Dowdeswell, Philip

Name: Philip DOWDESWELL

Born 6 August 1923

Birthplace: Tonyrefail, Glamorgan, Wales

Age at arrival in Buchenwald: 21

Died 3 April 1965 in Perth, Western Australia, age 42

Service: Royal Air Force

Service ID: 1586209

Service Rank: Flight Sergeant

Duties: Radioman

Air Group: 158 Squadron

Airbase: Lissett, Yorkshire UK

Aircraft: Halifax bomber LW273

Date shot down: 11 April 1944

Fate of crew: 4 KIA, 3 evaded, one of those captured (Dowdeswell).

Evasion summary:

Date captured: 27 July 1944

Capture summary: Robert Moulet (FFI) and his assistant collected four airmen who were hiding in several places around Breteuil (Dowdeswell, Hegarty, Fairclough, and Bennett). The trap was organized by two French traitors working for the SD in Beauvais. The airmen were arrested soon after and sent to Beauvais' prison, then Fresnes.

Boxcar Transport: 15-20 August 1944, in boxcar # with

Buchenwald ID: 78410

Notes on Buchenwald internment:

Transferred from Buchenwald to: Stalag Luft III

Kriege ID: 8085

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: