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This story was submitted to the People's War website by a volunteer of the CSV Action Desk on behalf of Lilian J Davies and was added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

My cousin Haydn Jacobs joined the Royal Air Force at the beginning of the 1939 — 45 war.

He was trained as a rear gunner in the Lancaster Pathfinders, when they were formed. He soon got promotion to Flying Officer. Losses were very heavy and they were flying most nights. On Sept.11, 1944, he was shot down over Germany, and was posted missing. His mother was a widow, Haydn her only child. Everyone was very upset.

My father always listened to Lord Haw Haw, and one night many weeks later Lord Haw Haw said there had been a heavy raid over Germany there with very heavy losses of British Aircraft and Lancasters. He mentioned the date.

Then he said one of the airmen who had been shot down was Flying Officer Haydn Jacobs who lived at Rhys Street, Trealaw, Rhondda, Glamorgan, South Wales. He was not injured, but was taken prisoner. My father went over to see my Auntie Mauvie to tell her the good news.

Haydn was a prisoner of war till the end of the War in 1945. Why Lord Haw Haw mentioned Haydn we shall never know.

He had got engaged on the 11th September 1944 to Vera. His time as prisoner of war was not very pleasant. His wife, Vera, lives near Brighton. Haydn died in 1999.

Postscript; Haydn’s son had a first day stamp issue with his father’s picture on it in 1999.

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