Looking for information on an Air-Air collision 6 June 1944

[Leendert]

Dale,

If looking for squadron of Bruce Cowie: Dakota KG424 was with 233 Squadron.

Regards,

Leendert

[sirjahn]

Thanks that is that final puzzle piece

[Larry]

It's a small world - the pilot of this Dakota was Sqn Ldr Clifford Wright AFC who was a friend of my father's. I have his unpublished account of his RAF career from 1931 which includes this crash landing on 6th June 1944!

[sirjahn]

Does he include any information on his time in Rennes? Anything he wrote about the Hospital would be appreciated.

Hi there Bruce Cowie was my Grandfather. Let me know if there's anything specific you need as I may be able to help. I stumbled across this when looking for something else.
Ann

Not sure if you are still looking for information on this, but below is my Grandfather's diary from this time (Bruce Cowie).

7th June 1944
S./Ldr Wright, ALofty@ R.A.S.C., and myself were captured in the afternoon and taken in an open armoured vehicle to a German position in some woods a few miles away. Allied fighters were constantly overhead but seemingly confined their activities to reconnaissance. On arrival AWilbur@ and myself were bandaged by Wehrmacht medical orderlies. After a nasty scene with a senior German officer who did not appear to love the R.A.F., we joined a number of British paratroopers and left by truck - round 5pm. Several miles further on we stopped and were interrogated outside a big country house before moving on to St Pierre, Sur Dives, where we arrived late at night. We were kept in an old school - jammed in on the floor like sardines. Rather disturbed night.
We left again on the morning of the 9th and passed through Fleures in the afternoon soon after bombers had visited it. Late at night we reached RENNES and the wounded were put in hospital, none of us having much sleep due to a R.A.F. raid.

10th June.
Dressings removed from face and hands - mercurochrome painted on.

19th June.
S./Ldr Wright O.K. and left for Stalag the other day. The hospital filling up rapidly, mostly Americans, The trucks bringing in prisoners are constantly being strafed; 9 survived in one truck; another lot of 165 men - 43 reached here. The R.A.F. visit here most nights and every fine day there are raids, the most frequent being P-47 raids in the evenings. In one day-raid bombs fell on both sides of the hospital and we had pieces of shrapnel through the windows. Face almost healed and hands improving.


21st June.
Till now food has been little soup twice a day - quantity now improving.

28th.
R.A.F. B./A. [Bomb Aimer] From raid morning 7th arrived. The French had him in hospital as civilian but Germans moved him in error, leaving some Canadian soldier instead. (CAEN). The two French nurses in our ward are Jeannette Lesquer and Jacqueline, very fine girls.

In front of the hospital is the Gestapo Headquarters. Patriots and confiscated radio sets are often seen being taken in.

6th July.
Four men wounded by a H.A. shell in the Stalag were brought in last night. There are many French North African troops here brought over from the Stalag each day to construct slit trenches in the compound. They are very friendly. There are also a few Russians and two Indians captured at Tobruk.


8th July.
Found another R.A.S.C. chap from our kite in ward upstairs with busted arm. Another of men caught with him. Says he thinks Cliff and Semp may have got back to British lines.

9th July.
Following the R.A.F. last night Bostons were over this morning and one came down very close - also Mustang.

12th July.
Left hospital - marched to Stalag other side of town. Rennes is a fine town, with some beautiful buildings and a river running thru the centre. Gendarmes stood to attention and saluted, French civilians smiled and waved as we marched, testifying to the French sentiments at our invasion.

Hello all,

I have found this thread while researching my family history.

Bruce Cowie was my grandfather. He died of a heart attack about 10 years after retiring from service.

I know it is several years later but I am happy to help with any information anyone may still want to know about him, and likewise keen to receive any information others hold.

[sirjahn]

Larry,

I don't know if you are still on this board or not. Could you reply on whether or not you could share the information on Squadron Leader Clifford Wright's diary.

Thanks