HP Hampden P4321 of 49 Sqn

[Amrit1]

I've gone through the pages of the book (it doesn't have a proper index!) and I noe believe the entry for the loss of B H Evans being a F/Lt is a typo. At the time, according to the LG he was a P/O. This seems to be confirmed by the fact that there is a scan of a picture of the funeral of Sgt John Shaw, who was shot whilst a POW in 1942, where one of the pall bearers was Brian Evans, and he is referred to as P/O. So a contradiction in the book within two pages of each other.

A

[Larry]

It is logical that P/O Brian H Evans would attend the funeral of Sgt John Shaw as Shaw was the pilot when they were shot down in P4404 on 6/7th Dec 1940. And in case anyone is wondering, it was common at this time for pilots to act as Observers as was the case with P/O Evans, especially as he had a few 'dicky' landings in the weeks before in L4195 on 17.10.40 and P4321 on 28.11.40

I wonder if POWs received promotions while in captivity?

[Icare9]

Sgt John Shaw, aged 23 attempted to escape from Stalag Luft 1 across the snow outside the wire, covered by a white sheet. Spotted by one of the guards, John stood up and raised his arms in surrender and turned to face the German guard who then shot and killed him. The Germans did hold an enquiry into the incident, but its conclusions are not recorded. John Shaw was buried with full military honours. P/O Evans, another crew member, was destined to be executed by the Gestapo during the mass escape from Sagan.
Extract from 'Beware the Dog at War' John Ward.

[Amrit1]

Originally Posted by Larry

I wonder if POWs received promotions while in captivity?

Yes they did. I have seen many such promotions after their capture and imprisonment, and in a few cases more than one promotion.

A

[Aknevelman]

Sorry for the confusion I caused by quoting the strange story about this Hampden being captured and stolen from a French airport. I now found out from several sources that the story contains some true elements but is not related to the Hampden. A Bucker BU 131 Jungmann, Werk No 4477, belonged to Luftdienstkdo. Westfrankreich based at Quimper and was stolen by two Frenchmen, Denys Boudard and Jean Hébert, from Caen-Carpiquet in April 1941. The loss entry for this aircraft states: 30.04.41: Bü 131 defected to England from Caen-Carpiquet. The aircraft was flown to Somerford, England and put in use with RAF as DR626. A BU 131 is part of the Shuttleworth collection. It was restored to airworthiness in the Collection workshops and is painted in the scheme worn by the Luftwaffe Jungmann ‘liberated’ from under the noses of the Germans. http://www.shuttleworth.org/shuttlew...ails.asp?ID=27

[Larry]

Dear Aknevelman,

Thanks for the correction - yes I do know of this incident and I was in contact with Denys Boudard. As you may know the Shuttleworth Collection of historic aircraft painted their 'Bucker' as the Bu 131 that he stole and I was trying to get him to come to see it at the Shuttleworth Collection when I heard he had died.

[Larry]

Aknevelman,

Thank you for your post.

Denys Boudard died a few years back. He was delighted to hear that the 'Bucker' (CASA) at Shuttleworth Collection was painted in the colours of 'his' aircraft. As I have been researching RAF Christchurch for many years I was able to send details to the Shuttleworth Collection concerning the real Bu 131 and even started to make arrangements for Denys to visit Old Warden when I heard that he had died.

Jean Herbert was killed in 1943 in a Miles trainer over the North Sea coast (I do have the serial but not to hand) and it is thought that he was shot down in error by the Canadians.

[Doghouses]

After revisiting this tread more than a year later , it seems sad that "Larry" can't bring himself to apologise for blaming his error in misreading the " daveg4otu" website on the writer.