Doc McLeod - Sicily to France
 

Hello all,
First of all please let me know if I should have posted this elsewhere on the forum.
I've been researching the story of Murdo 'Doc' McLeod, a Kittyhawk pilot with 3 Sqdn RAAF. He disappeared on 3/8/43 while strafing roads in Sicily and reappeared on the 17th at Istres airbase in southern France, where he was mortally wounded by the U.S. air raid that took place on that day.

I know quite a lot about Doc's rather tragic story but the key to the mystery of how he got from the Mount Etna area to Marseilles still eludes me. Presumably he was shot down by flak, taken prisoner, and for some reason probably flown to Istres where both German and Italian airforces had a presence.

Any help, suggestions or information on this story or other instances of prisoners being transported by axis air forces would be a great help and much appreciated.

Ian Stevenson

Re: Doc McLeod - Sicily to France
 

The probable explanation was that he was brought back by a transport aircraft to Istres (many transport units were based here). Istres was used to ferry by air paratroops to Sicily, even if I am not aware that such flights took place in August 1943 (main moves were in the second decade of July just after the Allied landings in Sicily). But it is probable such flights continued to Italian air bases.

One possibility was that he was captured by German paratroops in Sicily and sent to a paratroops HQ that was still in Istres ?

Re: Doc McLeod - Sicily to France
 

Hi,
Interesting and tragic destiny.
My guess is that this pilot was rescued at sea and the ship was sailing to Marseille, then, given as prisonner to the air force based at Istres. It seems more probable for me.

S~
Olivier Bacca.

Re: Doc McLeod - Sicily to France
 

Thanks for the reply Laurent,
Transport aircraft were certainly still operating between Istres and Sicily at that date. It's just that, at that time, most allied prisoners would be moved quickly away from the lines but by road or rail further North in Italy, there was no need to transport them by plane to a base much further away. What's stranger still is that the German authorities, normally very good at reporting POW's to the Red Cross, did not do this in Doc's case until much later after his death.....
I'll try to look into the poossible paratroop link.
Ian Stevenson

Re: Doc McLeod - Sicily to France
 

Thanks for the suggestion, which, funnily enough, we hadn't considered at all before now. Regular Axis maritime links between France and Sicily at that time were almost non-existant because of the overwhelming presence of allied forces, both sea and air but it is of course possible that he was taken on board by a passing vessel.
I have no idea how to research or verify thaat possibility though !?
Ian Stevenson

Re: Doc McLeod - Sicily to France
 

There was a german submarine base in Toulon with several operating ships at sea during this period. Two subs with dates corresponding :

U-593 Gerd Kelbling 27 Jul, 1943 Toulon 8 Aug, 1943 Toulon
this one was close to Corsica on 3rd August

U-371 Waldemar Mehl 22 Jul, 1943 Toulon 11 Aug, 1943 Toulon
this one was had no position recorded on 3rd August, its patrol area was off Algeria and Tunisia.

Other U-boote were still at sea after the 17th ; so its seems that no U-Boot was involved in your case.


S~
Olivier Bacca

Re: Doc McLeod - Sicily to France
 

Thanks Olivier,
After reflecting on the possibility of Doc having ditched in the sea, we think this very unlikely, he was strafing roads at low altitude at least 30 km from the coast when he went down. presumably hit by flak or light arms fire, he probably wouldn't have had enough height to make it to the sea.
Thanks for your help anyway.
Ian Stevenson

Re: Doc McLeod - Sicily to France
 

Hi all,
Doc McLeod was hit by flak and "ditched" his Kittyhawk FL291 two miles off Catania.
Henk.

Re: Doc McLeod - Sicily to France
 

Dear Henk,
Thanks for the message and the very interesting information but the unit's ORB lists Doc as flying FL309 on the day it was lost.
Could there be some confusion ? If not, could you tell me the source of the information. I'd be really interested in discussing this with you, don't hesitate to contact off-line if you prefer.
Hope to hear from you soon,
Ian Stevesnon

Re: Doc McLeod - Sicily to France
 

henk,
I just reviewed the ORB and FL291 was the aircraft flown by Sgt. Howell-Price who did, effectively ditch in the sea off Catania on the same day.
Unfortunately, it's not our man !
Thanks anyway,
Ian Stevenson

Re: Doc McLeod - Sicily to France
 

Hi all,
I reconsider my entry on the board re the Kittyhawk serial FL291. I came up with this number reflecting the possibility that McLeod might have ditched at sea. I don't have access to the 3 RAAF Sqn ORB and the serial number came from Air Britain Serials.
Meanwhile viewed the digital copy of McLeod's files at the NAA and this confirms the correct serial FL309. Air Britain: Missing, pres. shot down by flak attacking MT near Randazzo.
FL291, now known being piloted by Sgt J.F. Howell-Price RAAF 411914, may have been the one that crashed into the sea near Catania; he was taken into captivity and in the PoW-Register with Campcode 357 (Kopernikus) PoW # 3775.
In McLeod's file also is mentioned that he initially was buried at Arles, on 6-10-1945 was exhumed and reburied as an American in the temp. US Mil. Cem. Luynes (as Murdo McLeod who died 11-9-1943 at Avignon !).
Where was 3 RAAF Sqn based in August 1943 ?
Best regards,
Henk.

Re: Doc McLeod - Sicily to France
 

Evacuation of German and Italian Forces from Sicily took place between August 11 a 17 1943. MFP boats carried accross Messina Strait (2 to 5 nautical miles) in this period 39569 German soldiers, 62 000 Italian soldiers, 15 000 wounded, 9605 vehicles, 163 guns, 51 tanks and almost 17 000 tonnes of ammuniton and material. Messina Strait was covered by almost 380 AA-guns, mainly Ack-ack. Germans lost only 7 (seven) MFB boat and any soldier. So, it would not be miracle, that your man could be easily evacuated by MFP boat. Gliders which took part in supply flights to Sicily, never flew back. After evacuation from Sicily he could be taken on board of any plane or gliders which flew from Italy back to France.

Re: Doc McLeod - Sicily to France
 

Henk,
3 Sqdn RAAF was based in Sicily at the time, I don't remember exactly which airfied as they moved around a bit.
Thanks.
Ian Stevenson

Re: Doc McLeod - Sicily to France
 

Michal,
Thanks for the information, Doc could well have been evacuated also from the Italain mainland but why to Istres ? Why not further north in Italy like all the other POW's ?
Any chance of finding a trace of any flights from Sicily / South of Italy to Istres in that time frame (Aug 3rd - 17th) ?
Cheers,
Ian Stevenson

Re: Doc McLeod - Sicily to France
 

Henk, the 3 Sqn RAAF ORB is available online if you're interested, see the post 'RAF and RAAF ORB available online' here.

I have another suggestion for the presence of McLeod in Istres. As Germans were planning for an action against Italy in case it shitfed sides, or at least tried to get out of war, it is possible that part of their actions were to fly out POWs from Italy to France rather than sending them northwards by train.
Another possibility was that the southern Italy's railway network was badly disrupted at the time, and so POWs were flown out when possible.

Does anybody have testimonies of other RAF or US airmen captured at this time ?

Re: Doc McLeod - Sicily to France
 

Thanks Laurent. Now a stupid question from a troublesome Dutchman: Where can I find the "RAF and RAAF ORB available online" ?
Regards,
Henk.

Re: Doc McLeod - Sicily to France
 

It wasn't clear, but it was a thread on this forum:
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=5448

Most of the ORB are in the Australian National Archives, and acceding them will require first to log there, then to reclick on the provided link to access directly the ORB. Worth it as there are tens of ORB here available in full version.

Regards

Laurent