大象传媒

The next day five French youths came to the Bistro all new members of the resistance. We then set out for a mountain nearby on which was a camp of the Maquis, the Guerrilla arm of Resistance. Upon reaching the community of Pierrefontaine-Les-Varans at the foot of the mountain we entered the main street. The French youths were singing the Marseillaise when ahead we saw sitting on a horse drawn cart outside of a Bistro, six soldiers wearing German S.S. uniforms they were well armed and drinking beer.
They ignored us while we expected to have a gun fight when a woman looked out of a bedroom window and shouted to us "La Russe."(The Russians) They were Ukrainian deserters from an S.S. battalion at the German Barracks at Valdahon.
We continued on out of the village and went up the forested mountain until we came to a clearing were the Maquis were camped. They made us welcome and fed us. .. The next day a number of Ukrainian S.S. deserters were guided to the camp to join the Maquis and to fight the Germans.

After a few days we heard that soldiers of the American Seventh Army and French soldiers of the 1 8t French Army were heading our way from the South. It was decided to go down from the mountain and assist the Liberating American soldiers. Paul and I went with the Maquis into Pierrefontaine whilst the Ukrainians went to Valdahon to capture the Barracks. We did not have much fighting to do in Pierrefontaine but we had to hold the community for twenty four hours before the Americans arrived.
Paul and I introduced ourselves to the American Officers who, were surprised to find two R.A.F. Flyers fighting with the Resistance, they arranged that we should go south in an American supply truck to an advanced captured airfield to get a lift out on a military aircraft. The Ukrainian S.S. soldiers were taken prisoner by the American and French troops but treated with respect for having changed sides and fighting the Germans.
After two days, Paul and I were given a ride on an American army truck south and dropped off outside and airfield at Morteau having American military planes. We crossed the airfield at the flying control tower were we told the Officers in charge that we were R.A.F. Flyers. Then several communist resistance Fighters came to the control tower having seen us cross the airfield and thought that we were Germans in disguise attempting to escape. They wanted to take us away; the American officers had a great
difficulty convincing the Communists that we were R.A.F. Flyers.
The Americans thought that it would be better for Paul and I to wear uniforms so they fitted us out with American Air Force uniforms.

After three days we were put aboard a Dakota transport plane and flown to Istres Airport in the south of France. There we later boarded a Mitchell Bomber and were flown to Naples, Italy, and there handed over to the R.A.F.
After telling our stories to the R.A.F. they detained us until they made checks with the R.A.F. in England by radio and finally convinced of our identities, they gave us money and we were billeted in a hotel on the Auto Strata at Naples. After an enjoyable week sightseeing the R.A.F. put us aboard a Dakota transport plane to Algiers and Casablanca and then flown on to England in a Liberator Bomber.
I was interviewed by R.A. F. Intelligence in London where we were debriefed and sent on leave. I was promoted to an Officer Rank and became responsible for training new Bomber Crews. Paul went on to train Air Gunners but was killed in a flying accident soon after.
A point of interest; The young French student, Jean Laval who was captured by the Germans at Monbelliard and put onto a rail wagon at Brescanson escaped from the wagon that was destined for a concentration camp, with the help of a friendly Gendarme, and survived the War.

Charles Lang who found me after the crash of the Lancaster was decorated by the French Government and received a commendation from General Eisenhower, the top American General for assisting my escape.
. A few years ago through a friend in the Aero nautical business in Germany I was able to trace the
German Night fighter Pilot who had shot down my Lancaster and who had survived the War and now living at Oldenberg in Germany. He is Heinz Rokker a highly decorated fighter Ace having been credited with shooting down sixty four allied Bombers in the War. We met and became friends and on several occasions he has paid Homage's with me at the graves of five members of my Lancaster crew buried in the cemetery at Neufchateau,. . .France.

My service with the French Resistance has been acknowledged since the war as follows:

Made a Citizen of Honour by the Town of Pierrefontaine-Les-Varans.

Presented with a medal of Honour by the Town of Neufchateau.

Awarded their Bronze Medal of Distinction by the Federation Nationale Andre Maginot, the equivalent French Ex Servicemens body to the Royal British Legion.

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