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Supermarine Spitfire Mk.lbs: P8255
Code: QV - F
Spitfire: Squadron 19 No 12 Group.
Shot down: 29th August 1941, Shot down at Bulskamp, Belgium, aerial combat
POW No: 39371
On the 28th August 1941 Clifford Davies, Squadron 19 No 12 Group mounted a fighter sweep escorting Blenheim bombers on a mission to Rotterdam in the Netherlands to bomb the harbour, was led by Walter John Lawson. They were unfortunately were surprised by Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters of Jagdgeschwader 53 (Fighter Wing 53) and during the resulting engagement, Lawson was shot down off the Dutch coast.
On the 29th August 1941, Lawson’s squadron 19 mounted an aerial search, (which Dad relayed to me), for him but no trace was found of him and he was presumed to have been killed.
(Refer to: Combat report, Air27-253 Operations Record Book of 19 Squadron – Records the whole mission on 29th August 1941, Page 1 – 6)
It was during this aerial search that my dad was shot down in the town of Inkem, Veurne, a few kilometres east of Bulskamp, Belgium.
“On 28th August 1941 some Spitfires depart from the RAF base, escorting Blenheim bombers to Rotterdam. Over the North Sea, however, they were attacked by German Messerschmids 109 of the 6/KG53. The commander of 19 Squadron, Squadron leader Walter Lawson DFC was shot down over the North Sea.
The next day, 29th August 1941, 12 Spitfires took off from the base of the 19 Squadron. One plan returns to base due to technical problems. They went over the North Sea, on the Dutch coast, in search of their superior S/L/ Walter Lawson. What they didn’t see was that when they flew over the sea, suddenly 10 Messerschmids 110 of the II/ZG76 flew above them, moments later, hellish fight ensured. Several aircraft of 19 Squadron were shot down and 3 pilots lost their lives:
P.D.G Stuart (P8243), P.H. Edmonds (P8668) and G.J. Parkins (P8243), and a 4th aircraft was also shot down, which was:
It is the Spitfire IIa of 19 Squadron with the fuselage code QV F and the serial number P8255 that made an emergency landing at Bulskamp near Veurne.
The pilot was Sergeant Clifford Davies with Service No 1106853.
He was wounded during his landing and was immediately taken prisoner.
My Dad’s LIBERATION QUESTIONAIR 23rd April 1945: POW No: 393711
1. 29th August 1941 Shot down near Bulskamp, Veurne, Belgium.
2. 29.08.41 – 20.10.41 Hospitalised St Idesbald Hospital, Belgium.
3. 20.10.41 – 28.10.41 Hospitalised St Omar, Rue St Bertin, France.
(Travelled through Belgium and Cologne Germany)
4. 22.10.41 – 11.41 Hospitalised Dulug Luft Hohemark /Obersursel, Frankfurt, Germany
5. 11.41 – 15.5.42 Hospitalised Stalag 1X-C / 9C, Obermassfeld or Bad Sulza, Obermaßfeld, south-west of Erfurt, Germany. Hospital Reserve-Lazaret 1XC (a) or a smaller hospital in Meiningen 1XC (b)?
(Dad had an unsuccessful escape attempt – details unknown)
6. 15.05.42 – 28.06.43 Stalag Luft III / 8C – Sagan
(I remember dad telling me he had assisted with forgery documents for The Wooden Horse)
(Transit through Stalag XX1-D / 21D, Posen /Poznan, Poland, through Eastern Prussia)
7. 30.06.43 – 07.44 Stalag Luft VI – Haydekrug (Litouwen), Lithuania
8. 07.44 – 08.44 Stalag Luft 357 / Stalag XX-A / 20A, Stalag ‘Kopernikus’, Thorn,
Now named Torun, Poland.
(Route taken: Stettin, Eastern Prussia, a Dulag Transit camp, Now named Szczecin, Poland, and through Hanover, 33 miles South of Fallingbostal, in Germany)
9. 08.44 – 04.45 Stalag Luft 357 / Stalag X1-B / 21B, Fallingbostal, Bremen,
Germany (Stalag 357 was relocated near to the existing Stalag
X1B Camp on the Northern side of the village of Oerbke)
Towards the end of the war, 1945 and the liberation, dad relayed: (They were marching from one of the camps in heavy snow, and some of them “just walked out of the line of prisoners”, into the forest. As they had no idea of direction they did not realise that they were actually walking in a circle, until they returned to a house, outside of which were men trying to slaughter a pig with a piece of glass”.) Then at some point they came across American Tankers and were rescued by the Americans.
LIBERATED - 23rd April 45
I have been doing some research on my father and there appears to be very little info out there, and some enquiries regarding him. I have included the above that I have managed to source.
Warm regards
Julie Waterston - nee Davies
