Operation Exodus - April 1945
Repatriation of liberated POWs from Belgium
After much of Europe had been liberated by allied forces and the Germans in headlong retreat there was an urgent need to bring ex-POWs home to Britain as quickly as possible. The operation started when orders were received at RAF Oakley, Buckinghamshire on 2 April 1945 that 300 repatriated prisoners of war were arriving by air at 1100. All arrangements were made for their reception and the provision of refreshments laid on in the Social Club. The arrival was postponed to the following day.
Seven Dakotas landed with repatriated POWs on 3 April and more throughout the month until by the end of April 72 Dakotas had brought 1,787 POWs. Operation Exodus was in full swing and May 1945 was even busier with 443 Avro Lancasters, 103 Dakotas, 51 Handley Page Halifaxes, 31 Consolidated Liberators, 3 Short Stirlings, 3 Lockheed Hudsons, and 2 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses bringing home 15,088 liberated POWs.
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1 Gp Record
Operations were laid on on the 27th April 1945 to assist in the evacuation of former Allied POWs from the Continent. 46 1 Gp aircraft took part with the intention of landing at Brussels but unfortunately the weather in that area was very bad and only 22 aircraft completed their mission successfully. Two aircraft were abortive and 22 were recalled after take off. A total of 503 prisoners were returned to the UK.
103 Squadron detailed 12 aircraft for this task with a further 6 later. See below.
A similar operation was laid on with 76 Lancasters from 1 Group being detailed. All took off but again due to bad weather at Brussels 33 were recalled. 3 aircraft were abortive. The remaining 40 aircraft were successful in bringing back 901 former POWs.
100 Squadron, 103 Squadron. 166 Squadron. 101 Squadron, 12 Squadron 626 Squadron and 300 P Squadron all participated. For some reason 576 Squadron did not. The 103 Squadron operations are all shown on the 28th April 1945.
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28-Apr-45 - Brussels - Operation Exodus - Lancaster – PA319 – F/O JA Laviolette RCAF - Recalled to base because of bad weather at Brussels.
28-Apr-45 - Brussels - Operation Exodus - Lancaster - RF229 – F/L WW Anderson RAAF - Evacuated British prisoners and landed at Dunsfold
28-Apr-45 - Brussels - Operation Exodus - Lancaster - RA579 – F/O AD Ross RCAF - Evacuated British prisoners and landed at Dunsfold
28-Apr-45 - Brussels - Operation Exodus - Lancaster - ME698 – F/L DA Newman RCAF - Recalled to base because of bad weather at Brussels.
28-Apr-45 - Brussels - Operation Exodus - Lancaster - PD198 – F/L GC Nicol RCAF - Recalled to base because of bad weather at Brussels.
28-Apr-45 - Brussels - Operation Exodus - Lancaster - RA566 – F/O CH Jones - Recalled to base because of bad weather at Brussels.
28-Apr-45 - Brussels - Operation Exodus - Lancaster - LM132 – S/L KR Butler - Recalled to base because of bad weather at Brussels.
28-Apr-45 - Brussels - Operation Exodus - Lancaster - RA528 – F/O BF Wright RCAF - Recalled to base because of bad weather at Brussels.
28-Apr-45 - Brussels - Operation Exodus - Lancaster - LM727 – P/O RH Hatchard - Recalled to base because of bad weather at Brussels.
28-Apr-45 - Brussels - Operation Exodus - Lancaster - ME475 – P/O G Taylor - Evacuated British prisoners and landed at Dunsfold
28-Apr-45 - Brussels - Operation Exodus - Lancaster - NG173 – F/O CNM Thomson - Recalled to base because of bad weather at Brussels.
28-Apr-45 - Brussels - Operation Exodus - Lancaster - RF193 – F/L HL Ridd - Recalled to base because of bad weather at Brussels.
28-Apr-45 - Brussels - Operation Exodus - Lancaster - PA278 – S/L ER Riches - Unable to return with any POWs back because weather was by then very bad.
28-Apr-45 - Brussels - Operation Exodus - Lancaster - ME847 – F/O WH Morgan - Evacuated British prisoners. Shot up over Dunkirk and burst tyre on landing.
28-Apr-45 - Brussels - Operation Exodus - Lancaster - ME551 – F/O KJ MacKenzie RCAF - Recalled to base because of bad weather at Brussels.
28-Apr-45 - Brussels - Operation Exodus - Lancaster - LM132 – F/O JM Bowden RCAF - Recalled to base because of bad weather at Brussels.
28-Apr-45 - Brussels - Operation Exodus - Lancaster - PA303 – P/O SB McKenzie RNZAF - Recalled to base because of bad weather at Brussels.
28-Apr-45 - Brussels - Operation Exodus - Lancaster - RF186 – P/O AF Fish - Recalled to base because of bad weather at Brussels.
S/L Riches
F/O W H Morgan with aircrew and ground crew. This crew managed to land at Brussels and returned with a load of POWs. They were shot up over Dunkirk and burst a tyre on landing
Compiled by David Fell with photos from my archive
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