer, Lieutenant, Cecil Henry Edward Osmaston and Air Gunner, Leading Airman, William Harry Brown
During the search for the German pocket battleship, Admiral Graf Spee the Royal Navy heavy cruisers HMS Sussex and HMS Shropshire (Force H), were stationed in South Atlantic, off South Africa from 13th October until early November 1939. They were on patrol off the Angola coast, 700 miles south west of Luanda (S15 00' E 2 51'), on the 31st October 1939, when Walrus L2261 was launched on its patrol at 09:35 hrs. When the aircraft failed to return in the afternoon, the two cruisers carried out a fruitless search for three days, before having to return to port to refuel. (There are several unsubstantiated reports that L2261 was shot down by Messerschmitt Bf 109s.)

1. HMS Sussex (96) of the Royal Navy - British Heavy cruiser of the London class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net
2. The Lost Flying Boats of Blackburn, Fairey and Supermarine (visit-gloucestershire.co.uk)
3. Spitfire's Forgotten Designer: The Career of Supermarine's Joe Smith - Mike Roussel - Google Books
Walrus L2261 1939 -
4. Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum (12oclockhigh.net)
Cecil Henry Edward Osmaston (1910 - 1939) - Genealogy (geni.com)
Person Page (thepeerage.com)
Roll of Honour - Sussex - Wisborough Green (roll-of-honour.com)
Royal Navy casualties, killed and died including Royal Oak, October 1939 (naval-history.net)

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

20 May 1939	L2308	712 Sqn FAA RAF	1	The Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Maine,		w/o
13 December 1939	K8341	718 Sqn FAA RN	0	off the River Plate, South America		w/o
13 December 1939	K8343	718 Sqn FAA RN	0	off the River Plate, South America		w/o
18 January 1940	P5648	712 Sqn FAA RN	2	Bishop Briggs, 3 miles north of Glasgow, Scotland,		w/o
24 April 1940	L2316	700 Sqn FAA RN	3	At sea off Fair Isle, Dunrossness, Shetland Islands, Scotland,		w/o
9 May 1940	L2225	765 Sqn FAA RN	1	The Solent/Southampton Water, Hampshire, England,		w/o
18 May 1940	P5647	700 Sqn FAA RN	2	Malangen Fjord, 32 miles south west of Tromsø,		w/o
7 September 1940	-	765 Sqn FAA RN	2	English Channel, 8 miles south of Anvil Point, Swanage, Dorset,		w/o
25 September 1940	L2247	9 Sqn RAAF	3	South Atlantic Ocean off Dakar,		w/o
1 March 1942	L2319	9 Sqn RAAF	4	6 miles NE of Tanjung Pujut, Java		w/o
9 August 1942	P5715	9 Sqn RAAF	0	7 miles SE of Savo Island, Central		w/o

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
15-Feb-2021 18:10	Peter Clarke	Added
15-Feb-2021 19:57	Castle	Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Operator]
03-Jun-2022 14:14	Ron Averes	Updated [Operator]