Crawford, John (Pilot Officer)

Prisoner of War 1944-July-08

Male Head

Birth Date: 1922-March-08

Born:

Parents:

Spouse:

Home: Tacoma, Washington, USA

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

RCAF

Unit

106 (B) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Pro Libertate For freedom

Base

RAF Metheringham

Rank

Pilot Officer

Position

Air Gunner (Mid-Upper)

Service Numbers

J/90567
Prev: R/221992
PoW: 8080

Pilot Officer John Crawford (RCAF)(USA) was one of 168 Allied Airmen deported to Buchenwald Concentration Camp in Germany along with crewmate Pilot Officer William Arthur Waldram (RCAF). The German Luftwaffe intervened on their behalf and had these prisoners moved to Luftwaffe controlled POW camps. Held at Stalag Luft 3, Pilot Officer Crawford was safe back in the United Kingdom,1945-05-14

168 Jump Into Hell, A True Story of Betrayed Allied Airmen by Arthur G Kinnis and Stanley Booker, pages 70-73

Footprints on the Sands of Time, RAF Bomber Command Prisoners of War in Germany 1939-45 by Oliver Clutton-Brock, page 273

Mission

Lancaster Mk.I ME789

Bombing Saint-Leu-de-Esserent 1944-July-07 to 1944-July-08

106 (B) Sqn (RAF) RAF Metheringham

106 Squadron (Pro Libertate) RAF Metheringham. Lancaster Mk I ME 789 ZN-B was lost during an attack on the V-1 flying-bomb storage site at Saint-Leu-d-Esserent, France. The Lancaster was shot down by flak and abandoned by the crew near Gournay-en-Bray, France

Flying Officer Gordon Stanley Mather (RCAF), Flying Officer John Sargent Kingston (RCAF) and Flight Sergeant William Stewart (RAFVR) all survived and were captured to become Prisoners of War

Pilot Officer John Crawford (RCAF)(USA), Sergeant William Arthur Waldram (RCAF) and Sergeant Leslie John Lucas (RAFVR) all evaded for a time but all were captured and all three were among 168 Allied Airmen deported to Buchenwald Concentration Camp in Germany. The three were eventually sent to Prisoner of War Camps after the German Luftwaffe intervened

Flying Officer Donald Angus Evans (RCAF) survived and avoided capture as an Evader

Unvetted Source Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database

Unvetted Source 07/08 07 1944 106 Squadron Lancaster I ME789 ZN-B Flying Officer Gordon S Mather

Unvetted Source Search for France-Crashes 39-45