Crawford, John

Name: John CRAWFORD

Born 8 March 1922

Birthplace: Parksville, British Columbia

Age at arrival in Buchenwald: 22

Died 12 October 2007 in Tacoma, Washington, age 85

Service: Royal Canadian Air Force

Service ID: R221922

Service Rank: Flight Sergeant

Duties: Gunner

Air Group: 5 Group, 106 Squadron

Airbase: Metheringham, Lincolnshire UK

Aircraft: Lancaster bomber ME789

Date shot down: 8 July 1944

Fate of crew: 3 captured immediately, 4 evaded; 3 of them captured (LUCAS, WALDRAM, and Crawford).

Evasion summary: Waldram and Crawford were sent to Paris, where they stayed in various places.

Date captured: 2 August 1944

Capture summary: Went to Prevot’s appartement, where 4 American were staying at the time. Lallier took them to the Conciergerie, where they were arrested.

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

Buchenwald ID: 78406

Notes on Buchenwald internment:

Transferred from Buchenwald to: Stalag Luft III, Belaria

Kriege ID: 8080

Notes on SLIII internment:

Subsequent transfer to: Marlag und Milag Nord

Notes on internment: Roughly 3000 of the POWs were marched out by the SS in early April 1945, headed to Lubek. The column was attacked repeatedly by Allied aircraft. 

Liberation: POWs at Lubek were freed by the British Guards Armored Division on 27 April 1945. Those remaining at Marlag-Milag were liberated by the British 2nd Army on 2 May 1945, and airlifted to the UK by 15 May 1945.

Repatriation from ETO:

Discharged:

Veteran status:

Notes on Post-War period: