Was Vincent McQueen held in a concentration camp ?

Discussion in 'General' started by Oldleg, Jan 8, 2019.

  1. Oldleg

    Oldleg Well-Known Member

    I am looking for a list of all airmen who were held in concentration camps. I am wanting to find out where Vincent McQueen, an air gunner from 10 squadron was held. I thought it may have been Buchenwald but I can not find anything to say he was there. Can anyone help?
     
  2. alieneyes

    alieneyes Senior Member

    1727159 Sgt VS McQueen, POW No. 1070, was the flight engineer on Halifax JN891 lost on ops to Berlin 28/29 January 1944, one of four No. 10 Squadron Halifaxes lost on this raid.

    Captain and both gunners killed, balance of crew POW.

    McQueen was held at Stalag Luft 6 and Stalag 357, neither of which were concentration camps.
     
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  3. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    To back up alieneyes

    UK, British Prisoners of War, 1939-1945
    Name: V S McQueen
    Rank: Sergeant
    Army Number: 1727159
    Regiment: Royal Air Force : Officers & Other Ranks
    POW Number: 1070
    Camp Type: Stalag Luft 6
    Camp Number: L6
    Camp Location: Heydekrug, Lithuania
    Section: Royal Air Force : Officers & Other Ranks

    Stalag Luft VI - Wikipedia - long way from any concentration camps

    TD
     
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  4. alieneyes

    alieneyes Senior Member

    Last edited: Jan 9, 2019
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  5. alieneyes

    alieneyes Senior Member

    The Questors Theatre Archive: Vincent McQueen

    "Douglas Murray
    There were so many sides to Vincent, yet no ‘side’ to him: he was superbly knowledgeable, yet humble; wickedly funny, yet possessed of the most beautiful manners. While being lucky enough to be friends with him, we spoke of so many things, but only once of his wartime experiences."
     
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  6. Oldleg

    Oldleg Well-Known Member

    Cheers for this guys, I knew Mr Mc Queen which I why I was interested. I don't kno hy I thought he was in concentration camp. It may have been something I was told. He was a lovely man, loved kids. Where was stalag Luft 357?
     
  7. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

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  8. TriciaF

    TriciaF Junior Member

    They all look so young :mad:
     
  9. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

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  10. Oldleg

    Oldleg Well-Known Member

  11. Oldleg

    Oldleg Well-Known Member

    It is sad to see how young so many were.
     
  12. Nogbad

    Nogbad New Member

    Standing at the left. My great uncle Jess - Jesse Charles Smith - my Nan's youngest brother. My Mum (died last year) never forgot him; as there wasn't a huge difference in their ages (about 6 years) they grew up together. My Nan was a great one for family and looked after everyone.
    As far as I can work out the crew were on their second mission (1st to Magdeburg) although Derrick Ling the pilot had done another as 'second dickey'. I don't know if morale was bad at 10 Sqn, or the Halifax squadrons in general, but he'd told my Mum that if they went to Berlin he wouldn't be coming back. An odd thing to say at the beginning of your tour. Although perhaps there was second sight (if you believe in it) in that part of the family. The night that JN891 went down my Nan saw it happening in her sleep; apparently seeing the plane go down in flames she ran down the stairs saying that Jesse had been shot down.
    A few years ago the current 10 Sqn got in touch; some of them went to the graves of the three that were killed and laid a wreath. Really nice gesture.
     
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  13. Derek Bickell

    Derek Bickell New Member

    My Dad, Harry Bickell, is top right in that picture. I've actually just finished putting his handwritten wartime story up as a Kindle ebook, which includes a detailed account of being shot down. I'm a bit confused because I've got your great uncle (top left) as James 'Jim' Smith?
     
  14. Derek Bickell

    Derek Bickell New Member

    Wow! That's a picture of my Dad's crew, and it's much better quality that the one I've got! He's Harry Bickell (top right). May I ask where you got it? Do you have a higher resolution version of this image?
     
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  15. alieneyes

    alieneyes Senior Member

    Hello,

    The photo came from the 10 Sqn Assn newsletter I posted the link to.

    You may wish to contact them to enquire: Contact Us - 10 Squadron Association - Royal Air Force (10sqnass.co.uk)

    Regards,

    Dave
     
  16. Derek Bickell

    Derek Bickell New Member

  17. Derek Bickell

    Derek Bickell New Member

    Hi Oldleg. My Dad was Harry Bickell ('Bick'), and he went through WW2 with Vincent McQueen ('Mac'). They were air crew together, shot down together, POWs together and liberated together.

    Mac was actually the Flight Engineer, not an Air Gunner. I've recently put my Dads war story up as an ebook on Amazon. It gives a pretty detailed account of what happened to them. It even ends with a poem that Mac wrote in the summer of 1944. You can find the book here.

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B984L9VV

    It's only 77p and it's about a one hour read.
     
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