Chappell, Clifford Daniel Robert
Prisoner of War 1942-07-29
Birth Date: unkown date
Born:
Home: Windsor, Ontario
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: Unknown
Service
RCAF
Unit
37 (B) Sqn- Squadron
Base
Rank
Flight Lieutenant
Position
Flying Officer
Service Numbers
J/4693
Home
Windsor, Ontario
Took off from Abu Sueir Egypt to bomb the shipping in the habour at Tobruk Libya.
The starboard engine seized over Tobruk so they reversed course and bombed the aerodrome as they left the city.
The port engine seized 48km from tobruk and the aircraft crashed.
The crew were relatively un-injured in the crash and decided to walk the 720km back to Abu Seiur.
The crew:Pilot Officer C E L Hare RCAFSergeant A E D Barra RAAFF/Lt C D R Chappell RCAFSergeant J ShirraRAAFSergeant A L Jones RAAFFlight Sergeant C R Warwick RAAF
They destroyed anything on the aircraft of a secret nature and damaged it sufficiently that it could not be flown, and started walking South-East.
After nine days they were near Buq Buq and tempers were beginning to fray. They decided to split up:The two Canadians intended heading towards the shore in search of a truck to steal. The four Australians intended to walk, seeking assistance from native arabs.
,P.The two Canadians were taken POW by Italian troops and shipped to Italy to a POW camp from which they escaped when Italy surrendered and returned to England.The Australians walked for 22 days and were near exhaustion when they met up with British troops West of Alexandria.
Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)