Head, Leslie F

Name: Leslie Frank HEAD

Born 22 November 1913

Birthplace: Vancouver, British Columbia

Age at arrival in Buchenwald: 30

Died 14 May 2007 in Keremeo, British Columbia, age 93

Service: Royal Canadian Air Force

Service ID: J89446

Service Rank: Warrant Officer-1

Duties: Radioman

Air Group: 419 Squadron

Airbase: Middleton St-George, Durham UK

Aircraft: Lancaster bomber KB727

Date shot down: 5 July 1944

Fate of crew: 7 evaded, one of them captured almost immediately, 5 captured later (GIBSON, Head, SMITH, PRUDHAM, VINECOMBE, and STEVENSON).

Evasion summary: Crew remained together while on the run NE of Chartres in the Picourt network.

Date captured: 14 July 1944

Capture summary: Arrested in Paris with Gibson, Stevenson, Prudham, Grenon, and Hetherington.

Boxcar Transport: 15-20 August 1944, initially in boxcar #1 or #2, shifted to #3 at train change with Lamason, Dauteuil, Watmough, Scullion, J Smith, Watson, and C Hoffman, joining Richey, Bedford, Martini, Wilson, Carr, Pennell, Perry, Bastable, Grenon, Gibson, High, Hodgson, Prudham, Sonshine, Robb, R Mills, Whellum, Spierenburg, Taylor, Allen, Harvie, Larson, McLaughlin, Moser, Petrich. Roberson, Stevenson, Vinecombe, and Zeiser .

Buchenwald ID: 78430

Notes on Buchenwald internment:

Transferred from Buchenwald to: Stalag Luft III

Kriege ID: 8121

Notes on SLIII internment:

Subsequent transfer to: Marlag und Mirlag Nord

Notes on internment: Head was among the 3000 POWs marched out by the SS in early April 1945, headed to Lubek. The column was attacked repeatedly by Allied aircraft. He is on a list of POWs believed to have escaped during the march.

Liberation: Encountered a company of the Welsh and Scots Guards regiment on 28 April 1945.

Repatriation from ETO:

Discharged:

Veteran status:

Notes on Post-War period: