Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery - The 50 Great Escape Executions buried here

Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery in Poland is the final resting place of the 50 Allied airmen who were executed after their "Great Escape".

Seeing Peter Bennett's offer of photos from here, it has brought to mind an inaccuracy that has stood since this incident took place.

Australians executed/murdered, has always been listed as (5) in official documents and books.

To my surprise, my research earlier this year found another.

EVANS, BRIAN HERBERT (MID)
Flight Lieutenant
42745
49sq RAF
31/03/1944
24
Royal Air Force
UK
7. C. 6.
POZNAN OLD GARRISON CEMETERY
POLAND
Poznan

Son of Herbert and Dorothy May Evans, of Manly, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

 

Geoff,

F/L Brian Evans was British born,having being born in the county of Devon on 14 February 1920.

Whether his parents were settled in Australia at the time of his death and he joined the RAF as an Australian,I do not know.

His service number would provide detail of his recruitment to the RAF.His service number at the time of his death would be one allocated to commissioned airmen and would be different to his initial service number which would have been allocated to him when he joined the RAF,I am assuming, as an uncommissioned airman.

Regards

Harry

 

Have you tried Ancestry to find the family on the passenger lists for the Ship that they Emigrated on ?

 

Geoff,

F/L Brian Evans was British born, having being born in the county of Devon on 14 February 1920.

Whether his parents were settled in Australia at the time of his death and he joined the RAF as an Australian,I do not know.

His service number would provide detail of his recruitment to the RAF.His service number at the time of his death would be one allocated to commissioned airmen and would be different to his initial service number which would have been allocated to him when he joined the RAF,I am assuming, as an uncommissioned airman.

Regards

Harry

Hi Harry,

Good to hear that as I could find nothing else on him to prove or disprove that he had taken citizenship or remained a British subject or why or when the family moved to Australia.

I have tried a couple of other areas to no avail. Your born in Devon information does not seem to be anywhere on the net.

He received his aviators certificate #17,016 on 7/2/1939 from Cardiff Aerodrome Club

Of the 200+ "Australians" in the RAF, there were a number born in Britain and living in Australia with their families so I have listed them with an Australian connection.

Another Great Escaper was listed as British but was born in Sydney. This is not evident on most sites on the net. Flight Lieutenant Thomas B. Leigh

Born: 21st February 1915
Nationality: British
Unit: 76 Squadron, RAF
Service No: 46462
POW No.: 63
Recaptured: near Sagan
Last seen alive: 12th April 1944
Hopefully there is a little more info around on Evans movements since 1920.


Cheers

Geoff

 

Have you tried Ancestry to find the family on the passenger lists for the Ship that they Emigrated on ?

I haven't Izzy as I am not a member!

Cheers

Geoff

 

Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery in Poland is the final resting place of the 50 Allied airmen who were executed after their "Great Escape".

Seeing Peter Bennett's offer of photos from here, it has brought to mind an inaccuracy that has stood since this incident took place.

Australians executed/murdered, has always been listed as (5) in official documents and books.

To my surprise, my research earlier this year found another.

EVANS, BRIAN HERBERT (MID)
Flight Lieutenant
42745
49sq RAF
31/03/1944
24
Royal Air Force
UK
7. C. 6.
POZNAN OLD GARRISON CEMETERY
POLAND
Poznan

Son of Herbert and Dorothy May Evans, of Manly, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

]

6-7 December 1940.

49 Squadron
Hampden I P4404 EA-R.
Op. Aerodromes.

Sgt. J C. Shaw. pow
P/O. B H. Evans. pow
Sgt. W K. O'Leary pow
Sgt. D. Young. pow

Took off Scampton to attack airfields in northern France. Hit by flak and reported to have crash-landed.

BCL Vol.1 - Chorley.


P/O. B H. Evans. pow No.456. Held Luft 1 - Luft 3 - Great Escape. Murdered c 31 March 1944

 

Geoff,

I think there is a clue in the Cardiff Aerodrome Club reference.This airfield was also the home of No 614 County of Glamorgan Royal Auxiliary Air Force Squadron.The squadron was formed at Cardiff Aerodrome, known locally as Pengam Moors on 1 June 1937.

The Royal Auxiliary Air Force was similar to the Territorials (weekend flyers) and played a huge part in supplying the Royal Air Force with pilots at the outbreak of war.These squadrons were then absorbed into the regular units of the Royal Air Force.Some were involved in the Battle of Britain.

I would hazard a guess and say that Brian Evans learnt to fly with No 614 Squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force.Regarding him being in South Wales,there was quite a number of Devon families who moved into South Wales in the early part of the 20th century.The other interesting point is that Evans is a fairly common Welsh surname.Could it be that his familiy,was a Welsh one who returned to South Wales from Devon.As for his parents being in Australia,perhaps his parents emigrated to Australia very eary,post Second World War.

 

Hi Harry,

Good to hear that as I could find nothing else on him to prove or disprove that he had taken citizenship or remained a British subject or why or when the family moved to Australia.

I have tried a couple of other areas to no avail. Your born in Devon information does not seem to be anywhere on the net.

He received his aviators certificate #17,016 on 7/2/1939 from Cardiff Aerodrome Club

Of the 200+ "Australians" in the RAF, there were a number born in Britain and living in Australia with their families so I have listed them with an Australian connection.

Another Great Escaper was listed as British but was born in Sydney. This is not evident on most sites on the net. Flight Lieutenant Thomas B. Leigh

Born: 21st February 1915
Nationality: British
Unit: 76 Squadron, RAF
Service No: 46462
POW No.: 63
Recaptured: near Sagan
Last seen alive: 12th April 1944
Hopefully there is a little more info around on Evans movements since 1920.


Cheers

Geoff

5-6 August 1941


76 Squadron
Halifax I L9516 MP-
Op. Karlsruhe.


Sgt. T A. Byrne. pow
Sgt. C B. Flockhart. pow
Sgt. J H. Pitt. pow
Sgt. L A. Thompson. pow
Sgt. G W S. Taylor. pow
Sgt. R. Brown +
F/L. T B. Leigh. pow


Took off Middleton St. George. Believed to have crashed near Glabbeek 8 km nort of Tienen, Belgium. Thouth yet Sgt Brown is buried in Durnbach War cemetery, Germany. F/L. Leigh an Australian serving with the RAF was shot by the Gestapo on 30 March 1944 after taking part in the mass break out from Sagan. Sgt. Flockhart made a successful escape from captivity.


BCL Vol.2 - Chorley


F/L. T B. Leigh. Held Luft 3 pow No.63. Great Escape. murdered 31 March 1944

 

Geoff,

I think there is a clue in the Cardiff Aerodrome Club reference.This airfield was also the home of No 614 County of Glamorgan Royal Auxiliary Air Force Squadron.The squadron was formed at Cardiff Aerodrome, known locally as Pengam Moors on 1 June 1937.

The Royal Auxiliary Air Force was similar to the Territorials (weekend flyers) and played a huge part in supplying the Royal Air Force with pilots at the outbreak of war.These squadrons were then absorbed into the regular units of the Royal Air Force.Some were involved in the Battle of Britain.

I would hazard a guess and say that Brian Evans learnt to fly with No 614 Squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force.Regarding him being in South Wales,there was quite a number of Devon families who moved into South Wales in the early part of the 20th century.The other interesting point is that Evans is a fairly common Welsh surname.Could it be that his familiy,was a Welsh one who returned to South Wales from Devon.As for his parents being in Australia,perhaps his parents emigrated to Australia very eary,post Second World War.

Hi Harry,

Will just have to do a bit more research. Someone may have a clue that they can pass on.

Cheers

Geoff

 

Thanks Peter,

Great info.

Chorley is one of the few who had Leigh as an Australian.

Cheers

Geoff

 

View attachment 29641




wow, what a nice pic.

Wonder who went through all the trouble to place candles
on the graves ?

 

I think it may have been the local people, the Poles are always grateful of the sacrifices to free their land.