26/27 April, 1944; SCHWEINFURT:
Mosquitoes of 627 Squadron, Woodhall Spa, used 5 Group's low-level
marking technique for the first time. The attempt was not accurate
and much of the bombing fell outside Schweinfurt. Meanwhile,
German night fighters had managed to penetrate the 215 strong
main force taking a heavy toll; 21 Lancasters failed to return.
The Fiskerton squadron had 15 aircraft airborne by 21.40hrs.
P/O Robert Montgomery and four fellow members of his crew are
buried in Bure Churchyard, Meuse. The two gunners, F/Sgt Baker
RAAF (rear gunner) and Sgt Mitchell (mid-upper) managed to parachute
to safety. |
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In the early hours of 27 April 1944 Richard
Mitchell found himself all
alone in the middle of a French field. The events that followed
are told in Richard's own
words and are taken from his Swiss POW report:
"After walking for 1 1/2 days, I was met by a Frenchman
who escorted me to the Police station where I was handed over
to the local doctor, After a period of about two weeks, during
which time I received treatment for my injuries. I was then sent
to another house some 20 kilometeres away where I made contact
with the organisation.
They gave me an Identity card, food and a place to sleep for
about three weeks. (Sgt Mitchell stayed in the house of Elaine
Descharmes called 'Cuves' in Par Clefmont near Chaumont). These
people provided a car to the railway station of Chaumont and
purchased my ticket to Besancon where I changed trains for Montbeliard
and also provided me with an escort. At Montbeliard I was provided
with a bicycle and guide, and taken within 6 kilomteres of the
Swiss border. From here I was taken to Switzerland by an unknown
guide."
Richard Mitchell arrived in Switzerland on 20 June 1944 and by
6 September was back in the UK at the personnel holding flight
in Morcambe. Sgt Mitchell was not required to go back to operational
flying and after technical training he was posted to No. 2 Flying
Instructors School until demob in November 1946. He soon re-enlisted,
becoming an Air Traffic Controller; sadly after illness, W/O
Mitchell died in 1968.
F/S Baker RAAF became a POW in camp 357, Kopernikus.
Lancaster JB679 (EA-D)
P/O
R. Montgomery Pilot (Killed)
Sgt
R.J. Boyce F/E (Killed)
F/S
S. Smith NAV (Killed)
Sgt
T. Parkin W/AG (Killed)
Sgt R.J. Mitchell A/G (Evader)
P/O R.F.
Cluff RCAF B/A (Killed)
F/S J. Baker
RAAF A/G (P.o.W.)
Crew on their 19th operation
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