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Bastable, Harry

Name: Harold Denis BASTABLE

Born 26 April 1916

Birthplace: Winnipeg, Manitoba

Age at arrival in Buchenwald: 28

Died 23 September 2007, age 89

Service: Royal Canadian Air Force

Service ID: J-27478

Service Rank: Flying Officer

Duties: Navigator

Air Group: 640 Squadron

Airbase: Leconfield, Yorkshire UK

Aircraft: Halifax bomber LK866

Date shot down: 8 June 1944

Fate of crew: 2 KIA, 5 evaded, 4 of those captured, 2 of them sent to Buchenwald (Bastable and ROWE).

Evasion summary: Shifted from Emance to Arteney within the Picourt network. Difficult period due to the fact that he’d broken an ankle on landing.

Date captured: 19 July 1944

Capture summary: Bastable, HIGH, and SMITH were picked up by Desoubrie in the Chartres area and driven to Paris. Bastable’s arrest was remembered by Brandstetter. Caged overnight and then taken to Fresnes Prison.

Boxcar Transport: 15-20 August 1944, in boxcar #3 with PENNELL, PERRY, MARTINI, GIBSON, HIGH, HODGSON, PRUDHAM, SONSHINE, ROBB, R MILLS, WHELLUM, SPIERENBURG, TAYLOR, ALLEN, HARVIE, LARSON, MCLAUGHLIN, MOSER, PETRICH, ROBERSON, STEVENSON, VINECOME, and ZEISER. After transferring to another train, the men were joined by LAMASON, WATMOUGH, SCULLION, JA SMITH, HEAD, WATSON, and C HOFFMAN.

Buchenwald ID: 78378

Notes on Buchenwald internment: Developed pneumonia and pleurisy on top of other conditions, including an untreated broken ankle. Too sick to move when most of the airmen were evacuated.

Transferred from Buchenwald to: Stalag Luft III, East Compound, arriving 28 November 1944

Kriege ID: 8927

Notes on SLIII internment: Poor health, struggled on forced march when leaving SLIII.

Subsequent transfer to: Stalag IIIA, Luckenwalde

Notes on SIIIA internment:

Liberation: 22 April 1945 by units of the Red Army. Released 10 May 1945.

Repatriation from ETO:

Discharged:

Veteran status:

Notes on Post-War period:

Documents:

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