Vinecombe, Frederick S

Name: Frederick Samuel VINECOMBE

Born 16 December 1914

Birthplace: Plymouth, England

Age at arrival in Buchenwald: 29

Died 27 January 2021, age 106

Service: Royal Air Force

Service ID: 1179317

Service Rank: Sergeant

Duties: Flight engineer

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:

Date captured: 14 July 1944

Capture summary:

Boxcar Transport: 15-20 August 1944, in boxcar #3 with 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, Zeiser and, at train change, Lamason, Dauteuil, Watmough, Scullion, J Smith, Head, Watson, and C Hoffman.

Buchenwald ID: 78377

Notes on Buchenwald internment:

Transferred from Buchenwald to: Stalag Luft III, East Compound

Kriege ID: 8117

Notes on SLIII internment:

Subsequent transfer to: Marlag und Milag Nord

Notes on internment: Assigned to Block 3. Not on list of POWs arriving at Lubek after forced march, but list is not comprehensive.

Liberation: Those at 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: Interviewed in 2018, on his 104th birthday. Story is at https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/world-war-two-hero-who-13776497