Battle of Britain, 1940, Franz von Werra - 01/28/23
Woke up early this morning, and tripped across this video on youtube of the story of Franz von Werra.
Was shot down over SE England in his ME 109, captured and then put in a few POW camps, and had multiple escape attempts, that all failed.
Finally he was shipped to Canada for internment. He escaped by jumping off a Train in Ontario, near Lake Superior and crossed the border into the
USA before it was involved in the war..
He later crossed into Mexico and made his way down to South America, where he boarded a ship bound for Europe, from Rio de Janiero and returned to Germany. He was the ONLY pilot shot down over Britain who managed to finally escape and return to Germany in 1941, after 7 months in captivity.
That earned him a second Iron Cross and was made a National Hero in Germany. His second Iron Cross was awarded personally by Hitler.
Interesting video, that is about 30 minutes long for people who have an interest in WW 2, especially the Battle of Britain...which I love to read about every since I was 12 years old and lived over there at the time...my dad being in the USAF, and Stationed at RAF Alconbury, 75 miles north of London.
Alconbury on a side note, was the base that Glenn Miller left from to fly to France in August 1944, and was never heard from again as the plane went down over the English Channel.
Anyway, her is the 30 minute video of the escape of Franz von Werra, from Canada back to Germany in 1941... Enjoy!
Was shot down over SE England in his ME 109, captured and then put in a few POW camps, and had multiple escape attempts, that all failed.
Finally he was shipped to Canada for internment. He escaped by jumping off a Train in Ontario, near Lake Superior and crossed the border into the
USA before it was involved in the war..
He later crossed into Mexico and made his way down to South America, where he boarded a ship bound for Europe, from Rio de Janiero and returned to Germany. He was the ONLY pilot shot down over Britain who managed to finally escape and return to Germany in 1941, after 7 months in captivity.
That earned him a second Iron Cross and was made a National Hero in Germany. His second Iron Cross was awarded personally by Hitler.
Interesting video, that is about 30 minutes long for people who have an interest in WW 2, especially the Battle of Britain...which I love to read about every since I was 12 years old and lived over there at the time...my dad being in the USAF, and Stationed at RAF Alconbury, 75 miles north of London.
Alconbury on a side note, was the base that Glenn Miller left from to fly to France in August 1944, and was never heard from again as the plane went down over the English Channel.
Anyway, her is the 30 minute video of the escape of Franz von Werra, from Canada back to Germany in 1941... Enjoy!