A Colditz Escaper

Squadron Leader Hedley Neville (Bill) Fowler

A feature on the TV program Antiques road show told the story of how in 1980 a cleaner at the F & C O spotted a small collection of photographs of Sqn Ldr Fowler which were being thrown out, she felt this was wrong so consulted someone senior who said they had no interest in them and told her to take them home. Her family has had them since then but felt they should be passed if possible to the officer's family. Following the airing of the program relatives came forth and duly took pocession of the items as part of their family history.

This airman is recorded in the Test Pilot Memorial Book 

(on display at the Farnborough Air Sciences Trust Museum)

But who was Sqn Ld Fowler and what did he achieve?

Early Years:

Fowler was born in London on 8 June 1916.  His father was a Paymaster-Commander in the Royal Navy and he was great-grandson of Sir Henry Ayers, a Premier of South Australia for whom Ayers Rock was named. Fowler's family moved to Adelaide in South Australia in 1920, before returning to the UK in 1924 for his education at Malvern boarding school in preparation to attend Rugby School,while there he won Junior and Senior cups for miniature rifle shooting. Moving to Rugby School in 1930 he was selected as cadet U-016 to shoot at Bisley and also in the school shooting eight, competing for the Ashburton Shield in both 1932 and 1933.

In 1933 he returned to Adelaide, South Australia and attended the University of Adelaide where he joined the University Rifles and won two shooting cups.  In 1936 he enroled in the RAAF and moved to Point Cook as an Air Cadet, he graduated 4th as Pilot Officer and won Mannock Cup for best flyer on the course. In Jan1937 he returned to England as one of twelve Pilot Officers seconded to RAF.

RAF Service:

Fowler was granted a short-service commission in the RAF as a pilot officer on 19 February 1937. He was trained at No 6 Flying Training School Netheravon before being posted to      3 Sqn on 22 May 1937. He then served as a fighter pilot with the Squadron flying the Gloster Gladiator. Promoted to Flying Officer in 1938, His next posting was to 615 Sqn in October 1939 converting to Hawker Hurricanes in May 1940.

615 Sqn Gloucester Gladiator 1939

Fowler and 615 Sqn arrived in France in November 1939 as part of the Air Component of the BEF. When the German invasion commenced on 10 May 1940, the Squadron was still converting onto Hurricanes, although they were in action from the very start. Fowler made his first 'kill' on 12 May 1940 when he shot down a ME109. This was also the Squadron's first kill. He was credited with shooting down a Dornier DO17 on 14 May 1940 as well, followed by another Me 109 the next day. During the same engagement he was shot down while escorting bombers over Dinant. 

The following is Fowlers description of events;

"At approximately 11.45 hours I was shot down by Messerschmitt fighters about five miles north of Fumay, on the west bank of the River Meuse. My aircraft was on fire so I baled out and landed in a wood. I left my parachute in the middle of a bush and cut one of the panels out to bind round my head, which was bleeding. I had dropped my helmet on the way down and I was not wearing flying kit. My clothes were standard dress uniform, a khaki 'sidcot suit', and black flying boots. After landing I destroyed my pay book and personal letters, but kept my identity disc and a B.E.F. identity card. I threw away my pistol, which was of German make. I then started to walk west through thick woods. My aircraft had fallen in the forest on the east bank of the River Meuse. I walked for about five hours. Going was very rough and I took off my Sidcot suit and carried it. About 17.00 hours I was resting by a tree when a French soldier jumped out of a bush and pointed a rifle at me. I speak a little French and he asked me whether I was a German. I showed him my B.E.F. identity card and convinced him that I was a British pilot. This Frenchman was one of six French sappers trying to rejoin their unit. With them I walked through woods to Focroi. Here I left them and joined the remnants of a company of French infantry, commanded by a Sub. Lieutenant. They were much disorganised, and were retreating west. Their M.O. attended to the cut on my head. The next day, 16 May, we passed through Rumigny. About 16.30 hrs we were nearing Brunehamel when we were fired upon by a M.G. We got off the road and split up into two sections. I went with the Sub-Lieutenant. We moved into an isolated house where we stayed for about an hour. We were fired upon and returned the fire till our ammunition ran short. Two German tanks then appeared and we were surrounded. We therefore surrendered. 21May1940 I became a POW."

Captivity:

Fowler was sent to Dulag Luft transit camp at Oberursel before being transferred to Stalag Luft 1 at Barth, arriving there on 5 July 1940.

He was promoted to Flight lieutenant on 3 September 1940 whilst in captivity.

By November 1941, Fowler was acting as a distributor of Red Cross parcels. During his time in captivity Fowler had been making a bogus German uniform out of various bits of material and a civilian suit, smuggling them into the parcel office which was situated outside the main prisoner's compound. On 5 November 1941, he dressed in his bogus German uniform from the parcel office and climbed over the lightly guarded perimeter fence. Outside the camp he changed into his civilian suit. He managed to reach Sassnitz and attempted to stow away on a Swedish ship; but whilst at the docks he was arrested by a German policeman. He was returned to Stalag Luft 1 and sentenced to 14 days solitary confinement, before being transferred to the 'escape proof' camp Oflag IV-C at Colditz Castle, arriving on 1 December 1941.

During his time at Colditz, Fowler took part in 'Goon Baiting', which involved harassing and annoying the German guards as much as possible, under the able direction of Wing Cdr Douglas Bader. For this, Fowler, as many others,  spent time in solitary confinement. 

An example of baiting was how Fowler turned to his advantage an infestation of wasps in a giant creeper which grew up one side of the Castle; He caught a wasp, tied a thin thread to its waist and attached it to a rolled-up cigarette paper. His idea was that, since leaflets were being dropped by the R.A.F. all over Germany, it was up to us to play our part. Hundreds of wasps were caught and to each was attached a cigarette paper with the message Deutschland Kaput. The French, never to be outdone, caught a large number of wasps, tied a little square of paper to each, put them in matchboxes and released them together on parade. It was like a reversed snowstorm with the wasps flying upwards in furious mood. Pandemonium raged. 

Escape:

During August 1942 an escape plan was prepared for a party of officers moving through a short tunnel which started in the German Stabfeldwebel's office located near the prisoner's sick quarters. The starting location was chosen because it was a place unlikely to be thoroughly searched. Fowler was involved with this from the outset. The prisoners picked the office's lock and over a few nights built a tunnel which led from under the Stabsfeldwebel's desk to a clothing store with access to the outside. The tunnel was partly constructed by Captain Pat Reid.

From the clothing store the prisoners were to leave the castle disguised as a work party removing clothes from the store, four to be dressed as Polish orderlies, one disguised as a German officer, the other as a German NCO. The six officers were Fowler, Captain Lulu Lawton (British army), Lieutenant Geoff Wardle (RN) and three Dutch officers, Lt Beitz, Lt Donkers and Lt Damiaen Joan Van Doornick.

Reconstruction following escape

The escape took place on 9 September 1942. All went well as the six escapers and two assistants entered the office during the previous evening and opened up the tunnel. However, around midnight there was an alarm and the Germans searched the castle. Fortunately for the prisoners, the office door had been relocked and this satisfied the searchers that nobody had entered the office. After entering the clothing store the tunnel was sealed to allow later use (it was discovered the following day during the search for the missing officers). At 0730 the escape party left the store, timed to be shortly after the change of the German sentries; the idea being that the new sentries would be unaware of who had already entered the store. The party, led by van Doorninck (dressed as the German NCO), proceeded past several sentries and using a forged pass, left the castle unaccosted.

Outside the camp the party changed into civilian clothes and separated, Fowler travelling with van Doornick. They travelled on foot to Penig (about 31 km) and from there by train to Plauen via Zwickau. They caught the train to Stuttgart where they stayed overnight in a small hotel. The next day they caught a train to Tuttlingen and walked to the Swiss border. En route they were stopped by an SS policeman, but their forged papers were sufficient to pass inspection. They crossed into Switzerland at 0130 on 13 September 1942, and were taken to the British Legation at Bern. 

The other four escapers were recaptured close to Colditz.

Damiaen Joan van Doorninck

Fowler left Switzerland on 25 January 1943 and with Major Ronald B Littedale, who had escaped from Colditz with Pat Reid, travelled across unoccupied France into Spain on 30 January 1943. They were arrested by the Spanish authorities later the same day. They were taken to a military prison at Figueras and held in filthy and cramped conditions until 22 February 1943. They were then taken to the British Consul in Barcelona from where they travelled to Gibralter, arriving on 25 March 1943. Fowler returned to the UK shortly afterwards.

Back Home:

Arriving home at RAF Hendon in July 43 he was prmoted to the rank of Squadron Leader and posted to RAF Radnall on Film Unit duties. At this time he also toured RAF stations giving talks about his experiences as both a fugitive and POW but he was eager to get back in the air and in January 1944 was posted to the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment at RAF Boscombe Down as a Test Pilot for the Typhoon fighter-bomber. It was while so employed at Crickel Down Bombing Range, on 26 March 1944, while carrying out dive-bombing trials designed to find a weapon against German tanks for the forthcoming Allied invasion of Europe, that he was killed. His death however was not in vain as the notes found on the pad strapped to his knee helped to resolve some of the initial problems with this aircraft type. A letter from the Ministry of Defence states that on 26 March 1944 Squadron Leader H N Fowler was flying Typhoon JR307 on 'bombing duties'. The Squadron Leader was diving the aircraft on to the bombing range and on pulling out of the dive the aircraft broke up in mid-air. The aircraft came down 3 miles north of Crickel Down Bombing Range, near Tarrant Rushton Airfield at approximately 1500 hours. Squadron Leader Bill Fowler was only 27 years of age at the time of his death, and is buried in Durrington Cemetery, Wiltshire close to the RAF Station. The burial took place with Full Service honours, three volleys by the firing party followed by the Last Post. After that, the pall bearers and the officers of his flight passed in single file, standing for a few seconds at the salute at the head of the grave. One of those in attendance was Sqn Ldr Jim Payne who had got his wings at Point Cook with Bill. Bill Fowler's name is recorded on the WWII Wall of Remembrance in the Rugby School Memorial Chapel.

Hawker Typhoon

For his successful escape, Fowler was awarded the Military Cross.

Recommendation by Air Vice Marshall, Air Officer Commanding, No 9 Group RAF: 'This officer showed much skill and courage in his efforts to escape. Even though recaptured after the first attempt, this did not deter him from making a second, and this time a successful effort. This escape was from a camp specially reserved for officers who have either attempted to escape, or have otherwise given trouble to the Germans. The initiative and daring he displayed merits recognition and I strongly approve the War Office suggestion that he be awarded the M.C.

A post card Mystery from WW1

Many years ago my great grandmother gave to me two large albums of post cards, at least 500 cards that had been collected by my grandmother. All these cards were written and posted in the early 1900s and most contained simple personal messages eg, birthday, meet you off the train 9am tommorow, having a good holiday, that type of thing. These cards were used rather like the email of today, simple low cost efficient communication which was ok when we had a reliable postal service with three or four collections and maybe two deliveries a day.
These cards  have proven to be a great source of information in trailing my families history, but one card stood out as a little different. It was a photo from WW1 showing a simple battlefield cross with the dead soldiers name, rank,number and date of death. But who was he and why did my grandmother have it?

The label on the cross said No 83576 ,Pte H  Borton, 51st  M G Coy, 21/9/17

A little research revealed that this man was Harry Edward Borton  of the machine gun corps.

Checking his service record I found he had first joined the Oxford and Bucks light infantry in December 1915 but was transferred to the machine gun corps in January 1917. On completion of training a posting to the BEF in France followed in April 1917. On the 3rd of July 1917 he was killed in action just two and a half months from arriving in France. 

He now lies in grave I. B. 16 Sunken Road Cemetary Fampoux.

The date on the original cross may have referred to the date the cross was raised hence the difference to the date he was KIA.

But what was his connection to my grandmother, a little more research showed him to be her cousins husband, they had lived in Caversham close to my grandmother and Harry worked as a  letter press operator in Caversham.

My research revealed who he was,where he lived, his connection to my family, that his widow received his medal, memorial plaque and a widows pension of thirteen shillings and nine pence a week. Not much for a young mans life but a typical example of the time for so many.

Harry Edward Borton 1885 - 1917 R.I.P

So next time you see some old postcards do not think the picture alone is what makes the card of interest, so much history can be gleened from the messages written on the reverse that really bring the past to life. 

The Cody tree

The pioneering aviator Samuel F Cody who achieved so much in the earliest days of aviation in Britain, primarily from his base at Farnborough was for many years remembered by the preserved tree which he used to tie his aeroplane to when carrying out thrust measurements on his aeroplane.

The inscription below the tree reads.

"Samuel Franklin Cody measured the thrust of his first aeroplane in 1908/9 by tying it to this tree and his flight of 1390 feet on the 16th October 1908 was the first powered and sustained flight in Great Britain" 

By the 1950s the original tree was deteriorating and in 1959 The RAE workshops at Farnborough cast a replica tree in aerospace-grade aluminium alloy and the original tree was replaced by this reproduction.

 

Small sections of the original tree were recovered and are now held for posterity by Farnborough Air Sciences Trust museum.

The replica was eventually moved from its original location and now stands in front of the headquarters of Qinetiq at Farnborough.

Lt Col David Niven
Normandy 1944

Another side to the film star David Niven that many are not aware of and at this time he is worth remembering.

David Niven attended the Royal Military College at Sandhurst, graduating in 1930 commissioned as a second lieutenant in the regular Army.
He served with the Highland Light Infantry for two years in Malta and then for a few months in Dover but resigned his commission in 1933.
When war was declared in 1939 he immediately returned to England from the USA even though the British Embassy had advised actors to remain in the US.
He was re-commissioned as a lieutenant in the Rifle Brigade, however wanting something more exciting he joined the commandos and initially commanded "A" Sqn GHQ Liaison Regiment better known as Phantom, whose role was to provide collection, passage and dissemination of real-time information on the progress of battle back to Corps HQ, usually working at or in front of the line of battle.
Niven landed in Normandy a couple of days after D Day and saw action across Europe,

In his spare moments he also worked with the Army film unit, He acted in two films made during the war, "The First of the Few" (1942) and "The Way Ahead" (1944). Both were made with a view to winning support for the British war effort, especially in the U.S. Niven's Film Unit work included a small part in the deception operation that used actor Clifton James to impersonate Field Marshall Montgomery.

He was awarded the Legion of Merit an American military decoration. Presented by Eisenhower himself in honour of Niven's work in setting up the BBC Allied Expeditionary Forces Programme.

He finished the war with the rank of Lt Col.


A man who far exceeded his film characters in courage and depth of commitment to his country and his men.

.

The Duke of Kent inspects “Phantom” A Squadron in Richmond Park, Escorting is a helmeted Major David Niven commander of "A" squadron
with Lt Col Hoppy Hopkinson on extreme left.

When flying was still a club for the adventurer

In January 1914 when flying was still the preserve of the adventures few a dinner was held in London with many of the great names of early British aeronautics in attendance.This dinner was held in recognition of those who were  first  to loop the loop in an aeroplane. It was named:

                                                  The Upside Down Dinner

Standing on the left, left to right Mr Gustav Hamel, Mr Claude Grahame-White, Mr B C Husk 

When the announcement was made of an upside down dinner in honour of Mr B C Hucks and Mr Gustav Hamel by the Hendon aviators it was expected to be a fun occasion. The dinner was held at the Royal automobile club and was attended only by those intimately involved in aviation.
Everything was done with the aim of embodying the concept of looping the loop and upside down.
The dinning tables were cunningly arranged in the form of a loop in recognition of those attending.

The dinner itself started at the end with the announcement that coffee was served and the chairman,  Mr Claude Grahame-White toasting the King, followed by the instruction  "You may now smoke".
The waiters, dressed in mechanics overalls served coffee, liqueurs and toothpicks.
Next came the savoury, Canape` a la chenteloup, sweets of souffle` a la Hucks, the vegetable of Asperges renversees , the roast being becassines a la Hamel with salad a` la Bleriot, the entree  a vol au vent a la Hendon and the joint baron de Pauillac a` l' aviation.

Wow next came the Fish "The Looping Lobster" announced as " the lobster is now looping". The great dish of one huge lobster upside down surrounded by smaller lobsters was paraded around the loop of tables prior to being distributed to the assembly.
The dinner concluded with a consume de volaille a la Grahame White and hors d`oeuvres.

It would seem that they really knew how to live it up in those days.

In true recognition of the event Mr Hucks endeavoured to honour the health of the king by drinking Giesler from a glass, upside down.
Speeches followed with reminiscences by Mr Grahame-White. In mentioning Mr Hucks as being the first to loop the loop in England he also mentioned Mr Hamel  as being the first to take up a woman to loop the loop although he was extremely sorry to say that Miss Trehawke Davies the courageous lady in question was at the moment very seriously ill and it would echo the sentiments of everyone present if he sent Miss Davies a telegram on behalf of all assembled to wish her a speedy recovery.

Gustav Hamel and Miss Trehawke Davies

Lastly the directors of the London aerodrome had contributed to a Special gold medal to be given to each attendee of the dinner to commemorate the event.

Signatures of those attending the dinner.
Capt E Bass, E Baumann, G W Beatty, W Birchenough, G Biss, W L Brock, R H Carr, J Cates, N Chereau, M Dessouter,  H le Forestier, R T Gates, F W Goodden, C Grahame-White, C Greswell, C G Grey, Gustav Hamel, F Handley Page,           G Holt Thomas, B C Hucks, Bernard Issac, J H Ledeboer, Sir Bryan Leighton, Robert Loraine, P Marty, M D Manton,       L Noel, J D North, J W Orde, H E Perrin, H Pontefract, Lieut J C Porte, A M Ramsay, A G Reynolds, J C Savage,     Stanley Spooner,     L A Strange, T K Walton, R Whitehouse, W E de B Whittaker, E T Willows, J E Withers, P Verrier

Foot note:
Mr Gustav Hamel died whilst crossing the English channel on the 23rd May 1914 aged 25

Miss Davies who lived life to the full died at her London home in November 1915 aged 35

Mr Bentfield Charles Hucks (the first to loop the loop) in England. During WW1 he served with honour in the RFC and following Illness as a test pilot for the aircraft manufacturing co ltd. 
He died as a result of contracting influenza on  7th November 1918 aged 34

Sparkling lives that made history despite of being cut so short.

The Royal Flying Corps Today in 1915

This week in May 1915

The advance on Aubers Ridge was still in progress this week but crucially hesitated on the 17th as understanding of the true position was unclear. Additionally a persistent mist fell upon the field of battle at this time.

Air actions of note  for the week were:

10th May 

2 Sqn Lt J L Jackson  wounded in face

Morane L  of 3 Sqn shot down by AA fire over Fournes
crew Lt D Corbett-Wilson and 2nd Lt I N Woodiwiss both KIA

Voisin LA of 4 Sqn on reconn damaged by shrapnel 
Crew Capt E F Unwin and Lt H Lygon

Vickers FB5 of 5 Sqn on reconn entered combat with and shot down Albatros over Lille
Crew Lt W H W Acland and 1AM Rogers (Rogers Awarded DCM for this action)

Vickers FB5 of 5 Sqn in combat with two Albatros over Staden 
Crew 2nd Lt R Maxwell-Pike and 2nd Lt Andrews

Martinsyde S1 of 6 Sqn combat with an Otto over Polygon wood
Crew Capt L A Strange  ( pilot was thrown out of a/c after combat but managed to crawl back in. see recollections of an Airman.)

11th May

BE2a of 4 Sqn on reconn was shot up but returned to base
Crew Capt R M Vaughan and Lt Hankin

12th May

BE2c of 4 Sqn was shot up creating a fuel leak but returned OK
crew Lt G W G Lywood and 2nd Lt Benett

Voisin LA of 4 Sqn on a photo reconn mission over Courtrai involved in combat over Warneton
but returned OK
Crew Capt Murphy and Lt H Lygon

Voisin of 1 Sqn RNAS  Came down taken prisoner following  Attack on  a Zeppelin
Crew Flight Lt J O Groves and Lt Cdr H Dobell  both made POWs

14th May

the first FE2b aeroplanes arrived in France assigned to 6 Sqn at Abeele

15th May

Voisin LA of 4 Sqn on reconn was shot up and crashed into tree close to aerodrome
Capt E F Unwin  injured  Lt H Lygon shaken both taken to hospital

BE2c of 8 Sqn hit by shrapnel  
Crew  Capt A D Gaye and Lt G Graham both wounded (the first WIA casualties for 8 Sqn)


The Aeroplanes 



Vickers FB5



Martinsyde S1



Morane L



RAF FE2B Pusher

Royal Flying Corps today in 1915

May 9th 1915

The Battle of Aubers Ridge commenced this day, the purpose for the allies to advance onto an earlier objective of the battle of Neuve Chapelle. This day would prove to be the busiest day of the air war to date. The plan was to use aerial bombing prior to the general bombardment with the intention of disrupting enemy communications, results were limited due to the lack of effective bomb aiming techniques at that time.
Additionally 16 sqn provided reconnaissance for army headquarters, as troops arrived at various key positions they were to deploy white signal sheets. The aeroplanes were able to send some 42 messages to special ground wireless receiving stations.
Nos 2 , 3, 4, 5 & 6 sqns were also fully deployed.

As one might expect the day was not without loss as the following illustrates.

                Aeroplane              Crew          

4 Sqn   Voisin LA         Capt E F Unwin                                              Hit through boot   OK

5 Sqn   Vickers FB5     Lt W H D Ackland / Lt Andrews                    Reconnaissance 

5 Sqn   Vickers FB5     Lt S Graham-Gilmour / 1AM Sutcliffe          Shot down Albatros   

6 Sqn    BE2a                Lt Hargrave / Capt Bovill                               Shot up but OK 

6 Sqn    BE2b                Capt Macdonnell / Capt B T James             Combat 

16 Sqn  Voisin               Lt H F Glanville                                                Wounded in leg

16 Sqn  Voisin               Lt F H Eberli / Lt S A Sanford                        Shot down  became POWs 

16 Sqn  Voisin               2ndLt  Hon F W Rodney / Lt C B Spence     Killed in action

16 Sqn  Voisin LA         Capt A G Fox                                                   Killed in action


Our aeroplanes of the day

BE2a

Vickers FB5

Voisin