RAF hero who became pals with commander of U-boat he sank

AN RAF hero who sank a German U-boat and later became a friend of its commander has died aged 100.

- James Podesta

Flight Lieutenant Des Curtis took part in the daring attack on the German submarine off SaintNazaire, France, in 1944.

He was a 20-year-old navigator in a Mosquito fighter-bomber that sank U-976 while evading heavy anti-aircraft fire. Four of the U-boat's 53-man crew were killed in the attack which was later featured on the front page of the boys' adventure comic Victor.

Almost 50 years later, became pen pals with Kommandant Raimond Teisler. They eventually met up in Germany with Raimond also visiting Des in England before his death in 2014.

His German Des foe-turned-close friend even touchingly referred to him as "the younger brother he never had".

Des flew in 70 sorties with his trusted pilot Doug Turner during the war, earning a Distinguished Flying Cross for his navigation skills.

He was believed to be the last surviving member of 618 Squadron, who were closely linked to the legendary 617 Dambusters Squadron.

Reliving the raid on Saint-Nazaire during an interview in 2019, Des, who lived in Bournemouth, said: "Our task was to seek out German U-boats as they entered or left their heavily protected bases on the French Atlantic coast.

"We set off at 9.05am, a very precise time, as there was a window of 30 to 40 minutes when we knew the U-boat would not be fully submerged in the water.