Smith, James A

Name: James Allan SMITH

Born 23 January 1922

Birthplace: Beaverton, Ontario

Age at arrival in Buchenwald: 22

Died 29 July 2013 in Belleville, Ontario, age 91

Service: Royal Canadian Air Force

Service ID: J28387

Service Rank: Flight Officer

Duties: Bombardier

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: Sheltered by in the PICOURT network. Smith, BASTABLE, and HIGH were driven by Desoubrie and Orsini to Paris on 14-15 July.

Date captured: 19 July 1944

Capture summary:

Boxcar Transport: 15-20 August 1944, in boxcar #1 or #2, transferred to #3 at train change with Lamason, Dauteuil, Watmough, Scullion, Head, 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: 78428

Notes on Buchenwald internment:

Transferred from Buchenwald to: Stalag Luft III, East Compound

Kriege ID: 8067

Notes on SLIII internment:

Subsequent transfer to: Marlag und Milag Nord

Notes on internment: Approximately 3000 POWs were marched out by the SS in early April 1945, headed to Lubek. The column was attacked repeatedly by Allied aircraft. Smith is not on the list of POWs at Lubek, but it is not comprehensive (only around 200 names).

Liberation: POWs on the march to 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: