Gwilliam, James P

Name: James Percival GWILLIAM

Born 12 June 1923

Hometown: Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia

Age at arrival in Buchenwald: 21

Died 11 August 2002 in Peth, New South Wales, age 79

Service: Royal Australian Air Force

Service ID: A432355

Service Rank: Flight Sergeant

Duties: Gunner

Air Group: 78 Squadron

Airbase: Dishforth, Yorkshire, UK

Aircraft: Halifax bomber MZ692

Date shot down: 21 June 1944

Fate of crew: 7 evaded, 5 subsequently captured, 4 sent to Buchenwald (Gwilliam, JOHNSTON, K MILLS, and R MILLS)

Evasion summary:   The four Australian airmen were staying with Countess de Baynast.

Date captured: 29 July 1944

Capture summary: They left the village in a truck, then a black sedan car driven by two men. They were arrested shortly after, and sent to Beauvais' prison, then Fresnes.

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

Buchenwald ID: 78423

Notes on Buchenwald internment:

Transferred from Buchenwald to: Stalag Luft III, East Compound

Kriege ID: 8093

Notes on SLIII internment:

Subsequent transfer to: Marlag und Milag Nord

Notes on internment:  Probably marched to Lubek with roughly 3000 other POWs.

Liberation: Liberated by British 2nd Army on 2 May 1945, airlifted to the UK by 15 May 1945.

Repatriation from ETO:

Discharged:

VA status:

Notes on Post-War period: