Wellington HZ355 from 429 Squadron

Alan,

I always knew that my Uncle's life was so interesting. I remember sitting there for hours listening to him talk. He would pop in at the house un-announced and stay for a few days after hitch hiking across the country. We would stay up all hours just listening. He is such a facinating man.

I do this for him. He deserves so much. His story will be in the National Archives so open to all I guess. I just want all the details! Get it all written down. I just can't wait for the DVD's on the other interview....media mail so slow! I don't know how that works if the interview with the Veteran's Project is copyrighted.

Jo Ann

 

Alan,

I have a confession to make.....Promise you won't tell anyone!

I haven't see the movie, "The Great Escape." I saw a part of it in a special program once on Steve McQueen where they showed him on a motorcycle.

I better sneak out and try to find it somewhere, before someone starts asking questions and finds out!


Shhhhhh.....

 

Wow , a picture of your uncle at Eisden! This must really make your day , and your uncle's!

 

Question:

Where would I find information on a Czech. POW? My Uncle escaped from Luft 4B with a Czech. POW last name CATECKO. I checked sites for POW's for Luft 4 and they only list that there were 5 Czech. POW's there and no names. My Uncle believes he was an Airman, possibly a Sgt.

 

I found this website that lists some Czech. Airmen that flew with the RAF. I sent an email.

Czechoslovak airmen in the RAF 1940-45

1st Escape attempt he got 7 days in the clink.

2nd Escape attempt he got 30 days.

During one of the attempts he went with a fellow Czech. POW. He thinks he was an Airman and possibly a Sgt. Named CATECKO. When they were captured they were sent to Stalag 4F for about 4 days then back to 4B.
3rd Escape attempt to Buchenwald for punishment.

My Uncle's last escape to freedom was with RAF R. A. "Tony" Greenwood Squadron 101 POW 4B #222701. He also was with a British Paratrooper but doesn't remember his name.

To my Uncle a "Clink" and a "Cooler" are the same thing. Solitary confinement.

 

I may have more info about 101 Squadron . I have quite a few friends there. Also I have a book about the Czech pilots who fought in France and in England. I will have to check. So many questions

 

Skipper,

In going over the "Bulls Eye" interview, my Uncle said that he was with an American Airman POW. He was tired yesterday on the phone when he told me about CATECKO. I will re-check with him in a few days to make sure. I checked the American POW list (NARA) and nothing even close (checked all "C" and "K" listed for Muhlberg).

I want your library!!!!!

 

nothing on Catecko in my files (spelling, firstname or last name?) . Do I understand he was at Buchenwald with your uncle ? I will check further for Czech figter losses.

 

Skipper,

Not in Buchenwald. CATECKO was with him in Stalag Luft 4B. When they got caught they were sent to 4F for about 4 days then back to 4B (Mulhberg) and spent time in the cooler there.

In the article it says that the escapee with him was an American but my Uncle told my yesterday he was Czech. So I need him to clarify it for me if he can.

I also found a listing for my Uncle at Air Force POWs Mabbs, J E to Mylchreest, W E

that says he was at Luft 3. But my Uncle says he was never there. I asked him if it was possible that he was taken to Luft 3 on the train with the other men but he said no.

He is listed at 4B as his home Camp.

Hopefully the reports from the archives will clear this up.

This time frame from the second escape attempt where he ran into the British Escapees on the train is confusing and he doesn't say much about it. He says he was moved around alot to various camps and work camps. He witnessed 2 different shootings (murders) of Airmen during this time one from by the train (Bull's Eye interview) and another one where the victim was a Scotsman named Britton.

Hang on until I try to clarify some of this with him.

 

Ok got Greenwood !

Lancaster III serial JA926 , code SR-A from 101 squadron . Operation Mannheim, lost on night of 5/6 sept 1943 . Shot down by a Nightfighter from 20.000ft. Crashed at Birkenfeld, Germany. All pow except C M Harrison + (buried in Rheinberg)

Crew: F/O J W Graham, Sgt R A Greenwood, Sgt C M Harrison, Sgt T W R Jones, Sgt J K Forster, Sgt G Parry,F/S C A Stocking

 

that Lanc III shot down

7 claims by S/E fighters of JG 300.
29 Claims by LW twin-engine units

note my thread in Books/Publications concerning Dr. Boitens release of his 2 volumes on the Nachtjagd.

E

 

Skipper,

Uncle called...feeling better today

I got names.....

First off it was a Czech. Airman with the RAF last name Techko. (When he is tired hard to understand him.)

You found Greenwood..! Cool!

Britton was with the British Army believed he was captured in the Middle East, North Africa, from the Fall of Toobrook (ms?).

Met British Army "Sugar" Townley in 4B. Acted in the Drama Society of 4B

Met Ted Turner British Army Glider pilot, captured in Italy, in 4B, came from Blackpool, England. In barracks with my Uncle. Had a bad hand from a grenade.

Also in Barracks: American in RCAF Barnes from Columbus, Ohio.

Also in Barracks: American in RCAF Earl Warren from Ogden Utah.

Met in Straff Barracks (he explained that this was the barracks that you went to when you had to go to the clink and the clink was full.) RAF Neal McVicker, from these barracks is where he saw Britton incident.

Man of Confidence was "Snowshoe" Myers for 4B (his section).

Now I know what I will be doing this evening.....

 

Information on "Sugar" Townley:

RAF Bomber Command
RCAF R. G. Townley (Garfield "Sugar" Townley)
POW #222791

Lost Bombers
Squadron 158
Halifax HR739
Lost August 30/31 1943
Limburg, Belgium (21 km North of Hasselt)

In the Winter 2005 Newsletter for The National Ex-Prisoner of War Association mentions him for the Drama Society and calls him "Sugar" because he played the female parts.

My Uncle said that he was a small guy, funny and was in the plays at Stalag 4B.

 

Erich,

$125.00 US

Christmas is coming!

Jo Ann

 

Jo Ann it will be worth it

 

I think I found Neal McVickers:

RCAF N. McVicar POW #263494
Service# R/190185
Camp 4B
Raf Bomber Command

Halifax
LW328
Squadron 419
November 19, 1943

Airborne 1655 18Nov43 from Middleton St.George. Homebound, abandoned after all engines failed simultaneously due to Flak damaged fuel tanks. F/S Sedgewick remained in his cockpit to keep the bomber stable for his crew to abandon safely. Unable to leave the aircraft himself he was killed in the ensuing crash and is buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery. F/S A.L.Sedgewick RCAF KIA Sgt E.K.Canny PoW F/O E.R.Hoe RCAF PoW Sgt J.Pappas RCAF PoW Sgt K.W.Dingley PoW Sgt N.McVicar RCAF PoW Sgt D.M.Johnston RCAF PoW Sgt E.K.Canny was interned in Camp 4B. PoW No.263461 with Sgt D.M.Johnston, PoW No.263484, Sgt N.McVicar, PoW No.263494, Sgt J.Pappas. PoW No.263502 and Sgt K.W.Dingley who, after interrogation in Dulag Luft was interned in Camp 4B, PoW No.263469. F/O E.R.Hoe in Camp L1, PoW No.1549.
Lost Bombers

Found a website that has pictures (of Neil McVicar and crash site) Story of what happened. It's in German.
www.alterkeiler.de/horschbach_geschichte.htm

 

Good job! This is great work. Regarding Techko and Greenwood I will see if I have more. I think Techko was a fighter pilot. If that is the case there were many Czech airmen in the French Airforce during the Battle of France, so I can both check for the 1939/40 period as well as the 1940/1944 period in the Raf. Will check the fighter losses from 1943 too.

 

Thanks Skipper...

Any idea where I would find British Army info on POW's I am determined to find the story on BRITTON.

Found Snowshoe Meyers:

Whitley Z6794 Information
Type Whitley

Serial Number Z6794
Squadron10
X1D ZA?

Operation Cologne
Date 116th August 1941
Date 217th August 1941​

Further Information
"Serial Range Z6793 - Z6842. 50 Whitley Mk.V. Delivered by Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft between 31May41 and 9Jul41. Contract No.106962/40. Z6794 was one of three No.10 Sqdn Whitleys lost on this operation. See: Z6586; Z6805. Airborne 2209 16Aug41 from Leeming. Cause of loss and crash site not established. From de-briefings, it appears that four of the crew baled out, leaving Sgt Lager in his cockpit to keep the Whitley stable for the evacuation. Unable to vacate his seat he attempted a crash-landing and was killed in the process. Sgt Sewell's parachute failed to deploy and he fell to his death. They are both buried in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Sgt E.H.Lager KIA Sgt S.S.Shapiro RCAF PoW Sgt J.W.Meyers PoW Sgt V.Y.H.Sewell RCAF KIA Sgt J.E.Fulkerson RCAF PoW Sgt J.E.Fulkerson was interned in Camps 3E/L3/L6/357, PoW No.123 with Sgt S.S.Shapiro, PoW No.103. Sgt J.W.Meyers in Camps 3E/L3/L6/L1/7A/4B, PoW No.122. "
Lost Bombers

Entry in To Hell in a Halifax by Herbert Krentz
http://www.kentpublishing.ca/pows.html
Calls him Snowshoe Meyers!

Name Fred Heathfield
Hometown: Farndon
POW Camp: Stalag IV-B
Name of POW: Fred Heathfield
Postal Street Address: Egerton, Churton Road, Farndon
City, State, Zip: Chester. CH3 6QP U.K
Sent: 11.53 AM - 4/12 2002
I am researching F/Sgt J. W. ["Snowshoes"] Meyers, RCAF no R59567, who was The Man of Confidence in Stalag IV-b at Muhlberg on Elbe. He had previously been in Stalag Luft 3 and Luft 6. After the war he was commissioned as P.O. Jaques W Meyers (J96537)
I have the DHist card for his award of the Member of the Order of the British Empire. (MBE)
In several elections he was elected to M.of C. by all the Allied i.e, British, Commonwealth, and American forces in the camp. The Airmen were in a minority of about 1,000 compared with Army Senior NCOs of about 9,000, but Snowshoes was always re-elected
In January 1946 he was listed as Flight Lieutenant.
I believe he was born in Chicago, but gave his home as Winnipeg when he enlisted in 1940.
Any help or information would be appreciated
Fred Heathfield. 222714 Stalag IV-B. http://www.merkki.com/guestbook2002page2.htm
I emailed Fred Heathfield but the message is from 2002 so we will see. You never know he may of heard of my Uncle!

Seems that "Snowshoe" Meyers was a POW for a long time!

 

Natioanl Archives my have something about Britton. I know yo uhave tried them, but did you ask about this man? I'm wondering whether Tzecko coud actually be a nickname for the Czech pilot. I can't find anything about him and the nickname would make sense.

 

Good News....

The Veteran Interview with my Uncle came today....now I have 8 hours to watch and take notes!

Went back to my box to scan some more items and found my Grandfather's, July 23, 1941 Basic Field Manual, Soldier's Handbook from the War Department.

I will be back.....