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#4610606 - 10/07/22 01:13 PM The Last Brit of the Great Escape  
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Captain Vyvyan Howard, who has died aged 102, was a Fleet Air Arm pilot, probably the last to fly a wartime Fairey Swordfish, and the last remaining British survivor of the infamous Stalag Luft III prisoner-of-war camp.

In September 1940, having learnt low-level torpedo-dropping techniques in the Fairey Swordfish, Howard joined the newly equipped 828 Naval Air Squadron, flying the Fairey Albacore torpedo bomber, at Lee-on-Solent.

In 1941 the squadron deployed to the Orkney Islands on anti-aircraft and convoy escort duties, and in June 828 NAS embarked in the aircraft carrier Victorious. On the afternoon of July 30, in bright Arctic sunshine, the squadron attacked German shipping at Kirkenes, close to the Norwegian border with Russia.

The enemy were alerted and had strong air and flak defences. Howard recalled: “We launched our torpedo at a German ship in the harbour. As we turned to make our escape, I heard a roar of cannon fire from below us; we were hit, and the aircraft broke up around us. The next thing I knew we were in the fjord and swimming to the shore and captivity.”

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/ukne...mp;cvid=2198b5e7391441c3906fa86f0f063b0a


There was only 16 squadrons of RAF fighters that used 100 octane during the BoB.
The Fw190A could not fly with the outer cannon removed.
There was no Fw190A-8s flying with the JGs in 1945.
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#4610609 - 10/07/22 02:41 PM Re: The Last Brit of the Great Escape [Re: KraziKanuK]  
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#4610610 - 10/07/22 02:49 PM Re: The Last Brit of the Great Escape [Re: KraziKanuK]  
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“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4610643 - 10/08/22 12:11 AM Re: The Last Brit of the Great Escape [Re: KraziKanuK]  
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RIP, thank you for your service and sacrifice.

They were courageous to fly these old aircraft against the Nazis ships

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairey_Swordfish

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

looks it not much was done. They got away with murder, the murdering Nazis!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalag_Luft_III#Postwar_investigation_and_prosecutions

#4610791 - 10/10/22 08:33 AM Re: The Last Brit of the Great Escape [Re: KraziKanuK]  
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A little connection wink
My late brother trained in a Swordfish then later in an Ansons. He flew as a telegraphist air gunner with 820 squadron on HMS Indefatigable. They flew Barracudas in the ETO, then Avengers when they re-located to the far east. He survived the war, and his war bride Gwen travelled from Sydney to the UK on the Victorious.


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#4610795 - 10/10/22 09:57 AM Re: The Last Brit of the Great Escape [Re: NoFlyBoy]  
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Originally Posted by NoFlyBoy

They were courageous to fly these old aircraft against the Nazis ships



The more accurate term you are looking for is "Kriegsmarine ships".

Last edited by PanzerMeyer; 10/10/22 09:57 AM.

“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4610842 - 10/11/22 02:06 AM Re: The Last Brit of the Great Escape [Re: MrJelly]  
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Originally Posted by MrJelly
A little connection wink
My late brother trained in a Swordfish then later in an Ansons. He flew as a telegraphist air gunner with 820 squadron on HMS Indefatigable. They flew Barracudas in the ETO, then Avengers when they re-located to the far east. He survived the war, and his war bride Gwen travelled from Sydney to the UK on the Victorious.


Thank you to your brother and his comrades for their service.

I enjoy reading WW2 stuff, therefore I Google all you mentioned.

Avro Anson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_Anson

Fairey Barracuda https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairey_Barracuda

Grumman TBF Avenger https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_TBF_Avenger

HMS Victorious (R38) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Victorious_(R38)

HMS Indefatigable https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Indefatigable_(R10)'

The ship was transferred to the British Pacific Fleet (BPF) joining the American forces in March as they prepared to invade the island of Okinawa in Operation Iceberg. Indefatigable and the BPF joined the Americans in attacking the Japanese Home Islands in July and August.

Never knew Royal Navy was at Okinawa.


#4610860 - 10/11/22 10:34 AM Re: The Last Brit of the Great Escape [Re: NoFlyBoy]  
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Originally Posted by NoFlyBoy

Never knew Royal Navy was at Okinawa.




In a supporting role yes but the RN had quite extensive operations in the Pacific during WWII.


“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4610868 - 10/11/22 01:01 PM Re: The Last Brit of the Great Escape [Re: KraziKanuK]  
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Dad was stationed at #1 General Recon School at Summerside PEI for a time. They were training navigators. He was the RO in an Anson. They flew from PEI to Newfie to Perce Rock and back to PEI. It was a long boaring flight so sometimes he got to pilot the Anson. The Anson was also used as an informal pilot training a/c for navigators. This unauthorized use ended when an Anson hit a seagull and crashed on take off. (no fatalities) The base commander wasn't pleased to say the least.


There was only 16 squadrons of RAF fighters that used 100 octane during the BoB.
The Fw190A could not fly with the outer cannon removed.
There was no Fw190A-8s flying with the JGs in 1945.
#4610945 - 10/12/22 08:36 AM Re: The Last Brit of the Great Escape [Re: MrJelly]  
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Originally Posted by MrJelly
A little connection wink
My late brother trained in a Swordfish then later in an Ansons. He flew as a telegraphist air gunner with 820 squadron on HMS Indefatigable. They flew Barracudas in the ETO, then Avengers when they re-located to the far east. He survived the war, and his war bride Gwen travelled from Sydney to the UK on the Victorious.


A neighbour of my parents was Nav/Obs in Swordfish. When asked about his service, in a typically modest and self-deprecating English fashion he stated he spent most of his war trying to persuade the 'powers that be' that there was no need for a third bod like him in the cockpit.




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