Millard, R S

Evader 1944-03-16

Male Head

Birth Date: unkown date

Born:

Home:

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: Unknown

Service

RCAF

Unit

15 (B) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Aim Sure

Base

Rank

Warrant Officer 2nd Class

Position

Warrant Officer 2nd Class

Service Numbers

R/129923

Took off from Mildenhall at 19:15 in Lancaster Mark I (Sqn code: LS-A Bomber Command).

Crashed at Golaten, Switerzland

General RAF Command Forum

General Mildenhall Register

From the notes of Hugh Halliday:

I have looked in the file of Millard (who apparently parachuted over Swiss territory and was hospitalized and interned at Neuchatel). The file deals mainly with his training and medical treatment. Statements do not agree as to whether the aircraft was shot down by flak or fighters - and the location of Neuchatel makes me suspect that it could have been as easily have been shot down by Swiss forces as German ones. I also suspect that all the crew were interned, given that none appear in CWGC lists or the POW list associated with this Forum. There is a statement in Millard's file that he "escaped" from the hospital on or about 23 December 1944, which I find odd. Would it not be more likely that the Swiss merely released him and reported an "escape" only to protect their claims to neutrality ?

Avro Lancaster

Avro Lancaster Mk. X RCAF Serial FM 213
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The Avro Lancaster is a British Second World War heavy bomber. It was designed and manufactured by Avro as a contemporary of the Handley Page Halifax, both bombers having been developed to the same specification, as well as the Short Stirling, all three aircraft being four-engined heavy bombers adopted by the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the same wartime era.

The Lancaster has its origins in the twin-engine Avro Manchester which had been developed during the late 1930s in response to the Air Ministry Specification P.13/36 for a capable medium bomber for "world-wide use". Originally developed as an evolution of the Manchester (which had proved troublesome in service and was retired in 1942), the Lancaster was designed by Roy Chadwick and powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlins and in one version, Bristol Hercules engines. It first saw service with RAF Bomber Command in 1942 and as the strategic bombing offensive over Europe gathered momentum, it was the main aircraft for the night-time bombing campaigns that followed. As increasing numbers of the type were produced, it became the principal heavy bomber used by the RAF, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and squadrons from other Commonwealth and European countries serving within the RAF, overshadowing the Halifax and Stirling. Wikipedia

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