Example of files taken from WO 311/569 Q Files. They are not the original forms but extracts typed up and taken from the original forms completed by POWs. Can anyone ID him on CWGC?
Can anyone ID him on CWGC? Looks to be F/O James Outerbridge, Andy CWGC - Casualty Details OUTERBRIDGE, JAMES Rank:Flying Officer Trade:Pilot Service No:119810 Date of Death:01/05/1943 Age:20 Regiment/Service:Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 458 (R.A.A.F.) Sqdn Grave ReferenceI. D. 28. Cemetery RAVENNA WAR CEMETERY Additional Information: Son of Enith Urma Outerbridge, of Flatts, Bermuda. Rhodes Scholar (Bermuda) and Scholar of Rossal. From the late Derek Sadler on RAFCommands back in 2002 http://www.rafcommands.com/dcforum/DCForumID6/Data/2067.txt [FONT="]AHB have replied as follows: FO. Outerbridge was the pilot of Wellington MkVIII HX522 which took off from Luqa at approx. 20.20 hours on 24th March 1943, but failed to return to base. All the crew except FO. Outerbridge returned safely to the UK at the end of hostilities. There is a note on the casualty card that states “Information received from the Vatican through the War Office states that FO Outerbridge died on 1st May 1943 whilst trying to escape and is buried at Rimini Grave 160 Adriatic coast of Italy. FO. Outerbridge was re-consecrated to the Ravenna British Empire Cemetery” The rest of the crew were FO. G.Buchanan, 2nd Pilot, FO. G.W.F.Barnett, Instr. Odd, he must have been the Nav,FSgt. D.J.Tunney RAAF W.Op/AG FO. A.C.Main RAAF W.Op/AG, FSgt. J.C.O.Wilson RAAF W.Op/AG[/FONT] Regards, Dave
Cheers Dave and well found-Can you share the info I posted on RAF Commands for me incase it is of interest. Cheers Andy
119810 Flying Officer J. OUTERBRIDGE Awarded Mention in Despatches London Gazette 14 January 1944 Mark
I'll be back on this thread because I'm helping one of our employees is writing a history of this military. I attach two photos that sent me Outerbridge. Maurizio
Attached two files in Italian: The first in pdf with all the pictures, and the second in Word format, without photos, which you can use to make a translation with google translate. The files are in a search that one of our staff has done on this military. Of course there are thanks to Drew5233 that allowed us to use the documents you have entered on this post and a mention in the forum. good reading Maurizio
This recently published book has Outerbridge's story in it. I haven't had a chance to read it yet but there's at least 10 pages on him plus a photo http://www.amazon.co.uk/An-Extraordinary-Italian-Imprisonment-Brutal/dp/1473822696
And I see that Daniele Celli (the Italian researcher mentioned by Maurizio above) also discovered this book last November and was amazed to find that whilst he was researching in Italy, Brian Lett was doing the same in the UK!
You are right !!! If they knew it before, combining research, would search out a more complete !!! Maurizio
Seems a bit difficult to know what REALLY happened. Memories are sometimes inaccurate. A friend who was in Campo 21 before escaping and ending up in Campo 47 (then Germany) told a story about a pilot being beaten to death, but looking at the official report above it seems that things are not always reported the way they actually happened. Hazel
