Johnston, Eric L

Name: Eric Lyle JOHNSTON

Born 30 December 1922

Birthplace: Victoria, Australia

Age at arrival in Buchenwald: 21

Died 25 August 2003, age 80

Service: Royal Australian Air Force

Service ID: A418957

Service Rank: Flight Sergeant

Duties: Radio operator and flight engineer

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 (Johnston, GWILLIAM, K MILLS, and R MILLS)

Evasion summary:

Date captured: 28 July 1944

Capture summary: With two men in a black car, stopped at roadblock and taken into custody.

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

Buchenwald ID: 78421

Notes on Buchenwald internment:

Transferred from Buchenwald to: Stalag Luft III

Kriege ID: 8098

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 until release was negotiated.

Repatriation from ETO:

Discharged:

Notes on Post-War period: Interviewed for 1994 documentary Buchenwald: The Lucky Ones.