Description
Object description
British officer served as pilot with 692 Sqdn, Light Night Striking Force, No 8 (Pathfinder Force) Group, Bomber Command, RAF in GB, 1944; evaded capture in Germany and Netherlands, 10/1944-4/1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in GB, 1923-1941: family; education. Aspects of operations as pilot with 692 Sqdn, Light Night Striking Force, No 8 (Pathfinders Force) Group, RAF in GB, 10/1944: use of diversionary rates; types of targets attacked by De Havilland DH.98 Mosquito aircraft; his shooting down by night fighter in De Havilliand DH.98 Mosquito PR.XVI (MM184) over Münster, Germany, 14/10/1944-15/10/1944; reaction to bailing out of aircraft; parachuting down and landing. Recollections of period evading capture in Germany and Netherlands, 10/1944-4/1945: procedure on landing; start of trek westwards towards Netherlands; evading German search party; sound of V2 Rocket launching from site in woods; injuries received on bailing out; makeshift repairs to uniform; sightings of German civilians whilst in hiding; trek westwards.
REEL 2 Continues: question of determining when he was in Netherlands; sound of concentration camp victims singing on train; detour around border guard sentry box; suffering from hunger and thirst during trek; his discovery by Dutch teenagers in hayloft; in hiding with resistance whilst his identity was checked with M19; his reaction to kindness of Dutch woman; fate of his navigator Flying Officer Ron Naiff, 15/10/1944; contact with head of local resistance Jan Ket; nature of German reprisals at Putten for Dutch Resistance killing of German officer at Nijkerk, Netherlands, 10/1944; role identifying German targets for Royal Air Force.
REEL 3 Continues: resistance activities; character of Jan Ket; resistance 'no prisoners' principle; Royal Air Force air supply drops to resistance; work he did for resistance group; bailing out of United States Army Air Force fighter pilot near farmhouse; narrow escape from two man German patrol; location of American pilot Joe Davis by Dutch Resistance; move to second farm; his place of concealment in farm; evading German searches; clash between farmer and German troops and his subsequent arrest.
REEL 4 Continues: arrival of further shot down American and Royal Air Force airmen; treatment of burnt airman; readiness of resistance group to go into action against Germans; hanging of four German prisoners by resistance and subsequent German reprisals; billeting of German troops on farm; sound of Allies crossing of River Rhine, Germany, 3/1945; withdrawl of Germans; making contact with British tank crew.
REEL 5 Continues: drive through Allied lines to Tilburg, Netherlands; sight of advancing Allied armoured column; return to GB.