Hahaha. I knew about that, but something about seeing the document cracks me up. God, Douglad Bader was so cool.
In Douglas Baders Liberation report he states that he baled out at 11.10hrs 9/8/41 and that one of his artificial legs came off during the descent. His leg was found and taken to him at the Hospital at St.Omer where he stayed until 15/8/42. The Camps in which he was imprisoned were--DULAG LUFT 18/8/41 TO 28/9/41. OFLAG XC 30/9/41 TO 1/10/41. OFLAG V1B 5/10/41 TO 11/5/42. STALAG LUFT 111 13/5/42 TO 7/7/42. STALAG V111B 7/7/42 TO 2/8/42. He then changed Identity to get on a working party at Gleiwitz Aerodrome for three days. STALAG V111B 4/8/42 TO 18/8/42 and finally OFLAG 1VC(Colditz)18/8/42 TO 15/4/45 when liberated by the Americans. He made three escape attempts. 1st from the Hospital at St.Omer. 2nd. OFLAG V1B 9/1/42. and Finally from the Work Party at GLEIWITZ Aerodrome. He received 10 days in the cells for the last attempt.
and i bet he still wont beleive you Of course he won't. Williams keeps on denying the existence of all evidence which has been supplied to him which doesn't conveniently fit the course of events he's concocted. Instead he choses to publish a thin tissue of unsubstantiated assumptions. However, we've been there before.....
Exactly. We've been here before. Don't want to go there again. Drop it lads. Please. Sorry if I sound a bit sharp, but it's been a trying day.
You might also be interested to read one of the combat reports from Circus 81, the operation during which the spare leg was dropped. Date 19 August 1941 Circus 81 Target Gosnay Power Station (France ) Bombers 6 Blenheims of No. 2 Group, Bomber Command Escort Wing 41, 610 and 616 Squadrons (Tangmere) Escort Cover Wing 452, 485 and 616 Squadrons (Kenley) Target Support Wings 306, 308 and 315 Squadrons (Northolt) and 403, 603 and 611 Squadrons (Hornchurch) Rear Support Wing 72, 92 and 609 Squadrons (Biggin Hill) Whilst the primary aim of the sortie was to hit Gosnay Power Station, the operation also had a secondary objective, to drop a leg for W/Cdr. RS Bader. In the end, the attack on Gosnay was abandoned and no bombs were dropped due to the amount of storm cloud cover over the target area. However, the secondary objective was successfully accomplished. The 11 Group ORB records that "The 6 Blenheims made rendezvous over Manston at 10.30 hours with the Escort Wing and proceeded via Dunkirk to St. Omer aerodrome where W/Cdr. Bader's 'Leg' was dropped by parachute which was seen to open." [PRO Air 25/200] The cloud cover was 10/10ths at between 8,000 and 10,000 feet and large cumulus clouds reached up to 20,000 feet. Ironically perhaps, the very cloud cover, which hid their approach to Gosnay, was the same that made conditions over the target area unsuitable for the attack on the power station, and thus the objective was abandoned and the bombers turned for home. The Escort Wing only saw a few German aircraft on their return home, but noted they "showed no inclination to fight" [PRO Air 25/200]. However, the weather continued to deteriorate to such a state that the Blenheims were forced to drop to almost ground level to get under the cloud. This resulted in them being attacked with flak from German ground forces, which were probably shocked to see six RAF bombers roar over their heads at little more than 1000'. The 11 Group ORB stated that "all the aircraft were hit and one observer was wounded" [PRO Air 25/200].
I am interested in this article as my Father was a POW in Oflag V1B in 1942. Does anyone know the location of this camp? (He was 2/7 AIF, captured at Crete) Any references would be appreciated.
Gwen, Hello and welcome to the forum. Oflag (Officers camp) V1B was located South East of Dresden at Königstein (Kings stone). This place is a massive old fortress dominating the River Elbe and the surrounding countryside. I have visited the place this summer and it stated Allied Officer POW's were detained, but were mainly French and Polish. Only one successful escape by a French Officer. Oflag IV-B Koenigstein - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia World War Two - Prisoner of War Camps in Germany Regards Tom
