SOE - Operation Percy 3Took off from Tempsford at 22:42 in Halifax Mark V (Sqn code: MA-W Bomber Command) on an SOE operation Southern France.
Aircraft borrowed by 138 Squadron. Aircraft developed engine trouble and crew abandoned aircraft, which crashed Rochechonart, Haute-Vienne, France at 03:00.
Shortly after landing East of Rochechonart, Haute-Vienne, France, Flying Officer H D Medland contacted his Pilot, Flying Officer A S Coldridge, RCAF, who badly sprained his ankles on landing and was unable to walk. Medland insisted on carrying his pilot to a wood over a mile away. After ensuring that he was well concealed, Medland made his way to a small village, Les Brosses-haute-Vienne, where he spoke to a peasant, and then went back to bring his pilot to a house, where he was attended to by a Doctor in the Maquis. Medland remained with his pilot for three weeks until he was well enough to travel. F.F.I Officers hid them in the Forest of Rochechounart until 3 June 1944, when they started walking south, and then were taken to the Maquis Headquarters at Cussac. They operated with the Marquis for some time, blowing up trains, raiding warehouses, etc. Walking south again on 15 June 1944, but were arrested by the Guarde Republicaine patrols, though they were released shortly afterwards. They subsequently contacted the Resistance in Paris and on 18 July 1944, they were supplied with an agent, to take them South to Spain. On 8 August 1944 the group of evaders were arrested near Labuerda on the Iberian Peninsula by the Guardia Civil. After interrogation at Boltana they were released and reported to the British Consulate at Madrid. They were subsequently repatriated to the UK
Those who dared - A Comprehensive List of World War ll Allied Escapers
Search for France-Crashes 39-45