terrierman Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 William Leonard Ball. After being a Prisoner of War for 5 yrs in Lamsdorf: Stalag VIIIB 344 Prisoner of War Camp 1940 - 1945 and surviving The Long March from Stalag VIII-B (not far from Auschwitz) in Poland which led through Czechoslovakia, towards Nuremberg and then through Germany in the winter of 1945,The march Took 3 months in temp of -25 c. He was then Sadly Killed when the plane He and other prisoners where flying Home in crashed into a field after take off North of Paris. In January 1945, as the Soviet armies resumed their offensive and advanced into Germany, many of the prisoners were marched westward in groups of 200 to 300 in the so-called Long March or Death March. Many of them died from the bitter cold and exhaustion. The lucky ones got far enough to the west to be liberated by the American army. The unlucky ones got "liberated" by the Soviets, who instead of turning them over quickly to the western allies, held them as virtual hostages for several more months. Many of them were finally repatriated towards the end of 1945 though the port of Odessa on the Black Sea. The Long March was during the final months of the Second World War in Europe. About 30,000 Allied PoWs were force-marched westward across Poland and Germany in appalling winter conditions, lasting about four months from January to April 1945. It has been called various names: "The Great March West", "The Long March", "The Long Walk", "The Long Trek", "The Black March", "The Bread March", but most survivors just called it "The March". It has also been called "The Lamsdorf Death March". As the Soviet army was advancing on Poland, the Nazis made the decision to evacuate the PoW camps to prevent the liberation of the prisoners by the Russians. During this period, also hundreds of thousands of German civilians, most of them women and children, as well as civilians of other nationalities, were making their way westward in the snow and freezing weather and many died. January and February 1945 were among the coldest winter months of the twentieth century, with blizzards and temperatures as low as –25 °C (–13 °F), even until the middle of March temperatures were well below 0 °F (–18 °C). Most of the PoWs were ill-prepared for the evacuation, having suffered years of poor rations and wearing clothing ill-suited to the appalling winter conditions. 09May 1945 RF230 Lancaster III RF230 No.514 Squadron 2 miles east-south-east Roye-Amy The aircraft was returning to UK with 24 released prisoners of war as part of Operation EXODUS, a task placed on Bomber Command using the heavy bomber force to repatriate prisoners, some of whom had been incarcerated for over 5 years, to UK as quickly as possible. The aircraft crew sent a brief message saying that they were making a forced landing but when the pilot applied full flap, the aircraft went out of control, entering a spin from which it did not recover and it crashed and was destroyed by fire. It appears that several of the passengers moved from their allotted places in the aircraft, causing centre of gravity problems and the pilot had already used 8 divisions of elevator trim to keep the aircraft in balance. However, the application of full flap caused loss of control. Flight Lieutenant Beaton was a relatively junior officer to be the holder of the DSO. He was awarded this for his gallantry and determination when his aircraft was badly damaged raiding Le Havre in daylight and he sustained a broken leg and other serious injuries. Nonetheless, he refused to relinquish command of the aircraft and flew it back to UK and made a safe landing. The citation for the award is reproduced below, since it represents an exceptional performance by a young officer. It seems particularly tragic that Beaton should lose his life flying an errand of mercy after hostilities in Europe had been concluded. - Flight Lieutenant Donald BEATON 22 DSO CWGC :: Casualty Details Flight Sergeant Alfred MCMURRUGH 23 Flight Engineer CWGC :: Casualty Details Flying Officer Ray Bertram HILCHEY 22 Navigator RCAF CWGC :: Casualty Details Flight Sergeant John Goodworth BRITTAIN 20 Wireless Operator/Air Gunner CWGC :: Casualty Details Pilot Officer Robert MacPherson TOMS 20 Air Gunner RCAF CWGC :: Casualty Details Pilot Officer Orval Clare EVERS 19 Air Gunner RCAF CWGC :: Casualty Details Former POWs Captain Robert Worsley WHEELER 26 Royal Engineers CWGC :: Casualty Details Lieutenant Patrick Archibald Tomlin W B CAMPBELL 36 6th Battalion The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment CWGC :: Casualty Details Lieutenant Eric Thomas Theodore SNOWDEN 27 Royal Artillery CWGC :: Casualty Details Sergeant Ronald Arthur ADAMS 26 7th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment CWGC :: Casualty Details Corporal Emanuel L BELSHAW 40 2/6th Battalion East Surrey Regiment CWGC :: Casualty Details Corporal Albert George THOMPSON 25 7th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment CWGC :: Casualty Details Lance Corporal George William FRANKS 32 2nd Battalion The King's Royal Rifle Corps CWGC :: Casualty Details Fusilier Harold CUMMINGS 22 2nd Battalion The Lancashire Fusiliers CWGC :: Casualty Details Fusilier Owen PARKIN 25 1/8th Battalion The Lancashire Fusiliers CWGC :: Casualty Details Guardsman James Arthur ROE 25 lsl Battalion The Irish Guards CWGC :: Casualty Details Gunner Alfred James Spencer CROWE Royal Artillery CWGC :: Casualty Details Gunner A N LABOTSKE 4th Field Regiment South African Artillery CWGC :: Casualty Details Pioneer W L LINDHEIMER Polish Army CWGC :: Casualty Details Pioneer Mordhai MASCHIT Polish Army CWGC :: Casualty Details Private Thomas ANDERSON 22 2nd Battalion The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders CWGC :: Casualty Details Private William Leonard BALL 311st Battalion The Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) CWGC :: Casualty Details Private Samuel James BAYSTON 29 4th Battalion The Green Howards CWGC :: Casualty Details Private Roland Albert BETTON 26 lsl Battalion The King's Own Shropshire Light Infantry CWGC :: Casualty Details Private Ronald Ernest CLARK 29 2nd Battalion The Royal Scots CWGC :: Casualty Details Private Walter CROSTON 32 Pioneer Corps CWGC :: Casualty Details Private Richard DANSON 32 l/6'h Battalion East Surrey Regiment CWGC :: Casualty Details Private Ralph TURNBULL 28 1st Battalion The Durham Light Infantry CWGC :: Casualty Details Private Patrick YATES 23 2/5th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment CWGC :: Casualty Details Rifleman Thomas James EDWARDS 32 1st Battalion The Rifle Brigade CWGC :: Casualty Details Citation Acting Flying Officer Donald BEATON 179980 RAFVR 514 Squadron As pilot and captain, Flying Officer Beaton has completed many operational sorties against a variety of targets in Germany and occupied territory. In September 1944, he took part in a daylight attack on Le Havre. Whilst over the target the aircraft sustained severe damage when struck by anti-aircraft fire and went temporarily out of control. Flying Officer Beaton was badly wounded, suffering a broken leg and multiple wounds caused by flying fragments of shell. Although in great pain he regained control and set course for home. Making light of his injuries he refused to leave the controls and flew back to an airfield near the coast where he landed his damaged aircraft safely. This officer displayed outstanding courage and fortitude. Though severely wounded he never wavered in his determination to bring his aircraft and its crew home. His example was most inspiring. William Ball is my Uncle, Does anyone have anymore information on William or the other people who were sadly killed Regards John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatchFuzee Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 The RAF Ex-POW Association might be able to help you. http://www.rafinfo.org.uk/rafexpow/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrierman Posted December 12, 2014 Author Share Posted December 12, 2014 Private 804169 1st Battalion, QUEENS ROYAL REGIMENT. attd. Pioneer Corps. P.O.W. 1940-45. Died Wednesday 9th May 1945, aged 31 years, in a aircrash... The aircraft that Bill was killed in was a Lancaster Bomber 111, serial number RF230-JI-B, which was one of ten bombers from 514 Squadon and was detailed to take part in Operation " Exodus ", the evacuation of ex-prisoners of war.... In addition to the crew of the bomber there were 24 army P.O.W.'s of which Bill was one, ranging from Private to Captain in various regiments, as well as a Lieutenant in the U.S.A.A.F. who was not in the manifest....TheLancaster took off at 7.26 a.m. on the 9th May 1945 for the continent from Waterbeach, England and commenced the return flight from Juvincourt in France at 12. 15 hrs. A message giving their time of arrival was received at his base at 12.19 by the pilot, shortly after, the pilot reported that he was experiencing trouble with the controls and was putting back to Juvincourt. But a further message sent by the aircraft at 12. 25 stated that it was going to making a forced landing... Flares were then fired off from the airfield on route indicating permission to land, to which no acknowledgment was received. At 12.30 hours this aircraft was seen by a number of witnesses on the ground to approach Roye-Amy airfield from the west at a height of 10,000 feet. After circling the airfield twice the aircraft was seen to go into a steep bank to port, before going into a flat spin and crashing to the ground into a wooded area, 2 miles east-south-east of Roye-Amy. where it was destroyed by fire On investtigation into the crash, it was not possible to account for the necessity for a forced land, as the aircraft seemed to be fully serviceable or to establish definitely the cause of the crash. It was noted, that after the aircraft crew sent a brief message saying that they were going to make a forced landing, the pilot applied full flap, to which the aircraft then went out of control, entering the spin from which it did not recover. It appears that several of the passengers had moved from their allotted places in the aircraft, causing centre of gravity problems, their positions to the rear of the fuselage would have indicated that the aircraft have been tail heavy, resulting in the pilot finding the aircraft to be dangerously heavy, believing that there was something seriously wrong with the aircraft. The pilot had already used 8 divisions of elevator trim to keep the aircraft in balance. However, the application of full flap caused loss of control to which the aircraft lost control. Bill and all the passengers and crew lost their lives and were buried at Clichy Northern Cemetery, which is on the northern boundary of Paris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrierman Posted March 16, 2015 Author Share Posted March 16, 2015 Does anyone know anything more about this, or Know people who were in the crash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smithy Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 Have you tried WW2 Talk? http://ww2talk.com/forums/forum/4-main-ww2-talk-forum/ They are pretty good at giving answers on this kind of stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrierman Posted March 19, 2015 Author Share Posted March 19, 2015 Have you tried WW2 Talk? http://ww2talk.com/forums/forum/4-main-ww2-talk-forum/ They are pretty good at giving answers on this kind of stuff. Thanks Smithy Il take a look Regards John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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