Donegal Corridor
Encyclopedia
The Donegal Corridor was a narrow strip of Irish airspace
linking Lough Erne
to the international waters of the Atlantic Ocean
through which the Irish Government permitted flights by British military aircraft during World War II
. This was a contravention of Irish neutral
ity and was not publicised at the time.
The Battle of the Atlantic commenced soon after war was declared. German U-boats attacked Allied shipping convoys in the Atlantic Ocean, where hundreds of ship were sunk and thousands of lives lost, resulting in a very serious situation for the Allied forces. In December 1940 a survey was carried out on Lough Erne with a view to having flying boat bases built there. This was the most westerly point in the United Kingdom from where planes could patrol the Atlantic and offer some protection to the shipping convoys against the dreaded U-boats. Early in 1941 the first flying boats were based on Lough Erne. They were not permitted to fly over the territory of Éire. This meant that they had first to fly northwards then change their flight path and go west.
Some limited protection could be given to the convoys coming to the UK from the U.S. and Canada, the same protection could be given by American-based aircraft. Still there was a gap where the U-boats could create havoc unhindered. This mid-Atlantic area was known as the Black Gap. Ireland came under extreme pressure from the British and even the U.S.A. who at this time were themselves neutral to dispense with its neutrality policy and join with the Allies. A meeting took place in January 1941 between deValera and Sir James Maffey, the British representative in Dublin. An agreement was reached whereby the Lough Erne-based flying boats were permitted to fly across a four-mile stretch of neutral territory from Belleek
in County Fermanagh to Ballyshannon in County Donegal and thereby gain access to the Atlantic Ocean. To pacify the Germans these aircraft were supposed to follow a defined route and then only on air/sea rescue missions.
This flight path became known as 'The Donegal Corridor'. The original agreement and rules were soon changed and the flying boats went on missions to the mid-Atlantic, to the west coast of France and to Iceland to protect convoys on those routes. This was a turning point in the Battle of the Atlantic which was the longest battle of the Second World War. Some nine U-boats were confirmed as having been sunk by the Lough Erne Sunderland and Catalina flying boats and many others so badly damaged that they had to return to base in France. One of the most famous sorties was that of a Lough Erne Catalina that spotted the Bismarck when it was escaping to France.
One such concession, in January 1941, was permission for British warplanes to overfly Irish territory en route to Atlantic patrols, thus allowing flying boats based at Lough Erne
, in Northern Ireland, a direct route to the sea instead of the previous route via Derry
. This allowed greater reach for air patrols to protect convoy
s from U-boat
attack and reduced the "Atlantic Gap"
where convoys were at their most vulnerable. The agreement, which was concluded in the The Cranborne Report), was secretly made between Éamon de Valera
and Sir John Maffey, Britain's representative in Ireland.
in Co Leitrim and the River Erne
in Co Donegal, Co Donegal narrows and separates the Northern Irish Co Fermanagh from Donegal Bay
and the Atlantic. The seven mile long Corridor was between Belleek
and the coast beyond Ballyshannon
, along the course of the River Erne
The base itself was at RAF Castle Archdale
.
's Supermarine Stranraer
flying boats. Conditions of the concession included that flights should be made at a "good height" and that aircraft should not fly over the military camp at Finner; these conditions appear to have been ignored by both sides.
A notable episode was when a Consolidated Catalina
flying boat from No. 209 Squadron RAF
based at Lough Erne located the German battleship Bismarck
in 1941, leading to the ship's destruction.
By the end of the war, 320 men had died in 41 missions by flying boats based at Lough Erne. In 2007, memorial plaques were unveiled in Counties Donegal and Fermanagh.
Airspace
Airspace means the portion of the atmosphere controlled by a country above its territory, including its territorial waters or, more generally, any specific three-dimensional portion of the atmosphere....
linking Lough Erne
Lough Erne
Lough Erne, sometimes Loch Erne , is the name of two connected lakes in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. The lakes are widened sections of the River Erne. The river begins by flowing north, and then curves west into the Atlantic. The southern lake is further up the river and so is named Upper...
to the international waters of the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
through which the Irish Government permitted flights by British military aircraft during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. This was a contravention of Irish neutral
Neutral country
A neutral power in a particular war is a sovereign state which declares itself to be neutral towards the belligerents. A non-belligerent state does not need to be neutral. The rights and duties of a neutral power are defined in Sections 5 and 13 of the Hague Convention of 1907...
ity and was not publicised at the time.
Background
When the Second World War broke out in September 1939, Ireland was in no position to become involved. In fact some years beforehand the deValera-led government had declared a policy of neutrality. This was supported by the opposition parties.The Battle of the Atlantic commenced soon after war was declared. German U-boats attacked Allied shipping convoys in the Atlantic Ocean, where hundreds of ship were sunk and thousands of lives lost, resulting in a very serious situation for the Allied forces. In December 1940 a survey was carried out on Lough Erne with a view to having flying boat bases built there. This was the most westerly point in the United Kingdom from where planes could patrol the Atlantic and offer some protection to the shipping convoys against the dreaded U-boats. Early in 1941 the first flying boats were based on Lough Erne. They were not permitted to fly over the territory of Éire. This meant that they had first to fly northwards then change their flight path and go west.
Some limited protection could be given to the convoys coming to the UK from the U.S. and Canada, the same protection could be given by American-based aircraft. Still there was a gap where the U-boats could create havoc unhindered. This mid-Atlantic area was known as the Black Gap. Ireland came under extreme pressure from the British and even the U.S.A. who at this time were themselves neutral to dispense with its neutrality policy and join with the Allies. A meeting took place in January 1941 between deValera and Sir James Maffey, the British representative in Dublin. An agreement was reached whereby the Lough Erne-based flying boats were permitted to fly across a four-mile stretch of neutral territory from Belleek
Belleek, County Fermanagh
Belleek is a village in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. While the greater part of the village lies within County Fermanagh, part of it crosses the border into County Donegal, a part of Ulster that lies in the Republic of Ireland. This makes Belleek the western-most village in the United Kingdom...
in County Fermanagh to Ballyshannon in County Donegal and thereby gain access to the Atlantic Ocean. To pacify the Germans these aircraft were supposed to follow a defined route and then only on air/sea rescue missions.
This flight path became known as 'The Donegal Corridor'. The original agreement and rules were soon changed and the flying boats went on missions to the mid-Atlantic, to the west coast of France and to Iceland to protect convoys on those routes. This was a turning point in the Battle of the Atlantic which was the longest battle of the Second World War. Some nine U-boats were confirmed as having been sunk by the Lough Erne Sunderland and Catalina flying boats and many others so badly damaged that they had to return to base in France. One of the most famous sorties was that of a Lough Erne Catalina that spotted the Bismarck when it was escaping to France.
One such concession, in January 1941, was permission for British warplanes to overfly Irish territory en route to Atlantic patrols, thus allowing flying boats based at Lough Erne
Lough Erne
Lough Erne, sometimes Loch Erne , is the name of two connected lakes in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. The lakes are widened sections of the River Erne. The river begins by flowing north, and then curves west into the Atlantic. The southern lake is further up the river and so is named Upper...
, in Northern Ireland, a direct route to the sea instead of the previous route via Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
. This allowed greater reach for air patrols to protect convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
s from U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
attack and reduced the "Atlantic Gap"
Mid-Atlantic gap
The Mid-Atlantic Gap was the gap in coverage by land-based Coastal Command antisubmarine aircraft during the Battle of the Atlantic in the Second World War. It is frequently known as The Black Pit, as well as the Atlantic Gap, Air Gap, Greenland Gap, or just "the Gap". This resulted in heavy...
where convoys were at their most vulnerable. The agreement, which was concluded in the The Cranborne Report), was secretly made between Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in twentieth century Ireland, serving as head of government of the Irish Free State and head of government and head of state of Ireland...
and Sir John Maffey, Britain's representative in Ireland.
Location
Between Lough MelvinLough Melvin
Lough Melvin is a lake which is internationally renowned for its unique range of plants and animals. It is located in the northwest of Ireland on the border between County Leitrim and County Fermanagh ....
in Co Leitrim and the River Erne
River Erne
The River Erne , in the northwest of Ireland, rises in Beaghy Lough, two miles south of Stradone in County Cavan and flows 64 miles through Lough Gowna, Lough Oughter and Upper and Lower Lough Erne, County Fermanagh, to the sea at Ballyshannon, County Donegal...
in Co Donegal, Co Donegal narrows and separates the Northern Irish Co Fermanagh from Donegal Bay
Donegal Bay
Donegal Bay is an inlet in the northwest of Ireland. Three counties – Donegal to the north and west, Leitrim and Sligo to the south – have shorelines on the bay, which is bounded on the west by the Atlantic Ocean...
and the Atlantic. The seven mile long Corridor was between Belleek
Belleek, County Fermanagh
Belleek is a village in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. While the greater part of the village lies within County Fermanagh, part of it crosses the border into County Donegal, a part of Ulster that lies in the Republic of Ireland. This makes Belleek the western-most village in the United Kingdom...
and the coast beyond Ballyshannon
Ballyshannon
Ballyshannon is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. It is located where the N3 and N15 cross the River Erne, and claims to be the oldest town in Ireland.-Location:...
, along the course of the River Erne
River Erne
The River Erne , in the northwest of Ireland, rises in Beaghy Lough, two miles south of Stradone in County Cavan and flows 64 miles through Lough Gowna, Lough Oughter and Upper and Lower Lough Erne, County Fermanagh, to the sea at Ballyshannon, County Donegal...
The base itself was at RAF Castle Archdale
RAF Castle Archdale
RAF Castle Archdale, also known for a while as RAF Lough Erne was a Royal Air Force station used by the RAF and the Royal Canadian Air Force station in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.-WWII History:...
.
Use
The first official flight along the Corridor was on February 21, 1941 by No. 240 Squadron RAFNo. 240 Squadron RAF
No. 240 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force flying boat and seaplane squadron during World War I, World War II and up to 1959. It was then reformed as a strategic missile squadron, serving thus till 1963.-Formation and World War I:No...
's Supermarine Stranraer
Supermarine Stranraer
|-Surviving aircraft:A single intact Stranraer, 920/CF-BXO, survives in the collection of the Royal Air Force Museum London. This aircraft was built in 1940, one of 40 built by Canadian Vickers. In service with the Royal Canadian Air Force, it flew with several squadrons, on anti-submarine patrols,...
flying boats. Conditions of the concession included that flights should be made at a "good height" and that aircraft should not fly over the military camp at Finner; these conditions appear to have been ignored by both sides.
A notable episode was when a Consolidated Catalina
PBY Catalina
The Consolidated PBY Catalina was an American flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s produced by Consolidated Aircraft. It was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. PBYs served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other...
flying boat from No. 209 Squadron RAF
No. 209 Squadron RAF
No. 209 Squadron of the British Royal Air Force was originally formed from a nucleus of "Naval Eight" on 1 February 1917 at Saint-Pol-sur-Mer, France, as No. 9 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service and saw active service in both World Wars, the Korean War and in Malaya...
based at Lough Erne located the German battleship Bismarck
German battleship Bismarck
Bismarck was the first of two s built for the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Named after Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the primary force behind the German unification in 1871, the ship was laid down at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg in July 1936 and launched nearly three years later...
in 1941, leading to the ship's destruction.
By the end of the war, 320 men had died in 41 missions by flying boats based at Lough Erne. In 2007, memorial plaques were unveiled in Counties Donegal and Fermanagh.