Operation: Luxembourg

Date: 10th May 1940 (Friday)

Unit No: 105 Squadron, Advanced Air Striking Force (AASF), Bomber Command

Type: Battle I

Serial: P2200

Code: GB:K

Base: Villeneuve-les-Vertus, France

Location: Clemency (Küntzig), Luxembourg

Pilot: Plt Off. Daniel Grant O’Brien 40419 RAF Age 21. PoW No. 597 * (1)

Obs: Sgt. Dennis Frederick Eastick 581038 RAF Age 21. PoW No. 13079 ** (2)

WOp/Air Gnr: AC1. Samuel Richard Wright 619186 RAF Age 19. PoW No. 13074 ** (3)

* Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia, Germany, now Żagań in Poland.

** Stalag Luft 6, Heydekrug, Memelland (now Šilutė in Lithuania).

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the 10th May 1940 Battle I P2200 took-off from Villeneuve-les-Vertus as one of a force of thirty-two (32) Battles from 12, 103, 105, 142, 150 and 226 Squadrons who were ordered to attack German troops advancing through Luxembourg at noon. As it was impossible to provide fighter escort the bombers were briefed to make a very low approach to target and attack from as little as 250 foot (80 meters) using bombs with a delayed fuse.

P2200 was last sighted diving towards an enemy troop column advancing along the Echternach-Luxembourg road. The aircraft was hit by Flak near Clemency (Küntzig), Luxembourg and crash-landed at 16:15 hrs. The aircraft was wrecked and abandoned by the three (3) crew members.

Short video describing the crew and loss of Battle I P2200 GB:K (Courtesy of Tom Bowen, Michael Beckers and Peter Schlebaum)

(1) Plt Off. O’Brien suffered a wound to his left hand and was transferred to Stalag Luft, Oberursel at the Reserve Lazarett (hospital) in Hohemark where he remained until July 1940.

He was then transferred to Oflag 9A/H, at Schloss Spangenberg (Spangenberg Castle) in the small town of Spangenberg in NE Hesse, Prussia. He was then transferred to Oflag 21A, Thorn (Toruń), Poland in September 1941 and in March 1942 he was moved to Oflag 21A in Warburg.

In September 1942 he was transferred to Oflag 21B, Szubina few miles SW of Bydgoszcz in Poland. In April 1943 the camp was cleared of all PoWs who were sent to Stalag Luft 3, Sagan.

On the night of the 27th January 1945, with Soviet troops only 26 km (16 mls) away, orders were received to evacuate the PoWs to Spremberg which is to the West in Germany. The PoW’s were informed of the evacuation, which was on foot, at about 22:00 hrs the same night and were given 30 mins to pack and prepare everything for the March. The weather conditions were very difficult, with freezing temperatures, and it was snowing accompanied by strong winds. There was 15 cm (6 in) of snow and 2000 PoWs were assigned to clear the road ahead of the main groups.

After a 55 km (34 mls) march, the PoWs arrived in Bad Muskau where they rested for 30 hours. The PoWs were then marched the remaining 26 km (16 mls) to Spremberg where they were housed in empty garages, storerooms and in military barracks. There they were provided with warm soup and bread.

During next days, PoWs were divided up according to Compounds, and they were led to railway sidings and loaded into tightly packed carriages. On the 2nd February the last of the PoWs from the West Compound were sent to Stalag 3A, Luckenwalde.

On the 22nd April 1945 as the Russians approached the camp the guards fled leaving the prisoners to be liberated by the Red Army. Stalag 3A was turned over to the Americans on the 6th May at which time the Senior American Officers (SAO) took over the running of the camp until all the PoWs were evacuated. Fg Off. O’Brien was interviewed on the 9th May 1945.

Plt Off. O’Brien was promoted to Fg Off. effective 25th July 1940, (London Gazette 26th September 1940) and to Flt Lt. effective 25th July 1941 (London Gazette 5th September 1941).

He was transferred to the Reserve of Air Force Officers effective 28th October 1941 (London Gazette 16th May 1944). He was promoted to Sqn Ldr. effective 1st December 1946, (London Gazette 10th May 1946). He relinquished his commission retaining his rank of Sqn Ldr. on the 23rd May 1963 (London Gazette 4th June 1963).

Daniel Grant O’Brien was born on the 2nd March 1919 in Scotland. He enlisted in the Royal Air Force on a Short Service commission on the 17th October 1937. Daniel passed away on the 7th July 1966 in Epping, Essex, England.

Above courtesy of The Daily Telegraph, dated 12th July 1966

(2) Sgt. Eastick suffered slight cuts and bruises. He was transferred for statutory solitary confinement and interrogation at Dulag Luft, Oberursel. He appeared to be there until August and then transferred to Stalag Luft 1, Barth-Vogelsang.

In March 1941 he was part of an attempted escape via a tunnel which was unsuccessful.

Stalag Luft 1 was closed in April 1942 and he was transferred to Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia. In June 1943 he was then transferred to Stalag Luft 6, Heydekrug.

In early 1944 the Russian Army were advancing into the Baltic States from the North and the East preparation for evacuating the camp was being made. PoWs from Stalag Luft 6, the camp closest to the Russian advance, were in the "northern route" of the force-marches, and were transported to Stalag 20A by train in July 1944, and from there he took part in the forced-march to Stalag 357, Kopernikus at Thorn (Toruń) in Poland .

On the 1st September 1944 the PoWs were force-marched from Thorn (Toruń) in Poland to the site of the former Stalag 11D, with construction being carried out by the Italian PoW from Stalag 11B. The camp was commonly known as Stalag 357, Fallingbostal but officially the designation was Stalag 357, Oerbke.

In early April 1945 the PoWs were informed by the Commandant Oberst Hermann Ostmann that 12,000 British PoWs were being evacuated from the camp in the face of the Allied advance. He was amongst the men who were marched from the camp in columns of 2,000.

He escaped from the marching column on the 15th April 1945 with a WO. Fyffe. They were liberated by elements of the 11th Armoured Division at Wendisch, SE of Lüneburg on the 18th April 1945.

Sgt. David Wilson Fyffe 134309 RAFVR (PoW No: 1012, Stalag 357) was the Pilot from 49 Sqn, Lancaster III ED435 EA:K which was hit by Flak over the target on an operation to Berlin on the night of the 29th/30th March 1943. Some of the crew baled out before being ordered and the aircraft was later shot down by night-fighter over Holland (3 KiA, 4 PoWs).

The now Warrant Officer (WO) Eastick was interviewed on the 26th April 1945.

WO. Dennis Frederick Eastick, Bachelor of Medicine (MB), Bachelor of Science (BS) was appointed to a commission as a Fg Off. in the Medical Branch effective 26th June 1955 (London Gazette 13th September 1955). Promoted to Flt Lt. effective 26th June 1955 (London Gazette 11th October 1955). Promoted to Sqn Ldr. effective 17th December 1959 (London Gazette 22nd December 1959). Promoted to Wg Cdr. effective 17th December 1964 (London Gazette 22nd December 1964). Wg Cdr Eastick retired from the RAF at his own request on the 5th September 1970, (London Gazette 6th October 1970).

Dennis Frederick Eastick was born on the 10th November 1918 in Norwich, Norfolk. He was a Medical student prior to enlisting in the regular Royal Air Force on the 1st May 1939. Dennis passed away on the 20th May 1973, aged just 54, in Kings Lynn, Norfolk.

Above: Courtesy of The Daily Telegraph, dated 26th May 1973

(3) AC1. Wright was captured at Luxemburg Railway Station that day. After the statutory solitary confinement and interrogation at Dulag Luft, Oberursel. He appeared to be there until July and then transferred to Stalag Luft 1, Barth-Vogelsang.

Whilst at the camp he was detailed on working parties repairing Railways and Roads between July 1940 to February 1941.

Stalag Luft 1 was closed in April 1942 and he was transferred to Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia. In October 1942 he was then transferred to Stalag Luft 6, Heydekrug

In early 1944 the Russian Army were advancing into the Baltic States from the North and the East preparation for evacuating the camp was being made. PoWs from Stalag Luft 6, the camp closest to the Russian advance, were in the "northern route" of the force-marches, and were transported to Stalag 20A by train in July 1944, and from there he took part in the forced-march to Stalag 357, Kopernikus at Thorn (Toruń) in Poland .

On the 1st September 1944 the PoWs were force-marched from Thorn (Toruń) in Poland to the site of the former Stalag 11D, with construction being carried out by the Italian PoW from Stalag 11B. The camp was commonly known as Stalag 357, Fallingbostal but officially the designation was Stalag 357, Oerbke.

In early April 1945 the PoWs were informed by the Commandant Oberst Hermann Ostmann that 12,000 British PoWs were being evacuated from the camp in the face of the Allied advance. It is believed that he was amongst the men who were marched from the camp in columns of 2,000.

After ten (10) days they arrived at Gresse, east of the Elbe. There they were issued with Red Cross parcels, but were then unfortunately strafed by British Typhoonfighter-bombers, mistaking them for German troops. Sixty (60) PoW were killed and many wounded.

WO. ‘Dixie’ Deans confronted OberstOstmann and bluntly gave him a choice, to be captured to the Russians or the British. Ostman provided WO. Deans with a pass and a German guard, and they headed west to contact the advancing British troops. On the 1st May WO. Deans and his guard were sheltering in a house east of Lauenbergwhen they heard over the radio the news of the death of Adolf Hitler. The next morning the house was overrun by troops of the British 6th Airborne. WO. Deans was taken to the commander of VIII Corpsand explained the situation. He was given a captured Mercedes car and drove back to Gresse. Two days later the PoW column marched back across the British lines.

The now Warrant Officer (WO) Wright was interviewed on the 16th June 1945.

Samuel Richard Wright was born on the 6th March 1921 in Strabane, Northern Ireland. He was working in farming prior to enlisting in the regular Royal Air Force on the 28th August 1938. Samuel passed away on 10th April 1998 in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire.

Above courtesy of the Evening Post dated 16th April 1998

Burial details:

None – The crew survived

Researched by Ralph Snape from Aircrew Remembered as dedicated to this crew and their families. Thanks to Tom Bowen for the link to the video (Aug 2025).

Other sources listed below:

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