大象传媒

My name is Francis Clayton and I completed training as an observer (Navy bomber) at Kinloss OTU and commissioned P/O in December 1940. After a sortie with lX squadron Honington I was posted to 51 squadron (Whitley Bombers), Dishforth. We bombed the Sharnhorst in Brest Harbour. On the night of 6th August 1941 I was shot down homeward bound by a night fighter at Heeze, Holland (ruling caterpillar job) as printed on page 110 RAF bomber losses (VO12) 1941 by WR CHorley, publisher MID counties Pub of Earl SHilton UK. In 1942 at Otlas 21B I was caught in an escape tunnel and had a 30 day solitary. I was a prisoner of war at Stalagluft 111 Sogan until 1945 when there was a long march (130 miles)back into Germany in the winter. In April I escaped from Luckenwalde and walked via Wittenberg (52 miles) (ELbe R) to US lst army at Billerfeld (Muld R). I touched Luther's church door and not a shot was fired at me. I was protected all the way by an angel because I had unknowingly walked through two battlefronts, Russian and German. I was a member of the RAF Escaping Club ACA.

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