On receipt we believe that it was repainted in the standard 'Desert' colours (Dark Earth, Midstone and Azure Blue under the engine cowls and wings). However the lower surfaces of fuselage keel and floats appear to have remained in the Black colour these areas were in the scheme applied by the British American Ambulance Corps before shipment as per above. Allocated to the Desert Air Force's Sea Rescue Flight at the end of November 1941, it was found unsuitable for open sea rescues. The machine was passed to No 1 Air Ambulance Unit (1 AAU), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) on 1 December 1942. HK822 was the only Goose to serve with the Australian military.

HK822 History Summary:

• Presented to the RAF and impressed as HK822, operated as "N", Sea Rescue Flight.
• 20 April 1942 - ACF advises 1 Air Ambulance Unit (1 AAU) of transfer of the aircraft (erroneously referred to as a Grumman Widgeon 1212, likely a confusion with G44 Widgeon NC28973 also donated to the RAF by the British American Ambulance Corps).
• 21 May 1942 - Letter from ACF to 1 AAU advising arrangement for transfer.
• 4 June 1942 - Memo from 1 AAU to RAF Western Desert HQ requesting assistance to have the aircraft assembled and consigned.
• 6 November 1942 - Allotted from Sea Rescue Flight to 1 AAU, AHQ Western Desert to arrange delivery with HQ 201 Group.
• 9 November 1942 - Aircraft noted in 1 AAU monthly census of aircraft as allotted from Sea Rescue Flight, HQ Desert Air Force via BARU.
• 1 December 1942 - Received by 1 AAU ex BARU Heliopolis; fitted with P&W Wasp Junior engines 2425 (port) and 2484 (starboard).
• 9 December 1942 - crashed in the Mediterranean 15 miles North of Bengazi during 'load tests' with all crew eventually rescued. All survived the crash and escaped to a rubber dinghy.

On 9 December 1942, HK822 crashed into the Mediterranean during a 'load test' with seven (7) aboard, everyone surviving. According to the report, "The pilots managed to get from the cockpit into the cabin and after some difficulty all seven members of the crew and passengers succeeded in climbing into a small rubber dinghy. They paddled all night but made no headway against wind and current. "The crew and passengers of HK822 were located by Pilot Officer Carson and Pilot Officer Meldrum in DH.86A A31-7 (from 1 AAU) the next morning and rescued by ship (Barton) or Walrus (Lever) in the afternoon. The pilots were Flight Lt J Bartle and Pilot Officer McWilliam along with passengers Flying Officer O'Donnell, LAC G.R. Richards, LAC J. Richards, LAC G (or C) Allen and AC1 W. Milburn (RAF).

Editor's Note - If the airframe had already been found to be 'unsuitable for open sea rescues' while with the Sea Rescue Flight (which is why it was passed it to 1 AAU), why did Jack Bartle who had been trained as a fighter pilot (he did a full tour as such with 450 Squadron RAAF, before being made C.O of 1 AAU at the end of his fighter tour) think he could successfully land the airframe in the open sea off Benghazi ?? I doubt that he had any training as a Seaplane pilot which is a specialist skill. Sounds very reckless and gungho to me. It could have easily killed all seven of them (Steve).

Clearing Up The Confusion. - Some references quote that HK822 had been registered as G-AFKJ (c/n 1049) on 30 September 1938 to Lord Beaverbrook (C of R 8771). In fact, G-AFKJ became Goose Mark I, MV993, of No. 24 Squadron RAF based at Hendon, Middlesex, after impressment into military service on 18 February 1941. It appears that references to HK822 and MV993 have been muddled up over the years by various sources. However, MV993 was still in service with 24 Squadron, RAF when it flew Wittering-Newmarket-Booker on 2 October 1943, almost a year after HK822 crashed.