SYNOPSIS

UKNA:SPG/1402

Members of crew

I was pilot of a Lancaster Mark 3 which took off from BOURN about 2100 hrs on 27 Aug 43 to bomb NUREMBERG. Just after leaving the target we were attacked by a fighter, and the aircraft was damaged. Near the Belgian frontier I went into cloud to avoid another fighter, and the aircraft crashed on a field on high ground and caught fire about 0400 hrs (28 Aug).
We landed near houses and people began to collect. Believing ourselves to be in Germany, we split up at once. My parachute had been left in the aircraft, and I dropped my harness and Mae West near the burning wreck.
I went S.S.W. from the wreckage for about four or five miles and hid for the morning and part of the afternoon in a potato field, I discovered I had lost my aids box in getting out of the aircraft.
About 1630 hrs a horse got loose, in the field and ran so near to me I had to stand up. A peasant approached and,
recognising me as English, shook hands with me. Ho told me I was in BELGIUM,. indicated the directions of BRUSSELS and FRANCE, and warned me there were Germans in the village.
About 1700 hrs, with the idea of making for FRANCE, I began walking S.W., skirting SIBRET about 5 miles S.W. of BASTOGNE (N.W. EUROPE 1:250,000, Sheet 6).
I walked till about midnight. As it began to rain then, I sheltered in some wheat sheaves for about an hour, but as the sheaves provided poor shelter, I started walking again. About 0300 hrs (29Aug) I reached another village and went into a house where I got coffee. There were Germans in the village, and the people would not allow me to sleep in their barn, but they put me on the road to FRANCE. About 0600 hrs I got to WINVILLE about five miles South of SIBRET. Here I slept in a barn till about 0800 hrs. I then went into a farmhouse and told the people I was English. They gave me coffee and bread, a civilian overcoat, a pair of boots, and a map covering that part of BELGIUM, and the adjoining part of FRANCE.
I left the farmhouse about 1100 hrs and walked by side roads to TRAIMONT, EBLEY, WITTIMONT and LEGLISE. From LEGLISE I walked along the main road to SUXY, arriving about 1930 hrs in SUXY. I was sheltered here for the night and put in touch vith an organisation which arranged subsequent journey.

Appendix C

14 September 1943

On 29 Aug 43 I went into a house outside the village of SUXY (N.W.EUROPE, 1:250,000, Sheet 6). The lady of the house spoke fair English. They gave me a good meal and sheltered me for the night.
The next morning (30 Aug) the woman went to the village and fetched the priest, who got in touch with an agent of an organisation in CHINY. I gathered that this organisation was a branch of a main organisation working in conjunction with the British authorities.
The agent of this organisation came on 2 Sep and took me by bicycle to CHINY, where I stayed at his house till 5 Sep. Because the Germans were searching in CHINY for members of the organisation and saboteurs including my host, I was sent back to SUXY, to the house where I had previously stayed, believing I was to be there for the another 14 or 15 days.
On 9 Sep the agent took me back from SUXY to CHINY, where I stayed the night.
On 10 Sep the agent took me to FLORENVILLE on the French frontier. Here I was given a Belgian identity card and left by taxi for BOUILLON with another Belgian. In Bouillon I met Sgt. GARDINER (S/P.G.(-)1403) who had been there for a fortnight. We stayed three or four hours in BOUILLON, leaving with the same helper in another taxi. We crossed the frontier near the road from BOUILLON to SEDAN. About half way between BOUILLON and the frontier the taxi went through a Customs post and about half a mile from the frontier we left the taxi. On the frontier itself we met a woman who led us through the woods into FRANCE. We saw no sign of any frontier guard. On the French side of the frontier we picked up the taxi again.
We were driven in the taxi to SEDAN, where outside the railway station we met a young woman member of the organisation who was said to be the wife of the French-Canadian telegraphist. We went with her and our first guide by train to RHEIMS (N.W.EUROPE, 1:250,000, Sheet 8), travelling in different compartments. In RHEIMS we were met by a French-Canadian and two other members of the organisation. One of them, a Frenchman, who travelled back with us. We were one night (10-11 Sep) in RHEIMS.
On 11 Sep about 1600 hrs we left RHEIMS by train for FISMES (Sheet 8) with the chief of the organisation, our previous guides remaining in RHEIMS. We stayed in a house in the country on the outskirts of FISMES till 13 Sep. We were ready to leave every night, and every night were visited by the chief of the organisation.
On the night of 13 Sep we left the house at FISMES for a field about 8 kms from the town. After circling round the district for about an hour, an aircraft landed about 2130 hrs, and Sgt. GARDINER, myself, and the Frenchman got on board. We left about midnight, and landed at TANGMERE early on 14 Sep.

Appendix to Appendix C

The name of the woman with whom I stayed on 29 Aug 43 in SUXY was Mme. POREYE. She gave me food, shelter, and clothing, and subsequently put me in touch with an organisation.