Heinkel 59 Floatplane, copyright RAF Museum Hendon

The German Red Cross seaplanes were, unfortunately, to become an issue with the RAF. They bore civilian markings with a big red cross painted on the side of the fuselage. The trouble was that these aircraft, usually Heinkel 59s, carried an air gunner. The suspicion was that RAF fighters who took these seaplanes, as bent on a mercy mission, could fall into the trap of being shot down by the air gunner. It was also thought likely that these sea planes could be shadowing the British convoys and feeding back information about their location, thus putting them at an increased risk.

The powers that be, in the Air Ministry, were getting worried about these sea planes. Eventually, the decision was taken that they should be attacked, particularly if at the time it looked as though they were shadowing the convoys. It was to be a contentious matter. Some of our pilots did subsequently shoot down these seaplanes. Others did not. Goebbels the German Propaganda Minister complained of RAF barbarism. On 14th July, Fighter Command issued a statement to pilots saying that these so-called rescue planes could not be guaranteed immunity unless it was clear that they were engaged in rescue efforts. On 29th July, the Air Ministry issued a statement to the same effect.