Pontious
27th Jul 2007, 18:16
Hi,
If anybody could provide me with a route or tips on how to trace a downed Royal Canadian Air Force Pilot, I would be very grateful,and so would my 88 year old Grandfather.
My Grandfather was a POW in a large group of camps on the German/Polish border during the Second World War and his camp was located next to a large industrial complex, an oil refinery he thinks, which was subject to frequent heavy air raids.
One night, in 1943 or 1944 my Grandfather recalls a downed Pilot dropping into the camp unseen by the sheltering sentries and promptly hidden away by the internees.
My Grandfather goes on to say that the Germans had no idea at all that he was there and that he would be easier to escape as he wouldn't be registered in the Roll call.
A descision was made to hide him in the bottom of a hollowed out costume trunk used by the Prisoner's Concert Party that my Grandfather was part of, for a forthcoming tour of other POW camps in Poland and Eastern Germany including Berlin, where it was decided the RCAF guy would leave the Concert Party to continue with his escape attempt. The conditions in the trunk were cramped to say the least and because the German guards only 'headcounted' the troupe occassionally, other prisoners would take his place in the trunk so he could stretch his legs and give him a 'breather'.
When the troupe got to Berlin, the airman disappeared and that was the end of it, but recently my Grandfather, who has suffered with his nerves recently as a result of his wartime experiences (he was one of the ones left behind to fight the rearguard action that enabled the evacuation of Dunkirk to take place and was captured still fighting some days after the evacuation finished), and only recently started to talk about his war.
If anyone can help me with advice,links,pointers or tips on how and where to start my search, to ascertain if my Grandfathers troupe risked their lives in vain or indeed if this pilot DID successfully escape I would be very grateful and I'm sure my Grandfather would also.
Please PM me with anything you think may help.
Thanks and kind regards
Ponsh.
If anybody could provide me with a route or tips on how to trace a downed Royal Canadian Air Force Pilot, I would be very grateful,and so would my 88 year old Grandfather.
My Grandfather was a POW in a large group of camps on the German/Polish border during the Second World War and his camp was located next to a large industrial complex, an oil refinery he thinks, which was subject to frequent heavy air raids.
One night, in 1943 or 1944 my Grandfather recalls a downed Pilot dropping into the camp unseen by the sheltering sentries and promptly hidden away by the internees.
My Grandfather goes on to say that the Germans had no idea at all that he was there and that he would be easier to escape as he wouldn't be registered in the Roll call.
A descision was made to hide him in the bottom of a hollowed out costume trunk used by the Prisoner's Concert Party that my Grandfather was part of, for a forthcoming tour of other POW camps in Poland and Eastern Germany including Berlin, where it was decided the RCAF guy would leave the Concert Party to continue with his escape attempt. The conditions in the trunk were cramped to say the least and because the German guards only 'headcounted' the troupe occassionally, other prisoners would take his place in the trunk so he could stretch his legs and give him a 'breather'.
When the troupe got to Berlin, the airman disappeared and that was the end of it, but recently my Grandfather, who has suffered with his nerves recently as a result of his wartime experiences (he was one of the ones left behind to fight the rearguard action that enabled the evacuation of Dunkirk to take place and was captured still fighting some days after the evacuation finished), and only recently started to talk about his war.
If anyone can help me with advice,links,pointers or tips on how and where to start my search, to ascertain if my Grandfathers troupe risked their lives in vain or indeed if this pilot DID successfully escape I would be very grateful and I'm sure my Grandfather would also.
Please PM me with anything you think may help.
Thanks and kind regards
Ponsh.