Operation: Düsseldorf, Germany

Date: 31st July/1st August 1942 (Friday/Saturday)

Unit No: 23 Operational Training Unit (OTU)

Type: Wellington IC

Serial: X9917

Code: BY:N

Base: RAF Pershore, Worcestershire

Location: 1¾ miles (3 km) SW of Helden, Netherlands

Pilot: Plt Off. John Leslie Dowdeswell 122995 RAFVR Age 26. PoW No: 595 * (1)

Obs: WO. Arthur George Allen 566894 RAF Age 24. PoW No: 25667 ** (2)

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Geoffrey Charles Maddams 1250404 RAFVR Age 21. PoW No: 25161 *** (3)

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Edward Edgar Brocklehurst 1050065 RAFVR Age 25. PoW No: 25162 *** (4)

Air Gnr (Rear): Flt Sgt. Maurice Tom Craig Shields 754016 RAF Age 22. PoW No: 25160 *** (5)

* Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia, Germany, now Żagań in Poland.

** Marlag und Milag Nord, Westertimke, Lower Saxony.

*** Stalag 8B, Lamsdorf, now called Łambinowice in Silesia.

REASON FOR LOSS:

Wellington IC X9917 took off from RAF Pershore in Worcestershire at 23:22 hrs take part on the first bombing mission where more than one-hundred (100) Lancasters would participate. The crew of X9917 was comprised screened airmen who were all serving as instructors with 23 Operational Training Unit (23 OTU).

Many of the aircraft were from the training units, which, resulted in very high losses. The OTUs losing some sixteen (16) aircraft in this operation. The operation cost Bomber Command the loss of thirty-two (32) aircraft with one-hundred and eighteen (118) aircrew KiA, six (6) injured, thirty-four (34) PoWs with four (4) successfully evading capture.

The night was described as clear with a bright moon which assisted the Luftwaffe night fighters even though six (6) sorties of Blenheims from 2 Group attacking their bases over a two hour period were sent to assist the operation.

Modern day research by Theo Boiten (Ref 1, p63) has recorded that 23 OTU Wellington IC X9917 was claimed by Lt. Hans Autenrieth from Stab II./NJG1, his 3rd Abschuss and the 1st of two (2) this night, 2 km south of Berg at 1.800 m. at 02:30 hrs.

Note: The claim for Lt. Hans Autenrieth appears to have been recorded incorrectly and should have been 21 OTU Wellington IC X9983 (Ref 1, p63).

However, it appears from research carried out by Craig Shields that X9917 was actually claimed by Hptm. Werner Streib from Stab I./NJG1, his 31st Abschuss and 2nd of two (2) this night, 3 km SW of Helden, south of Venlo (5B): at 4.300 m. at 01:44 hrs (Ref 1, p63).

Note: It has been confirmed that from the recovery of identifiable pieces of wreckage that X9917 had crashed near Helden;

Note: Oberst. Streib survived the war and was credited with sixty-four (64) confirmed Abschüsse, with one (1) during the daytime and one (1) awaiting conformation (Ref 2, p96). After the war he joined the Bundes Luftwaffe where he reached the rank of Brigadegeneral. He died on the 15th June 1986 (Ref 3, pp1284-1285).

(1) Plt Off. Dowdeswell was captured on the Dutch/German frontier the next morning. Two (2) hours after he had been captured by the Dutch police he escaped by running out of the police station and leaping onto an unattended bicycle and peddling off. He was recaptured by the Germans and the Dutch police a few hours later.

After the statutory interrogation at Dulag Luft, Oberursel he was transferred to Stalag Luft 3 at Sagan-Silesia. During October 1942 he was transferred to Stalag 21B at Szubin a few miles SW of Bydgoszcz in Poland.

He was promoted to Fg Off. with effect 1st November 1942 (London Gazette 12th January 1943).

During April 1943 he was transferred back to Stalag Luft 3. On the night of the 27th January 1945, with Soviet troops only 16 mls (26 km) away, orders were received to evacuate the PoWs to Spremberg which is to the west of Sagan-Silesia. The PoW’s were informed of the evacuation, which was on foot, at about 22:00 hrs the same night and were given 30 mins to pack and prepare everything for the march. The weather conditions were very difficult, with freezing temperatures, and it was snowing accompanied by strong winds. There was 6 inches (15 cm) of snow and 2000 PoWs were assigned to clear the road ahead of the main groups.

After a 34 miles (55 km), the PoWs arrived in Bad Muskau where they rested for 30 hours. The PoWs were then marched the remaining 16 miles (26 km) to Spremberg where they were housed in empty garages, storerooms and in military barracks. There they were provided with warm soup and bread. During next days, PoWs were divided up according to Compounds, and they were led to railway sidings and loaded into tightly packed carriages.

On the 2nd February he was amongst the North, East and remaining West compound PoWs who were sent Marlag und Milag Nord at Westertimke.

Marlag is an acronym for Marinelager (Navy PoW camp), Milag is short for Marine-Interniertenlager (Marine internment camp), and Nord is German for ‘north’.

On the 2nd April 1945 the Commandant announced that he had received orders to leave the camp with most of his guards, leaving only a small detachment behind to hand over the camp to Allied forces, who were already in Bremen.

However, that afternoon a detachment of over a hundred SS-Feldgendarmerie entered the camp, mustered over 3,000 men and marched them out, heading east. The next day, at around at 10:00 hrs the column was strafed by RAF aircraft, and two PoWs were killed. Over the next few days the column was attacked from the air several times. Finally the Senior British Naval Officer (SBNO), who was later killed in a strafing attack by RAF aircraft, offered the Germans the PoW’s parole, in return for being allowed to rest during the day and march at night. The Germans agreed.

On the 9th April 1945 the guards at Marlag-Milag moved out and were replaced by older men, presumably local Volkssturm. Meanwhile, the column slowly headed east, finally crossing the River Elbe, north of Hamburg, on the 18th April.

On the 27th April the camps were liberated by elements of the British Guards Armoured Division. The next day, on the 28th April, the column finally arrived at Lübeck on the Baltic coast. They were liberated by the British 11th Armoured Division on the 1st May 1945.

He was promoted to Flt Lt. with effect 1st May 1944 (London Gazette 19th May 1944). Flt Lt. Dowdeswell was interviewed on the 3rd May 1945.

John Leslie Dowdeswell was born on the 29th January 1916 in Haringey, Edmonton, West Tottenham. He was a consulting Ophthalmic Optician prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 7th October 1939. John passed away on the 9th May 1972 in Nevendon, Wickford, Essex.

(2) After WO. Allen landed he was assisted by friendly Dutch and arrived at Baexem, some 8 miles (13 km) SSW of Helden, where he was hidden in the cellar of the Cafe Herber and passed down an escape line but was apprehended near Maastricht and before he could cross the frontier into Belgium.

Note: Craig Shields informed us that the owner of Cafe Herber received a citation from both Eisenhower and Tedder for assisting Allen to escape.

Note: Air Chief Marshall Tedder was appointed the Deputy Supreme Commander at Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force under General Dwight D. Eisenhower.

He was transferred to Dulag Luft Oberursel arriving there on the 17th August 1942.

WO. Allen was appointed to a commission and promoted to 49722 Plt Off. with effect 13th July 1942. (London Gazette 13th October 1942).

On the 28th August he was transferred to Stalag 8B at Lamsdorf arriving there on the 2nd September 1942. On the 9th October 1942 some 1500 British and Canadians, irrespective it would seem of whether or not they had been captured at Dieppe, had their wrists tied with string from Red Cross parcels.

After the failed raid at Dieppe on the 19th August 1942, the Germans claimed to have found evidence of the ill-treatment of German prisoners, and also of atrocities committed during a Commando raid on Sark on 4th October 1942.

German propaganda made much of the capture and the killing of the German soldiers and claimed that they still had their hands bound when they were found. This together with a copy of an operational order, illegally carried and dropped by a Canadian senior officer, discovered on the beach after the Dieppe Raid on the 19th August 1942 formed the rationale for Hitler’s Kommandobefehl.

It should be noted that the operational order concerning the 'binding' of prisoners was directed at Canadian forces participating in the raid and not the British commandos.

Four (4) days later a further eight-hundred (800) were similarly bound so tightly was the string drawn in some cases that the circulation of blood to the hands was cut off, causing some harm. After strong protests the string was replaced by shackles and handcuffs, but so expert were some of the prisoners at lockpicking (the key from sardine tins was a favourite tool) that within seconds the restraints had been removed. Thereafter the shackling became a nuisance rather than a punishment, and it officially ended on the 22nd November 1943.

In 1943, the Lamsdorf camp was split up, and many of the PoWs (and Arbeitskommando) were transferred to two new base camps, Stalag 8C Sagan (modern Żagań) and Stalag 8D Teschen (modern Český Těšín). The base camp at Lamsdorf was renumbered Stalag 344.

He was promoted to Fg Off. with effect 4th January 1943 (London Gazette 11th May 1943).

On the 10th August 1943 he was transferred to Marlag und Milag Nord at Westertimke arriving there two (2) days later.

Marlag is an acronym for Marinelager (Navy PoW camp), Milag is short for Marine-Interniertenlager (Marine internment camp), and Nord is German for ‘north’.

From this point forward his PoW story was the same as that for Plt Off. Dowdeswell at Ser (1) above. Fg Off. Allen was interviewed on the 4th May 1945.

He remained in the RAF after the war and was promoted to Flt Lt. with effect 13th July 1944 (London Gazette 19th August 1947). His promotion was confirmed as substantive with effect 13th December 1946 (London Gazette 30th September 1947).

Flt Lt. Allen retired from the RAF on the 16th May 1961 (London Gazette 23rd May 1961).

Arthur George Allen was born on the 16th May 1918 on the Isle of Wight. He enlisted in the RAF on the 9th January 1934. Arthur passed away suddenly on the 14th December 1967 at Seymour Place W.1, Greater London.

Above: Courtesy of The Daily Telegraph, dated 18th December 1967

(3) Sgt. Maddams managed to evade for a day before being apprehended near Helmond in Holland. He then was transferred to Dulag Luft, Oberursel for the statutory interrogation and solitary confinement. He was then transferred to Stalag 8B at Lamsdorf arriving there on the 15th August 1942.

His experiences at Stalag 8B from this time forward was the same as that described in Ser (2) above for Plt Off. Allen.

On the 20th January 1945 he was amongst those PoWs who were forced-marched to Stalag 8A, Görlitz in Lower Silesia which was east of the River Neisse arriving there on the 4th February

On the 14th February 1945 the Americans and British PoWs were marched out of the camp westward in advance of the Soviet offensive into Germany. The evacuation process was carried out gradually through to May 1945. The evacuation took place on foot with all means of transport driving in front of the people for military purposes.

On the 10th March 1945 he was amongst the PoWs who arrived at Stalag 9A at Trutzhain in the territory of Ziegenhain, Germany. The camp was liberated on the 30th March 1945, by elements of Patton’s 3rd Army. He was interviewed on the 25th May 1945

Geoffrey Charles Maddams was born on the 20th August 1921 in Hatfield, Hertfordshire. He was a Printing Compositor prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 28th May 1940. Geoffrey passed away on the 29th August 2005 in Barnet, Middlesex.

(4) Sgt. Brocklehurst managed to evade for a day before being apprehended on the 2nd August near Helmond in Holland. After Dulag Luft, Oberursel for the statutory interrogation and solitary confinement his PoW experiences from this time forward was the same as that described in Ser (2) above for Plt Off. Allen.

For March until May 1943 whilst at Stalag 8B he volunteered for an Arbeitskommandos (Working party) at Camp E354 as a Labourer on a building site with a view to escaping. He escaped from the billets in which he was staying during May 1943 but was recaptured six (6) days later near Olmutz by a Forestry Patrol.

After the camp was liberated he was interviewed on the 10th May 1945.

Edward Edgar Brocklehurst was born on the 29th July 1917 in Prestbury, Cheshire. He was a Master Builder prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 28th May 1940. Edward passed away on the 9th January 1997 in Macclesfield, Cheshire.

Above: Courtesy of the Macclesfield Express, dated 15th January 1997

(5) Flt Sgt. Shields was captured near Helden in Holland the next day. After Dulag Luft, Oberursel for the statutory interrogation and solitary confinement his PoW experiences from this time forward was the same as that described in Ser (2) above for Plt Off. Allen.

Flt Sgt. Shields was appointed to a commission and promoted to 128371 Plt Off. effective 1st June 1942 (London Gazette 4th September 1942). He was then promoted to Fg Off. effective 1st December 1942 (London Gazette 20th April 1943).

It appears that after the Germans finally acknowledged his officer status he was transferred to Stalag Luft 3 (Belaria), Sagan-Silesia on the 14th January 1944.

He was promoted to Flt Lt. effective 1st June 1944 (London Gazette 20th June 1944).

On the night of the 27th January 1945, with Soviet troops only 16 mls (26 km) away, orders were received to evacuate the PoWs to Spremberg which is to the west of Sagan-Silesia. The PoW’s were informed of the evacuation, which was on foot, at about 22:00 hrs the same night and were given 30 mins to pack and prepare everything for the march. The weather conditions were very difficult, with freezing temperatures, and it was snowing accompanied by strong winds. There was 6 inches (15 cm) of snow and 2000 PoWs were assigned to clear the road ahead of the main groups.

After a 34 miles (55 km), the PoWs arrived in Bad Muskau where they rested for 30 hours. The PoWs were then marched the remaining 16 miles (26 km) to Spremberg where they were housed in empty garages, storerooms and in military barracks. There they were provided with warm soup and bread.

During next days, PoWs were divided up according to Compounds, and they were led to railway sidings and loaded into tightly packed carriages. On the 2nd February he was amongst the PoWs that were sent to Stalag 3A at Luckenwalde in Brandenburg, Prussia.

On the 22nd April 1945 as the Russians approached the camp the guards fled leaving the prisoners to be liberated by the Red Army.

Stalag 3A was turned over to the Americans on the 6th May at which time the Senior American Officers (SAO) took over the running of the camp until all the PoWs were evacuated. Oddly it was not until the 25th August 1945 that he was interviewed.

After the war he remained in the RAF and his rank of Flt Lt. was confirmed as substantive on the 14th April 1947 (London Gazette 25th July 1945).

On the 7th July 1952 he was appointed to a commission as a Flt Lt. and transferred to the Secretarial Branch on the 6th October 1952 (London Gazette 19th December 1952).

He retired from the RAF as a Flt Lt. on the 21st December 1974 (London Gazette 14th January 1975).

Maurice Tom Craig Shields was born on the 21st December 1919 in Ipswich. He was employer as a Printer prior to enlisting in the RAF on the 20th June 1939. Maurice passed away on the 20th November 2006 in Minsterworth, Gloucestershire.

BURIAL DETAILS:

The crew all survived and became PoWs for the duration of the war

For further details our thanks to Craig Shields for bringing this loss to our attention (Jan 2017). Thanks to John Jones for the update to the fighter claim (Jun 2019). Update to Narrative by Aircrew Remembered (May 2022). Reviewed and updated with new information with thanks to Craig Shields for the correction to the Night-Fighter claim (Oct 2026)

Other sources listed below.

References:

1. Nachtjagd Combat Archive (30 May - 31 December 1942) The Early Years Part 3 - Theo Boiten.
2. Nachtjagd Combat Archive – Biographies.
3. Luftwaffe-ACES -Biographies-and-Victory-Claims - Vol-4.

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