Atkins, Harold

Name: Harold Aloysius ATKINS

Born 4 October 1916

Hometown: Douglas, Arizona

Age at arrival in Buchenwald: 27

Died 11 April 1964 in Cleveland, Ohio, age 48

Service: Royal Canadian Air Force

Service ID: R68348

Service Rank: Flight Sergeant

Duties: Radioman [Wireless Air Gunner]

Air Group: 427 Squadron

Airbase: Leeming, North Yorkshire UK

Aircraft: Halifax bomber LW166

Date shot down: 5 July 1944

Fate of crew: 2 KIA, 2 captured, 3 evaded, 1 of those captured (Atkin)

Evasion summary: Left Artenay on the 14th. Went to Chartres and the Picourt network.

Date captured: 17 July 1944

Capture summary: Picked up by Desoubrie, delivered to Gestapo. Sent to Fresnes Prison

Boxcar Transport: 15-20 August 1944, in boxcar #1 or #2

Buchenwald ID: 78440

Notes on Buchenwald internment:

Transferred from Buchenwald to: Stalag Luft III

Kriege number: 8075

Notes on SLIII internment:

Subsequent transfer to: Stalag IIIA, Luckenwalde

Notes on internment:

Liberation: 22 April 1945 by units of the Red Army, which held the men until May awaiting a negotiated release. Atkins and several others didn't want around, choosing to escape.

Repatriation from ETO:

Discharged:

VA status:

Notes on Post-War period: Active campaigner for justice for those held at Buchenwald. Multiple news articles were written about him; see example in Documents. Real name was Atkins but enlisted in RCAF using his granparents' address and the name Atkin. Reverted to Atkins after discharge.