From Fire to Faith and Freedom

Back at the farmhouse Jimmy was told he was to be transported to Germany. The journey had its hardships but also its occasions where small acts of kindness

From Munich it was on to Frankfurt and an interrogation centre. Jimmy's stock answer to the questioning was to explain he was 'only a sergeant. I don't know what's going on'. It seemed to work. Then it was back to his cell where it was unbearably hot and then freezing cold. "I survived obviously but I was wearing tropical khaki. It was September/October time but then the Red Cross reclothed me and we were sent on to various this time bound for Stalag Luft 7 at Bankau in Poland where he was held until 19th January 1945. Yet despite the prospect of having to spend an indeterminate time in yet another PoW surprise. As he entered the camp he heard the totally unexpected greeting of 'Hello Jimmy. Welcome to Stalg Luft T He explained: "I was very surprised to hear my name and then very surprised to see who had said it. It was a pilot called camp his arrival did herald a pleasant Rhodesia. He told he how he happened to be a PoW. He had been flying Spitfires in Yugoslavia when he had lost his engine'.' camps." Jimmy found himself on another train Bill Cowan who I had trained with in

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were to be etched on his memory.

Jimmy explained: 'The lorry we were in was going through the streets of Verona when it made a stop at a fruit stall in a piazza. One of the guards got out and bought some fruit- not only for himself but also for me. Another very kind act." And the story has a remarkable sequel. happened to be in Verona when I realised I was standing in the same piazza. And in front of me was- a fruit stall. I asked how long the fruit stall had been there and was told it had been in the same spot He explained: "Sixty years later I

'Forever'. Remarkable'.'

The next stage of his journey into captivity saw Jimmy on a train bound for Munich where prisoners faced a hostile reception. The city had been heavily bombed and the population was very

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much anti-RAF. Jimmy remembered:

"They were very aggressive and one poor chap was nearly thrown under a train.

They called us terrorfliegers (terror

fliers/airmen):'

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