- Contributed byÌý
- CSV Action Desk/´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Lincolnshire
- People in story:Ìý
- Frederick Bean (& Albert Betts)
- Location of story:Ìý
- Lincolnshire/Cambridgeshire borders
- Background to story:Ìý
- Civilian
- Article ID:Ìý
- A7122728
- Contributed on:Ìý
- 20 November 2005
This story has been submitted to the People’s War website by a volunteer from ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Lincolnshire’s Action Desk on behalf of Frederick Bean (and the family of Albert Betts) and has been added to the site with everyone’s permission. They fully understand the site’s terms and conditions.
I knew a gentleman by the name of Albert Betts who claimed to have been POW for the shortest time of all. He was in the army and his section were advancing up Italy. They were cut off and captured by the Germans and taken prisoner. Within half an hour or so, the Americans, who were following them, captured the Germans and released Mr Betts’ section.
Etton is a hamlet type village near to Helpston. During the war years there was a decoy airfield set up there. There were lights each side of a long strip of land to represent a runway. It was presumed that this was to divert German aircraft away from the surrounding airfields.
I remember in the Helpston area, the German aircraft coming over and dropping long strips of tin foil paper to confuse the surrounding RAF stations radar systems.
© Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.