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Victims of German Atrocities,

By
Donald J.R.Wilson
(51 Squadron, 4 Group, Bomber Command)
The Great Escape of March 1944 is well documented but, apart from the book of the History of the Squadron, "Swift and Sure", it is not widely known that six members were among those executed by the Gestapo. Although I did not personally meet any of those of the squadron who had been murdered, I regret that I did not have the privilege of getting to know them.
They were S/Ldr. I. Cross, F1Lt. M. Casey, W/O A. Hake (RAAF) FILL T. Leigh, F/Lt G. Witey, (RCAF) and FIO P. Pohe (RNZAF)
It is of little satisfaction that, after the War 18 members of the Gestapo were on trial for war crimes, and 14 were sentenced to death, two to life imprisonment, and two drivers were sentenced to ten years imprisonment.
Other members of the Squadron was murdered by the Germans. One closely involved in such an episode was Sergeant Major Kar1 Ambeger, an enemy who had been shot down over England and had received excellent treatment in a British P.O.W. Camp, and in hospital. He was repatriated on humanitarian grounds.
The Squadron aircraft, MH D was badly damaged by Flak during a daylight raid and all seven members of the crew managed to escape by parachute and landed safely. However two of the crew were soon apprehended and were fortunate enough to be taken to prison camp and safety- t The other five members of the crew,- F/0 J. Paradise, (RAAF), F/O Berwick, (RAAF), P/O Greenwood, F/Sgt Armstrong (RAF) and F/Sgt Gunn, (RAF) were all captured in a village near an aerodrome, Drierwalde.
Bombs from the raid had killed forty workers so they were very roughly handled. The local Sergeant-major was Ambeger who, with two of his men, acted as escort to take them to the Railway Station. A short distance away they left the main road adjacent to woods. The prisoners were made to walk abreast and the Germans opened fire with automatic weapons. Four of the men were killed instantly and the fifth(F/O Berwick) had two bullets in his thigh, but managed to escape into the woods. For two days he was on the run but surrendered to a group of Germans who were hunting him with dogs. He now received fair treatment and survived. After the war, Ambeger in turn was hunted down, captured, and identified by Berwicic. He was tried for war crimes, found guilty, and hanged at Hamelin Prison.
D.J.R.Wilson, formerly Sgt. ,Air\Obs. B Flight, 51 Sqdn., 4 Group, Bomber Command.

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