Capture
It appears that Bill’s crew were separated after the crash, which claimed the life of the Rear Gunner, Sergeant Jim Morton, who had stepped in as a replacement for “T” for Tommy’s usual Rear Gunner, who was sick that night.
Bill Smith was captured the following day by the German Military Police, and met up with most of his fellow surviving crew members in a prison cell:
Found. Military Police Stn. Searched, all stuff taken. In cell. Met crew except Snip. Ron in daze, Jim hurt. Nothing to eat. Taken to Hanover… given soup [for] tea, black bread. Tried to sleep on floor. (Bill Smith, diary, 30 Dec 1943 1999/195.14aj)
It was standard procedure for all Allied airmen who had been captured as prisoners of war to be sent to the Dulag Luft at Frankfurt for interrogation by the Luftwaffe (German Air Force). Bill was interrogated on 2 January, but stood his ground and gave nothing away but his basic details.
Click to view Bill Smith’s interrogation form and prisoner of war identity card.
After several days, he was sent to Stalag IVB, the prisoner of war camp where he would remain for the rest of the war.
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