Trained at 1 ITS (graduated 15 November 1940), 11 EFTS (graduated 5 January 1941) and 9 SFTS (graduated 26 April 1941). Missing, POW, 7 November 1941 (Spitfire W3367). Died as a POW, 25 March 1944 (shot following the Great Escape)
72 Squadron (Swift). Spitfire aircraft W 3367 was shot down on November 7, 1941 over enemy territory. Flight Lieutenant Birkland was taken Prisoner of War and was one of six Canadians who were shot by the Gestapo while they were trying to escape.
Addendum: - Mention in Despatches 72 Squadron (deceased) - Award effective 8 June 1944 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 1729/44 dated 11 August 1944. No citation in AFRO Detail provided by H. Halliday, Orleans, Ontario
Source: Harold A Skaarup Web Page (DND Photo) Supermarine Spitfire Mk. VI, RCAF (Serial No. X4492), in flight, 26 Feb 1944.
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, using several wing configurations, and it was produced in greater numbers than any other British aircraft. It was also the only British fighter produced continuously throughout the war. The Spitfire continues to be popular among enthusiasts; around 70 remain airworthy, and many more are static exhibits in aviation museums throughout the world.
The Spitfire was designed as a short-range, high-performance interceptor aircraft by R. J. Mitchell, chief designer at Supermarine Aviation Works, which operated as a subsidiary of Vickers-Armstrong from 1928. Mitchell pushed the Spitfire's distinctive elliptical wing with cutting-edge sunken rivets (designed by Beverley Shenstone) to have the thinnest possible cross-section, helping give the aircraft a higher top speed than several contemporary fighters, including the Hawker Hurricane.
The Spitfire had detachable wing tips which were secured by two mounting points at the end of each main wing assembly. When the Spitfire took on a role as a high-altitude fighter (Marks VI and VII and some early Mk VIIIs), the standard wing tips were replaced by extended, "pointed" tips which increased the wingspan from 36 ft 10 in (11.23 m) to 40 ft 2 in (12.24 m). The other wing-tip variation, used by several Spitfire variants, was the "clipped" wing; the standard wing tips were replaced by wooden fairings which reduced the span by 3 ft 6 in (1.07 m). The wing tips used spruce formers for most of the internal structure with a light alloy skin attached using brass screws.
Due to a shortage of Brownings, which had been selected as the new standard rifle calibre machine gun for the RAF in 1934, early Spitfires were fitted with only four guns, with the other four fitted later. Early tests showed that, while the guns worked perfectly on the ground and at low altitudes, they tended to freeze at high altitude, especially the outer wing guns, because the RAF's Brownings had been modified to fire from an open bolt. While this prevented overheating of the cordite used in British ammunition, it allowed cold air to flow through the barrel unhindered. Supermarine did not fix the problem until October 1938, when they added hot air ducts from the rear of the wing-mounted radiators to the guns, and bulkheads around the gunbays to trap the hot air in the wing. Red fabric patches were doped over the gun ports to protect the guns from cold, dirt, and moisture until they were fired.
The first Rolls-Royce Griffon-engined Mk XII flew in August 1942, and first flew operationally with 41 Squadron in April 1943. This mark could nudge 400 mph (640 km/h) in level flight and climb to an altitude of 33,000 ft (10,000 m) in under nine minutes. As American fighters took over the long-range escorting of USAAF daylight bombing raids, the Griffon-engined Spitfires progressively took up the tactical air superiority role, and played a major role in intercepting V-1 flying bombs, while the Merlin-engined variants (mainly the Mk IX and the Packard-engined Mk XVI) were adapted to the fighter-bomber role. Although the later Griffon-engined marks lost some of the favourable handling characteristics of their Merlin-powered predecessors, they could still outmanoeuvre their main German foes and other, later American and British-designed fighters.Wikipedia
The Movie by the same name implies that The Great Escape was an American operation. It was not.It was primarily a British Commonwealth Operation and Canadian airmen had a very prominent role. In fact six Canadian airmen who were captured after escape were executed by German forces.
Seventy-six Allied Officers escape from Prisoner of War Camp Stalag Luft 3. 50 were subsequently murdered in retaliation for their escape attempt on the order of Adolph Hitler. 15 were recaptured, and 11 escaped.
6 - RCAF
Flight Lieutenant GE McGill
Flight Lieutenant H Birkland MiD
Flight Lieutenant GA Kidder
Flight Lieutenant PW Langford MiD
Flight Lieutenant JC Wernham MiD
Flight Lieutenant GW Wiley
4 - RAAF
Squadron Leader J Catanach
Flight Lieutenant AH Hake
Flying Officer RV Kierath
Squadron Leader JEA Williams
2 - RNZAF
Flying Officer A Christensen
Flying Officer PPJ Pohe
2 - SAAF
Flight Lieutenant N McGarr
Lt RJ Stevens
2 - Norway (RAF)
Flying Officer H Espelid
Flying Officer J Fugelsang
1 - France (RAF)
Lt BW Scheidhower
1 - Greece (RAF)
Flying Officer S Skanziklas
32 - RAF
Flight Lieutenant E Brettell DFC
Flight Lieutenant LG Butt DFC
Squadron Leader RJ Bushell
Flight Lieutenant MJ Casey
Flying Officer D.H. Cochram
Squadron Leader IK Cross DFC
Flight Lieutenant BH Evans
Lt Gouws
F/Ls WJ Grisman
Flight Lieutenant AD Gunn
Flight Lieutenant CB Hall
Flight Lieutenant AH Hayter
Flight Lieutenant ES Humphreys
Flight Lieutenant A Kiewnarski
Squadron Leader TG Kirby-Green
Flying Officer W Kolanowski
Flight Lieutenant TB Leigh
Flight Lieutenant R Marcinkcus
Flight Lieutenant HT Milford
Flying Officer J Mondschein
Flying Officer K Pawluk
Flight Lieutenant HA Picard
Flight Lieutenant CD Swain
Flying Officer RC Stewart
Flying Officer JG Stower
Flying Officer DD Street
Flight Lieutenant E Valenta
Flight Lieutenant GW Walenn
Flight Lieutenant JF Williams
Flight Lieutenant JLR Long
Flying Officer S Krol
Flying Officer P Tobolski
The Great Escape
From which Prison Camp were the Canadian and British Airmen trying to escape and where was it located?
How deep was the escape tunnel?
How long was the tunnel?
How many men expected to escape?
How how many did escape?
How many were re-captured?
How long did it take to plan and execute the escape?
What special skills were required to facilitate the escape?
Was the Gestapo's treatment of the re-captured prisoners legal under the terms of the Geneva Convention?
Additional Projects
Compare and contrast the 1963 movie with the actual events
Compare the differences between Internment and Prisoner of War
Were there allied prison camps for Captured German and Japanese?