Robertson, William Anthony (Flying Officer)

Took off from Lissett at 21:56 in Halifax Mark III (Sqn code: NP-C Bomber Command).

Crashed Monastry Bokrijk

Evasion

Shot down by a night fighter (see below). The crew baled out and the aircraft crashed at the Monestry Bokrijk between the target and the town of Genk. Of the other members of the crew, two were taken Prisoner of War whilst the other five (including "˜Robbie' Robertson) evaded capture.

Robbie relates

" I had made a few operational flights, but on my twelfth operational flight, I was on a raid to Hasselt, Belgium and our mission was to disrupt the railway marshalling yards so later on, troops or material could not be moved to the front. We had just finished our bombing raid and were set to come home, when a fighter shot us down. Actually he set the starboard side of the fuselage on fire and also one of our starboard engines were on fire. At that point, our pilot decided it was a good time to leave the aircraft especially as shells were coming through it and the order was Jump, Jump, Jump, which means no questions asked, just bale out. So I baled out with the others and fortunately I landed in a field and I was trained that the best thing to do was go into hiding as soon as possible as the Nazis would only look for you for about 24 hours. So I found a spot and hid out there for about 18 hours, I think it was. By this time I was getting thirsty and I headed into nearby woods. I met two young lads, about eight or nine years old. I told them I was with the Royal Air Force. They scooted off and came back with an uncle of theirs who brought a farmers coverall to cover my uniform and took me off to the farm. A little while later, two gentlemen came in to interview me. I found out that they were actually from the Belgian underground. Their job was to decide whether or not I was a genuine allied airman or whether I was an infiltrator. The enemy would disguise one of their men as an allied airman so he would get mixed in with the Underground and then he would turn in each one as he was passed along in the Underground. So, in other words, if they decided I was an infiltrator, or the enemy in disguise, I would be shot at that point. I passed with flying colours apparently and they decided I was genuine, and the next thing I was given, was some wooden clogs, as flying boots would be a dead giveaway I was a pilot.

Flying Officer Robertson was officially reported "˜missing after air operations' in Casualty List 913 issued by the Canadian Governments Department of National Defense for Air on June 1944. This was amended in Casualty List 1006 of 5 October 1944 to "˜Previously Missing - Now Reported Safe'. Chuck Tolley, 158 Squadron Archivist