Sgt Scott, 97 RAF Sqdn, POW 13 Aug 1941

[martin2307]

Thanks for the add ! Although I m not a member of the RNZAF I feel conected in a special way. I am researching air war surounding my hometown Legden in Germany (at the edge to the german/dutch border). I came accross with the crash of Manchester OF-Z, 97Sqdn from Coningsby, England. This ship was on return from a mission to Berlin when it developed engine trouble. One of the vultures caught what the pilot F/O Little could extinguish. Unfortunately they went out of fuel by proceeding the flight on the remaining engine. So they were forced to abandon the a/c and baled out. All crew were save. The empty ship crashed at 1:45 a.m on August 13, 1941 2km southwest Legden. The rear gunner, Sgt Scott, fell into a high tree and received a broken leg. One of his fellows went to a nearby fatmhouse to take some help. The farmer and some airmen took Sgt Scott out of the treetop. The farmer had send one of his daughters to take the police. Just in time when Scott was taken down, the authoroties arrived on site. The injured Newzealandian was straped on a ladder to fix his broken leg. This ladder with Scott on was attached on the top of a Wehrmacht-car. He was moved to the hospital of the city of Stadtlohn, where he received initial care. Later he spend his POW-time at Stalag Luft 383 Hohenstein, Bavaria. From there he made the try to escape with another guy of his crew, wireless-operator Sgt Robinson who was from Nottingham. Unfortunately they were caught.

Does anybody have info on Sgt Scott or relatives? It would be fine.

Cheers

Martin

[errolmartyn]

Some notes compiled by the late Colin Hanson and me:

SCOTT, Warrant Officer Graham Leslie.
NZ401731. Born Dunedin, 30 Sep 1918. RNZAF 2 Jul 1940 to 23 Jun 1946. WOAG. Shot down on the night of 12-13 Aug 1941 with 97 Sqn RAF (Manchester) during a raid on Berlin. The aircraft was last heard on w/t at 0228 hrs saying the crew were about to bale out. The aircraft crashed nr Munster where W/O Scott was admitted to hospital with a broken leg. PoW #90063 - Dulag Luft; Stalags VIIA; Luft VII and 383. Safe UK 26 May 1945. Died Whangarei, 1986.

Errol

[Dave Homewood]

Welcome to the forum Martin. That's a very interesting story.