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This little short story concerns Bill Pearson. When Skipper W/Cmdr. Ted Porter was killed, the rest of his Crew were transferred to 83 Squadron who were also stationed in the same Airfield Coningsby in Lincolnshire to finish their 2nd tour of Ops. Bill unfortunately was assigned to do an extra one as an Observer with another Crew. They were shot down and Bill became a POW.

Flying Officer Bill Pearson DFC RCAF flying career ended near Koenigsberg toward the end of 1944 when he was taken POW. This is his account.

‘Hit by Flak knocking out our two Port Engines. We had been flying low at about 3500 feet. Our Aircraft was going down fast. I was first out of escape Hatch followed by our W/OP L.Daniels and then the Pilot S/Ldr. Sparks. I landed heavily on a cobbled road and rolled into a Potato garden behind a house and was immediately surrounded and became a POW. When I was picked up I was marched to a Barn where a dozen or so civilians came to look me over.

A short time later I was taken by two guards to an open Staff Car where S/Ldr. Sparks was already seated. The two Luftwaffe Officers treated us in accordance with the Geneva Convention.

We were taken to a Luftwaffe station nearby and searched, possessions removed, i.e. -wristwatch etc which were placed in a manila envelope and sealed. Believe it or not, I got those things back at the end of the War--forgot how though.

Sparks and I were separated and I, as I had a badly sprained leg was given a short ride later in morning to outskirts of Koenigsberg and had two guards with little regard for my safety marched me through the civilians who were less than hospitable (sticks and stones and spitting etc) that led to having a group try to lynch me. Fortunately a Luftwaffe Officer came to my rescue - berated the crowd of civilians and got additional guards to escort me to a lockup in local jail. I could have kissed that Luftwaffe Officer, he saved my life. The jail was 10 feet by 5 feet and was crowded with 6 Russians. Two were Airmen. On the march to the jail escorted by the four guards who kept prodding me, I was limping because of my swollen leg, we passed a small group of a working party of POWs. In a lovely Cockney voice one of them shouted "Cheer up Canada — don’t let the B*ds grind you down". I knew then that was my salvation and I knew I would make it through to the end of the war. I often think of that Cockney - I do hope he made it through to the end.’

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Becky Barugh of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Shropshire CSV Action Desk on behalf of Des Evans and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

See more of Des’s stories:

• Bale out!
• Missions from Woodhall Spa
• Tracers coming through the thatch
• I didn’t quite get the chop
• Ted Porters Crew
• The ‘Augsburg Raid’
• S/L Sherwood’s recommendation for the Victoria Cross
• The worst night of the War…
• The worst night of the War (Part 2)
• The worst night of the War (Part 3) - Crew
• The worst night of the War (Part 4) - Losses
• The worst night of the War (Part 5) — Extract from ‘the Berlin’ Raids’
• The worst night of the War (Part 6) — Bombers over Berlin
• The worst night of the War (Part 7) — Combat Report
• A Dedication to Skipper Wing Commander Ted Porter - Pause for Thought
• A Dedication to Skipper Wing Commander Ted Porter — A Navigators View of the Route to Heaven
• Did you know?
• Flight Operations carried out with Sgt. D.C Plaunt
• Flight Operations carried out by Sgt. J.J Johnson
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ after baling out on 9th — 10th June 1944
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ after baling out on the 9th - 10th June 1944 - Continued
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ - 11th June 1944
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ - 12th — 15th June 1944
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ - 16th - 18th June 1944
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ - 19th — 23rd June 1944
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ — 24th August 1044
• ‘Our Heroes’

For further stories read ‘ACHIEVE YOUR AIM’ by Kevin Bending

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