WWII Rescue Buoys - Secret 'Floating Hotels' of the English Channel

Update: I FOUND ONE! https://youtu.be/a90_QdrKo1Q?si=WRoo4fJ2UgT-aN2q

There’s something so “cozy”, for lack of a better term, of a small zone of comfort in the middle of a harsh environment. Whether it’s these buoys, a bushcraft shelter in the middle of a forest, a hot spring on a frozen mountain, or even a starship traveling across the vast emptiness of space...there’s just something about these kinds of places and situations that make me feel warm.

Two decades of diving deep into all things ww2 it’s rare to see something new about the war that isn’t the norm. Great content !

I watched a German luftwaffe documentary with English subtitles and the Luftwaffe pilot actually said that he used one of these rescue devices. Very fascinating video .

Having been a student of WWII for many years now - particularly regarding aviation, I think this is the first I’ve heard of the rescue buoys. One of those things that falls into the category of historical minutae, even though they played a very important role. Especially in film, we’re always lead to believe those stranded at sea in wartime had no option but to bob around in a life raft hoping someone sees them, but we see that wasn’t always the case. That both the Germans and English had them in the channel probably made for some interesting encounters, as illustrated in the movie ‘One Of Our Planes Is Missing’. Considering the geographic location of the UK, it’s rather surprising England had such a poor system in place at the outset for downed airmen at sea.

My grandpa told us a story once about how himself and one other man spent 9 days in one of those. He talked about a sea sickness that you could never imagine. It sounded horrible, going a week and a half without sleep and barely eating

My father was stationed with the Air Sea Rescue during WW2 along the Channel and picked up Air crew from these lifesavers. He pick up British and German, all were pleased to see his vessel...

I imagine the ramp at the back would be very handy if you're trying to help a fellow wounded airman survive his injuries. It would be almost impossible to get someone who is alive but incapacitated up that ladder. It's also kind of interesting to type the coordinates into Google maps and see where they were stationed. I just two or three at random and they all took me to different parts of the bit of water (cove?) that is between Ipswich and Canterbury, almost exactly east of Southend-on-Sea. And that's quite a ways away from where the surviving one ended up. It traveled pretty far for something with no means of propulsion.

Fascinating, I've read tiny mentions of them in biographies by downed pilots, and of course old war films, as you mentioned. You've, without doubt, produced the first major insight into an obscure subject, well done and thanks.

As uncomfortable as they may have been, to a downed pilot floating in the sea it was probably close to paradise, thanks for this video it was very educational as I never knew anything like this ever existed.

Fascinating. Very nice job. With regard to air-dropped rescue craft, my late father-in-law had an interesting story. He flew air rescue in the Pacific during WW-II (mainly PBYs), and after the war continued that for a time with an unusual setup. He flew a B-29 modified to carry a very large lifeboats strapped underneath. The boats could be dropped in a low-level pass near the survivors of a sunken ship, and could carry a great many people. He flew routine patrols with this plane, and there arose the story. As time went on, the plane required a longer and longer takeoff roll, and no one could figure out why. Eventually it reached the point where they couldn't get off the ground with enough room for a refused takeoff. The plane was grounded, and they started taking things apart. The first thing was releasing the lifeboat. It proved to be completely full of water! The boat had no covering on top, and was just a typical open lifeboat. Whenever it rained, the water landing on the B-29 fuselage ran down the sides and into the gap between the boat and fuselage. In that condition, it would have sunk immediately upon being dropped! You have to pay attention to the little things...

Fantastic work. I’ve been a student of military history for more than 40 years & I’ve never heard of these buoys. Very well done my good man.

EDIT: I know, I know I said the Battle of Britain was in 1941! It was an accident! Mixed it up with the date the buoys were rolled out en masse 😩 don’t sue me I don't get seasick easily, but those German bouys must have be tough to stomach. Hope you enjoy! This has been a long project in the making, really glad to have it ready to share with you all!

Never heard about these things before. Surprising there’s not more public knowledge about them. Very fascinating.

I just learned about these buoys from this video but right from the thumbnail & description I found it highly mysterious & interesting that there was basically floating, stocked shelters that go below the waterline that has all the necessary equipment in it to make one comfortable as can be. I would love to be able to go in one and it's even fun to imagine stumbling onto one while you're in a boat, climbing on board the buoy and going down the hatch to see & utilize the equipment below.

Great story, I spent a lot of time in Scotland as a submarine officer in the 1980’s retired in 2000. Holyloch, Faslane, Portsmouth in England. Have lots of friends their. Was just in England at the same time the Queen passed. Great video

I don’t know why but something about a little floating house in the middle of an ocean is so freaking cool. Super interesting great video. I would’ve love to use one of these

The British-designed v-hull would point to weather (direction of the wind) thus taking waves along its longer water line. This would reduce the rocking horse effect. Longer the waterline the more stable the ride. 3 buckets could be for bailing, puking, or perhaps a head (toilet).

I thought I had pretty much everything about WWII down pat. It's always great to hear something new.

...what a relief could be seeing one of this rescue buoys in the near distance after you ditched your crippled Lanc or Wimppy...🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧