Glenn Miller (The Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band) was killed in December 1944 when the C-64 Norseman aircraft he was onboard travelling from England to Paris failed to arrive. All sorts of rumours abound about this one such as his a/c was hit by a bomb jettisoned by an Allied bomber returning from ops over Europe.

Ciao Renato,

My friend, Gian, in Italia (he has a web site about Ghedi aerodromehttp://it.geocities.com/gspagno/main.html) suggests that a good website about Italy at war can be found here http://www.comandosupremo.com which also has a discussion forum that may be helpful to you.

Good luck
Linzee

I count myself to be very fortunate. I’ve been privileged to meet and hear first hand experiences from many WW2 RAF veterans since I first began my quest in 1999 to find out what happened to my own grandfather who was a bomber pilot killed in 1942. They are an incredible generation the like of which we will never see again.

Some real highs……….

Accompanying a former W/Op A/G back to Norway in 2003 to visit the site where his plane crashed, unveil a memorial, and for him to meet and thank for the first time ever the Norwegian people who assisted him and members of his crew at the risk of their own lives one dark night in April 1942. Unforgettable, emotional and an incredible week all together.

Spending a day out with three WW2 veterans at Benningbrough Hall where they were billeted while stationed at Linton-on-Ouse. Their memories were jogged by being back at the place and they created havoc in the house (now a National Trust property) by insisting on going behind the roped off areas in rooms to show me the exact spot that their beds had been and having to be guided by the very patient member of staff who directed them so as to avoid setting off the laser alarms! I’ve never laughed or cried as much as I did that day, it was very special and I’ll remember it always.

Taking the relatives of a NZ airman killed during a training flight in the Scottish mountains up to visit the crash site in a blizzard. The plane had come down in a snow storm so it was very appropriate and again very moving.

Spending several hours airbourne in a VC-10 last week in the company of some 90 or so veterans from Bomber Command and being able to listen to their stories while watching them come alive being in the air again.

I also feel that it is very important that the younger generation know of the sacrifices that were made by very young men and women during the first and second world wars. I have recently suggested to the Head Mistress of our local primary school that the children undertake a project to find out more about their ‘local heroes’ by recording the names from the local war memorial and researching each of them to find out more about them. Once completed it would be a very nice record of the local people who died during the wars which could be placed in the public library for future generations to be able to read and remember them. I don’t know if the school will go ahead with the project or not, but it would be a wonderful way for the younger generation to learn more about the wars and the people who gave their lives so that they could enjoy the freedom that they do today.

Regards and it’s been nice to read the other postings in this thread. Very heartwarming.

Mark, send me an e-mail to archierafATyahoo.co.uk (replacing the AT with @)

In April 1942, during an op to bomb Tirpitz in Norway, a 10 Sqdn Halifax flown by Wing Commander Don Bennett & crew was shot down. All crew managed to bale out safely and landed in occupied Norway. Three were captured and taken POW. Four, including Wing Commander Bennett (later to become leader of the Pathfinders) evaded capture and made their way on foot and by ski over the mountains to neutral Sweden.

The four that made it to Sweden were taken to an Internment Camp where they were interrogated. Wing Commander Bennett was returned to England within two weeks, his second pilot within a month. The W/Op and Flight Engineer were not returned to England for over a year, although their ‘captivity’ in Sweden seems to have given them the freedom to find employment and also to live outside the internment camp.

I believe the reason given for Wing Commander Bennetts swift return home was because he told the Swedes that he was an escapee rather than an evader (he was in fact an evader). Apparently the protocol for escapees was that they were immediately repatriated while evaders had to wait it out.

Perhaps someone will have further details that will clarify the difference between treatment of escapees and evaders?

Ian Foster who has the 57 Rescue website (http://www.57rescue.org/frames.html) is involved with the crew of re-enactors in the pictures posted.

The text below is copied and pasted from the 57 Rescue website.

As some of you will already be aware, our official designation has always been “A WW2 Aviation Research and Recovery Group.” We can now add to that statement with the following: “With a Living History Section.” What does that all mean? Well, simply put, we still do what we have always done – Halifax research, but now, we have gone ‘High Profile’ by the creation of a WW2 RAF Bomber Crew! We display alongside the BBMF’s Lancaster (PA474) at various shows around the country and take part in WW2 Living History weekends, usually centered around steam railway events. If any of our readers are interested, then you can see images of us at the following address:-
http://www.decsi.com/~sroberts/Living_History/NA337/

We are always keen to hear from anyone either with an interest in the subject of Living History who may be keen to join in, or if you might like to ask questions. We would be especially keen to hear from you if you might have some item of WW2 RAF clothing or equipment which you may wish to donate to our cause… We try quite hard, to depict a late war 7 man crew, each member knows his role in the crew, such as our Flight Engineer… His Grandfather was a Flight Engineer during WW2, and he himself is one of the engineers on Lancaster NX611 “Just Jane” operating out of East Kirkby, Lincolnshire. Our Navigator is an expert on navigational matters, our Gunners know the workings of the Browning .303 machine guns and so on… So, if you are keen, and have the kit, or are willing to get the kit, and willing to travel at your own expense (we usually all try to chip in together) and you can afford to pay for overnight accommodation (tents are a good substitute!) then get in touch! The next dates for diaries are:-

April 2004 – Churnet Valley – WW2 weekend

May 2004 – East Lancs Railway WW2 weekend – Bury

Last weekend in June & 1st Weekend July – WW2 weekend – Kidderminster – This is a BIG ONE!

August 2004 – Crich – Tram museum WW2 weekend

John Pohe

Yes, John Pohe was a Maori.