Chapman, Kenneth W

Name: Kenneth Walter CHAPMAN

Born 8 September 1918

Birthplace: England

Age at arrival in Buchenwald: 21

Died 24 October 1986 in Hastings and Rother, East Sussex, age 68

Service: Royal Air Force

Service ID: 138136

Service Rank: Flight Officer

Duties: Navigator

Air Group: 15 Sq

Airbase: Mildenhall St-George, Suffolk, UK

Aircraft: Lancaster bomber ML575

Date shot down: 7 June 1944

Fate of crew: 2 KIA, 5 evaders, 2 of those recaptured (Chapman and LAMASON)

Evasion summary: In Chevreuse, met DAVIDSON, ROWE, HUNTER, PHELPS. Introduced to Desoubrie and Orsini, taken by car to Prevot house interviewed by Marcheret.

Date captured: 27 July 1944

Capture summary: Arrested with LAMASON, CLARK, taken to Gestapo, joined by PHELPS, and ?US. Taken to Fresnes Prison.

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

Buchenwald ID: 78409

Notes on Buchenwald internment: Suffered beatings and psychological abuse in addition to the malnutrition, dysentery, scabies, and other afflictions that plagued the airmen in Little Camp.

Transferred from Buchenwald to: Stalag Luft III

Kriege ID: 8046

Notes on SLIII internment:

Subsequent transfer to: Stalag IIIA, Luckenwalde

Notes on internment:

Liberation: 22 April 1945 by units of the Red Army but held for negotiated release in May.

Repatriation from ETO:

Discharged:

Veteran status:

Notes on Post-War period: