English crew on Oléron Island
 

The Island of Oléron is preparing an event to celebrate its liberation (May 1st, 1945)

In this surrounding, they are looking for information about an English crew, that would have landed on the Oléron island during WWII, and that was rescued and hidden by the French resistance.

Does this story ring a bell to you ? Any information ? (A/C / Crew / date ..)

Thanks in advance
Gilles

Re: English crew on Oléron Island
 

Not the crew you were looking for, but an AAF crew bailed out over the island in 1943. All but Lt John Dunbar (bombardier) were captured, but Dunbar, with some help, evaded.

Story of the mission told here: https://100thbg.com/mission/?mission_id=6

MACR 272 for 42-30051: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/90890325

Dunbar Escape and Evasion: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/5554730

Re: English crew on Oléron Island
 

GILLES,

The closest I came to is the register of a Bristol Beaufort Mark I, coded OA*T, serial AW202 that for some reasons came down on the 5th November 1941, at St-Trojan-les-Bains. It took-off at 03:39hs from St. Eval; so it may have crashed (or suffered some kind of mechanical problem), or was shot down (by Flak ?) early in the morning...2 KIA and 2 POW from the crew....Am not sure if from the 2 POW one or two escaped later....you will need to check further.
Information do comes from Ross McNeill's Coastal Command Losses of the Second World War, volume 1 (am already sparing for the other volumes).

Would you have a date or year? That would narrow down the search quite a lot...or a name?

Salutations à toi et aux tiens.

Adriano

Re: English crew on Oléron Island
 

Thank you , RSwank and Adriano for your constant and efficient help.

All the best and best regards from Toulouse

Gilles