June 1941 marked the arrival of an armed air/sea rescue trawler HMT Robert Hastie, manned by eleven British personnel at Killybegs (Co Donegal). This was part of a secret arrangement between the two Governments. Its purpose was to provide assistance to shipping casualties and to supply planes that had run out of fuel. On arriving in Killybegs, the Robert Hastie was welcomed by Pilot Officer Heaton and John Briggs. Its crew posed as fishermen (they wore their uniforms at sea), although the trawler was painted in a very distinctive dark grey. The crew mixed well with the locals, but were kept under close observation by the Irish authorities. The trawler crew was under the charge of a Captain Hood.
