Searching for POW Pilots…

Bump….bump…

Any day now and the file will be re-consigned to archive. Shout if you want/need it.

It took a while, but I have finally retrieved the archive box with George Wood’s account of his escape from P7113 and subsequent evasion. It runs to eight closely typed pages.

I am happy to scan and send to you, MrBlueSky.

Hi Stu

You’ve a choice of 6 or 7:

1.P6979, 24/10/43, flak-damaged during attack on blockade-runner Munsterland at Cherbourg, force-landed nr Digosville. Len Gray POW. Len died last year.

2.P7005, 2/3/43, shot down by flak north of Boulogne, Sgt George Walker POW. Died in the late ‘50s/early ‘60s.

3.P7042, 4/9/41, shot down by 109 of JG2 off Cherbourg. Sgt Geoff Buckwell, injured, POW. Geoff died some years ago. (Perhaps this one doesn’t count because the aircraft went in a couple of miles offshore)

4.P7054, 23/1/43, hit by flak, force-landed, WO Alec Doig evaded, but captured on the 27th and POW. Unsure if he’s still with us. According to his liberation questionnaire he was from Northolt.

5.P7095, 23/1/43, force-landed nr Arras after flak damage. Grave of PO Alfred Brown subsequently found by MREU. Cause, circumstances and date of death uncertain.

6.P7109, 31/10/42, shot down by flak nr Etaples. WO Frank Waldron POW. Died in 2000.

7.P7113, 23/9/43, shot down by flak over Morlaix, George Wood parachuted, evaded and still with us.

HTH
Niall

Searching for POW Pilots…

Len Gray crash landed next to a graveyard in the eastern suburbs of Cherbourg. The aircraft – P6979 HE-G – broke her back but was otherwise intact so there wont be any buried wreckage. He was uninjured but quickly taken prisoner, and described the POW Camp as ‘like Butlins but without the fun.’ He passed away last year.

George Wood’s aircraft – P7113 – disintegrated over Morlaix airfield. Flak probably detonated one of his bombs seconds after he released them. An eye witness said there was so much wreckage he thought two aircraft had collided. The remains came down on the airfield so again there wont be anything buried. George evaded and returned with the aid of the Underground. Its true, he was ordained into the Church in the 1950’s.

Alex Doig came down near Poperinge and was made a POW but Ive been unable to trace him.

There are a couple of others –
Ted Brown came down in P7095 SF-H near Doullens. He evaded but was found buried under a different name at the end of the war some 40 miles from where he came down.

Gerry Walker came down near Neufchatel in P7005 SF-H and was taken prisoner. He passed away in the 50’s

Going on my dodgy memory here, but I seem to remember an article in Flypast 15-20 years ago written by a Whirly pilot who was shot down over France and later became a Vicar. I don’t remember the name, but it sounds very much like George Wood.

Perhaps someone on here has back-issues going back that far..?

I will have a search, but need to locate the box which is either in the attic or one of the sheds with old papers. Be patient. But keep nagging. I certainly have a typed up account which may have been from a Parish mag or something from the 70s or 80s.

We aim to please!

Thank you Andy, I know he answered a question put by me about the coupe operation in which he described how he had difficulty it getting it open while he fell to earth…

Stu…

I knew George Wood, vaguely, for a while….if it is the same one? He became a vicar in Sussex after the war and I met him again (unexpectedly) when he was the officiating vicar at the funeral of “Jane” (Chrystobel Leighton-Porter). I have in my files somewhere an account of his being shot down. Vaguely, I have an idea that he evaded. Inevitably, he was “Timber” Wood. I recall him always wearing his medals on his cassock.

I will check but it will take a bit of delving into old box files. Paul McMillan may know more.