FO John C Wilson describes being forced down in a Hawker Hurricane and captured on March 17th 1941

This German footage focuses on the wreck of Hawker Hurricane Mk I V7345 and pilot John Carson Wilson, who as Flying Officer with No. 6 Squadron RAF was forced down in the aircraft near Agheila on March 19th 1941 after being hit by 88mm Flak. It is played on a one-minute loop as a backdrop to an excerpt from an interview with Wilson recorded on May 1st 1995, wherein he describes the loss of the aircraft and his capture.

In December, 1941, he escaped from Stalag Luft I disguised as a French worker, and walked west. He reached Warnemunde by train 24 hours later where he managed to board a train ferry unseen and crossed into Denmark. As he was trying to force his way into a train he was seen by Danish police and handed over to the Germans.

When prisoners of war were being transferred from Stalag Luft I to Sagan in April, 1942, Flight Lieutenant Wilson arranged to be hidden in a crate and put in with the luggage. Unfortunately the door of the van was padlocked and by the time he had wrenched it open the train had reached Bernau where he jumped off and walked towards Stettin, which he eventually reached by jumping a train. Flight Lieutenant Wilson then spent two days looking in vain for a Swedish boat and then decided to make for Rostock. Unfortunately, he boarded the wrong train arriving at Kustrin, where hunger and fatigue forced him to give himself up.

0:00 Hawker Hurricane Mk I V7345 on fire having been set alight by Wilson in order to prevent the aircraft being captured intact after he made a wheels-down landing.

Of note is the Vokes filter fitted to the chin of the aircraft as well as the black/white painted underside that was meant to aid identification by friendly forces on the ground.

0:15 The RAF roundel on the underside of the port wing is hacked off as a souvenir, as a feeble attempt is made to extinguish the fire.

0:21 Wilson is sat down and interviewed by his captors, likely not the incident he describes in the interview as the officials he mentions are not apparent.

0:36 Also featured in the footage is Vickers Wellington Ic W5630 that had been shot down the previous day on March 18th 1941. The 3 Group Training Flight Stradishall aircraft was on a delivery flight to Benina when the crew got lost and strayed over enemy territory and like Wilson were forced down by gunfire claimed by I./Flak-Regiment 33. They also set fire to their aircraft to prevent it being captured intact.

Sergeant A G D Mackay, Sergeant A L Millington, Sergeant A R Butler, Sergeant J House, Sergeant W Ainsbury and Sergeant W S H Bevan crewing the Wellington all survived the incident to be taken prisoner, and can be seen being interrogated.

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