Buckingham, Ronald (Oral history)

British NCO served as observer with 107 Sqdn, No 2 Group, Bomber Command, RAF in GB, 1941; POW at Stalag IX-C, Bad Sulza, Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Stalag Luft VI, Heydrekrug and Stalag 357, Fallingbostel, Germany and Lithunania, 1941-1945

REEL 1 Aspects of operations sobserver with 107 Sqdn, No 2 Group, Bomber Command, RAF in GB, 1941: background to volunteering for RAF, 1940; role of unit; role as observer; shooting down of his aircraft near St Omer, France; bailing out and parachute descent. Aspects of capture and interrogation in Belgium and Dulag Luft Interogation Centre, Oberursel, Germany, 1941: capture and initial treatment by Germans; interrogation; removal to Germany via Brussels Prison, Belgium; interrogation at Dulag Luft Interrogation Centre, Oberursel. Aspects of period as POW in Stalag IX-C, Bad Sulza, Germany, 1941-1942: removal to camp, 8/7/1941; nature of camp; independence of limbless POWs; living conditions; typhus epidemic; German machine gun warning during POW cheering; relations with guards. REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of period as POW in Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany, 1942-1943: use of illicit radio; German propaganda magazine; refusal of RAF NCOs to work; RAF morale; German Air Force camp administration; memories of Sergeant James 'Dixie' Deans; punishment of POW caught stealing food; character of RAF POWs; degree of stealing; instances of successful escapees; escape of Sergeant George Grimson; German attempts to prevent escapes; aiding escapers; comparison between Stalag IX-C, Bad Sulza, Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Stalag Luft VI, Heydrekrug and Stalag 357, Fallingbostel; names given to Germans. Aspects of period as POW in Stalag Luft VI, Heydrekrug, Lithunania, 1943-1944: character of Gestapo searches. REEL 3 Continues: POW stealing from Gestapo; studying in camp; promotion whilst POW; fate of POW pay; receipt of camp money; POW repatriation. Recollections of POW march from Stalag 357, Fallingbostel and liberation in Germany, 4/1945: preparations for evacuation; foraging for food; moral ascendancy over guards; bartering with German civilians; liberation by lone military policeman; rounding up of guards; move to Moelln; punishment of Unterfeldwebel Link at Tramm; commandeering of transport. REEL 4 Continues: return to GB via Brussels, Belgium; reception in GB. Reflections of period as POW, 1941-1945: question of long term effects of imprisonment and securing of disability pension; attitude towards Germans; story of accidental RAF Hawker Typhoon attack on POW column, 4/1945.