Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 15, 2024 10:54:41 GMT 12
I have seen it written that Gordon Woodroofe was the only New Zealand airman to have become a POW and then escaped and made a Home Run, all the way back to the safety of the UK.
However this is not true. New Zealander Donald Cameron also escaped from the Germans after being held as a POW, and he made it back to Britain. His story is just as incredible as Gordon's.
Here is the NZPA story of Don's escape that appeared in most NZ newspapers in November 1943:
THRILLING ESCAPE
NEW ZEALANDER IN ITALY.
PRISONER AMONG GERMANS.
MONTH’S WANDERING ENDS
(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.)
(Rec. 10.30 a.m.) LONDON. Nov. 12.
Naples had fallen. It was being evacuated by the Germans and the British were streaming into the city in jeeps.
A dishevelled, bearded, grubby man crept stealthily, uncertainly toward the main road. He saw a jeep approaching. His eyes glowed with excitement. Then he rushed forward, waving his arms and shouting. The driver of the jeep was a Royal Naval commando officer. He grinned at the waving figure, thinking He was merely another welcoming Italian.
Then the tramp-like figure shouted: “Wait a minute. I am Sub-Lieutenant Donald Cameron of the Fleet Air Arm.”
The commando officer beamed with delight, shook hands and said: “Hop in, old boy.” Then the jeep sped on toward Naples. That is how Donald Cameron, of Wellington, aged 21, ended a month’s wandering in Italy, after escaping from the Germans. He has now returned to England.
Cameron arrived off Salerno with Seafires covering the assault on September 9. It was about 10.30 a.m. and he was flying on his second patrol and could see the Isle of Capril 20 miles to the westward, bathed in glorious sunshine. There were no Messerschmitts about. The New Zealander was thoroughly happy flying his Seafire over the blue Mediterranean, but suddenly the engine spluttered. It was soon obvious he would have to make a forced landing. Cameron was then at 9000 feet. He dived toward the Italian, shore with the intention of landing on a beach.
Set to Dig a Trench.
German gunners thought he was about to attack and opened up a barrage which splotched dark patches around the approaching Seafire. Then they saw the Seafire’s flaps come down and watched the aircraft bellyland, sending up a cloud of sand. They hurried over and found the New Zealander covered by a heap of sand and unconscious. They dug him out and when he came to took him behind their lines. Shells from British warships and troops at the other end of the beach were making life unhealthy.
Cameron was ordered to dig a slit trench. He did it rather glumly, still feeling weak from being knocked out and as he dug the trench he wondered idly if it would turn out to be his grave. Then he lay down in it. He lay there all day, listening to the British shells crumping all around the German positions.
Darkness came, but the shelling i kept. on. About midnight, exhausted from lack of food and weakness from the crash, he fell fitfully asleep. A German wakened him at 4 a.m. He stumbled from the trench and was pushed into an armoured car. They were evacuating the beaches and now Cameron found himself being chased by the British. He sat humped on the bottom of the car and could see nothing, but its sullen steel. He had to listen to the British guns firing to- ‘ ward it, the Germans replying fromj the car. For eight hours the car rumbled on until it arrived at the German headquarters.
Four hours later — 26 hours after his capture—Cameron had his first meal. Then, just before dark, he was ordered to get into the side-car of a motorcycle and was driven to a temporary prison camp at Avellino. Cameron introduced himself to several British and Americans.
Warned Against Attempting Escape.
They were told by a German noncommissioned officer that he had not sufficient guards and warned them if any man escaped two others would he shot. He meant it, as it turned out •next day when 60 Italian soldiers, including an officer arrived. The noncommissioned officer told them that as they had been lighting against Germany they would all he shot and they were.
Next day the prisoner severe herded into trucks, each under the charge of an English or American officer. They set off for Capua, where there is a prisoners’ camp, but they found that the Royal Air Force had thoroughly bombed it to pieces, so the trucks were ordered to return to Avellino. During the jolting journey Cameron discussed escape with an American intelligence officer whose parents were Italian, so he could speak the language.
They waited for a wide bend in the road and then jumped. They tore into the woods ran for 20 minutes and then dropped exhausted. They were not followed so they began walking. They found a farmhouse. The Italians welcomed them warmly and gave them civilian clothes and 100 lira each. They told them where they could pick up a train which was taking discharged Italian soldiers home, so the New Zealander and the American found that train. They “jumped it.”
Then began a seemingly endless journey. Cameron pretended to sleep whenever an official came near, and the American did the talking. Eventually the train made a long halt, and they decided to get off. They found a haystack in a vinefield and went asleep. They were awakened at midnight hv gunfire and lay under the hay, apprehensively thinking that the Germans might be searching for them, but the Germans were actually firing at Italians who had attempted to get food from the station stores.
At daylight they had breakfast off grapes and returned to the station, where they hoarded another train. This took them to Cassino, where there were so many Germans that they decided to part for a time. Then they walked for two days and nights through the German lines to Capua. They had several narrow escapes from British bombs but kept out of the way [of the Germans. They paid two lira 5 each to cross the Volturno, and took a train to a countryside station, paying four lira for their fare. They found that the Germans were demanding discharge papers from Italians, so the American and New Zealander decided to again part. Cameron never saw him again.
Cameron made for open country, taking Vesuvius as the objective He had now several days’ beard and looked thoroughly suspicious, but the Italians were kind to him and helped him all they could. He eventually arrived at the foot of Vesuvius, and found Italians gossiping around a well. Cameron could not decide what to do, but took a chance. He went up to them and declared he was English. They seemed delighted, and warned him that the Germans were everywhere, so they hid him in a house for 10 days. Then they introduced him to a party of Russians whom the Germans had brought to Italy to build roads. The Italians told them the British were advancing toward Naples, so the New Zealander and five Russians decided to cross Vesuvius. It was a terrifying journey. They climbed over craters in pitch darkness and pouring rain, but next morning, drenched to the skin, they arrived at Torrel del Greco. Cameron was so ill through fever that he lay in a vineyard all day. Then an Italian family tended, him for three days. They could hear the British shelling getting nearer.
Then a boy arrived with a. message from a friendly Italian. It was written on a dirty piece of paper. The note said:
“Mister Englist,—American stay in Torrel del Greco. If you want something come country house, together your friends, where, after having eaten, you gone meet troops. Sincerely—Antonio.”
In a short time they met Antonio. He was as good as his word anti gave them food. Eventually they found the jeep. Cameron had his first real bath and real meal in Castellamare. Now Cameron is in England none the worse for his experiences.
However this is not true. New Zealander Donald Cameron also escaped from the Germans after being held as a POW, and he made it back to Britain. His story is just as incredible as Gordon's.
Here is the NZPA story of Don's escape that appeared in most NZ newspapers in November 1943:
THRILLING ESCAPE
NEW ZEALANDER IN ITALY.
PRISONER AMONG GERMANS.
MONTH’S WANDERING ENDS
(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.)
(Rec. 10.30 a.m.) LONDON. Nov. 12.
Naples had fallen. It was being evacuated by the Germans and the British were streaming into the city in jeeps.
A dishevelled, bearded, grubby man crept stealthily, uncertainly toward the main road. He saw a jeep approaching. His eyes glowed with excitement. Then he rushed forward, waving his arms and shouting. The driver of the jeep was a Royal Naval commando officer. He grinned at the waving figure, thinking He was merely another welcoming Italian.
Then the tramp-like figure shouted: “Wait a minute. I am Sub-Lieutenant Donald Cameron of the Fleet Air Arm.”
The commando officer beamed with delight, shook hands and said: “Hop in, old boy.” Then the jeep sped on toward Naples. That is how Donald Cameron, of Wellington, aged 21, ended a month’s wandering in Italy, after escaping from the Germans. He has now returned to England.
Cameron arrived off Salerno with Seafires covering the assault on September 9. It was about 10.30 a.m. and he was flying on his second patrol and could see the Isle of Capril 20 miles to the westward, bathed in glorious sunshine. There were no Messerschmitts about. The New Zealander was thoroughly happy flying his Seafire over the blue Mediterranean, but suddenly the engine spluttered. It was soon obvious he would have to make a forced landing. Cameron was then at 9000 feet. He dived toward the Italian, shore with the intention of landing on a beach.
Set to Dig a Trench.
German gunners thought he was about to attack and opened up a barrage which splotched dark patches around the approaching Seafire. Then they saw the Seafire’s flaps come down and watched the aircraft bellyland, sending up a cloud of sand. They hurried over and found the New Zealander covered by a heap of sand and unconscious. They dug him out and when he came to took him behind their lines. Shells from British warships and troops at the other end of the beach were making life unhealthy.
Cameron was ordered to dig a slit trench. He did it rather glumly, still feeling weak from being knocked out and as he dug the trench he wondered idly if it would turn out to be his grave. Then he lay down in it. He lay there all day, listening to the British shells crumping all around the German positions.
Darkness came, but the shelling i kept. on. About midnight, exhausted from lack of food and weakness from the crash, he fell fitfully asleep. A German wakened him at 4 a.m. He stumbled from the trench and was pushed into an armoured car. They were evacuating the beaches and now Cameron found himself being chased by the British. He sat humped on the bottom of the car and could see nothing, but its sullen steel. He had to listen to the British guns firing to- ‘ ward it, the Germans replying fromj the car. For eight hours the car rumbled on until it arrived at the German headquarters.
Four hours later — 26 hours after his capture—Cameron had his first meal. Then, just before dark, he was ordered to get into the side-car of a motorcycle and was driven to a temporary prison camp at Avellino. Cameron introduced himself to several British and Americans.
Warned Against Attempting Escape.
They were told by a German noncommissioned officer that he had not sufficient guards and warned them if any man escaped two others would he shot. He meant it, as it turned out •next day when 60 Italian soldiers, including an officer arrived. The noncommissioned officer told them that as they had been lighting against Germany they would all he shot and they were.
Next day the prisoner severe herded into trucks, each under the charge of an English or American officer. They set off for Capua, where there is a prisoners’ camp, but they found that the Royal Air Force had thoroughly bombed it to pieces, so the trucks were ordered to return to Avellino. During the jolting journey Cameron discussed escape with an American intelligence officer whose parents were Italian, so he could speak the language.
They waited for a wide bend in the road and then jumped. They tore into the woods ran for 20 minutes and then dropped exhausted. They were not followed so they began walking. They found a farmhouse. The Italians welcomed them warmly and gave them civilian clothes and 100 lira each. They told them where they could pick up a train which was taking discharged Italian soldiers home, so the New Zealander and the American found that train. They “jumped it.”
Then began a seemingly endless journey. Cameron pretended to sleep whenever an official came near, and the American did the talking. Eventually the train made a long halt, and they decided to get off. They found a haystack in a vinefield and went asleep. They were awakened at midnight hv gunfire and lay under the hay, apprehensively thinking that the Germans might be searching for them, but the Germans were actually firing at Italians who had attempted to get food from the station stores.
At daylight they had breakfast off grapes and returned to the station, where they hoarded another train. This took them to Cassino, where there were so many Germans that they decided to part for a time. Then they walked for two days and nights through the German lines to Capua. They had several narrow escapes from British bombs but kept out of the way [of the Germans. They paid two lira 5 each to cross the Volturno, and took a train to a countryside station, paying four lira for their fare. They found that the Germans were demanding discharge papers from Italians, so the American and New Zealander decided to again part. Cameron never saw him again.
Cameron made for open country, taking Vesuvius as the objective He had now several days’ beard and looked thoroughly suspicious, but the Italians were kind to him and helped him all they could. He eventually arrived at the foot of Vesuvius, and found Italians gossiping around a well. Cameron could not decide what to do, but took a chance. He went up to them and declared he was English. They seemed delighted, and warned him that the Germans were everywhere, so they hid him in a house for 10 days. Then they introduced him to a party of Russians whom the Germans had brought to Italy to build roads. The Italians told them the British were advancing toward Naples, so the New Zealander and five Russians decided to cross Vesuvius. It was a terrifying journey. They climbed over craters in pitch darkness and pouring rain, but next morning, drenched to the skin, they arrived at Torrel del Greco. Cameron was so ill through fever that he lay in a vineyard all day. Then an Italian family tended, him for three days. They could hear the British shelling getting nearer.
Then a boy arrived with a. message from a friendly Italian. It was written on a dirty piece of paper. The note said:
“Mister Englist,—American stay in Torrel del Greco. If you want something come country house, together your friends, where, after having eaten, you gone meet troops. Sincerely—Antonio.”
In a short time they met Antonio. He was as good as his word anti gave them food. Eventually they found the jeep. Cameron had his first real bath and real meal in Castellamare. Now Cameron is in England none the worse for his experiences.
