Squadron Leader R Bushell

The First Ten Months

Four No 92 Squadron Spitfire pilots were shot down over France on May 23rd two lost their lives, South African born Squadron Leader Roger Bushell and Flying Officer Gillies became “POW’s” while a badly injured Flight Lt CP Green, also South African born, flew his damaged Spitfire back to the squadron’s base. Bushell and Green would not have seen that day’s “Daily Mail” story headlined “Britain Swoops on Fascists” following the arrests of US Embassy Clerk Tyler G Kent, Captain Maule Ramsay, Anna Wolkoff, Sir Oswald Moseley and 33 British Union Fascists. A reminder for South Africans in the RAF that Hitler enjoyed support at home!

Against Unfavourable Odds

Born in Pietermaritzburg, Charles Patrick Green was 3 years - old when his father, Major Charles Green was killed in action during the First World War. A talented sportsman, Harrow educated Green joined No 601, “The Millionaires Squadron” 36 in 1937 and followed fellow Cambridge graduate Roger Bushell to No 92 Squadron in 1939. Wounded during a Dunkirk patrol when two squadron colleagues were killed and two others including Bushell were captured, he was unable to fly operationally until October but was shot down on the 12th. Awarded the “Distinguished Flying Cross” in 1941, he served in North Africa and Malta and was awarded the “Distinguished Service Order” in 1943. Released from service in 1947, Group Captain CP Green DSO DFC died in 1999.

The Dreaded Telegram

There were ugly loss incidents including Japanese mistreatment of Allied “POW’s”, survivors from a sinking ship gunned down in the water, the Gestapo execution of 50 “Great Escape” airmen an incident involving South African born Squadron Leader Roger Bushell and SAAF pilots, Gous, McGarr and Stevens. 1

Not at Home for Christmas

Some may have played a part in the October 1943 “Wooden Horse” escape while most if not all were involved in one way or another in the March 24th, 1944 “Great Escape” masterminded by South African born Squadron Leader Roger Bushell.

Not at Home for Christmas

The Germans believed Stalag III was secure, the “POW’” challenge was to test the degree to which it was escape proof as HE Bates suggested, by “the trick of learning the rules and then of learning how to defy them”. Defiance, evidenced by the “Wooden Horse” escape and a tunnel construction process some 8 m underground initiated by South African born Squadron Leader Roger Bushell, the acknowledged mastermind behind what would be known as the “Great Escape” whose father had been a mining engineer on South Africa’s East Rand gold belt.

Not at Home for Christmas

Himmler’s “Sagan Order” 6 resulted in the Gestapo murdering 50 recaptured escapees including Squadron Leader Roger Bushell and SAAF airmen, Lt Johannes Gous from Bultfontein in the Orange free State, Lt Clement McGarr who is remembered on the “Roll of Honour” at Glenwood High School in Durban and SACS educated Lt Rupert Stevens. The three successful escapees were not Commonwealth airmen and aside from the South Africans, those brutally murdered included airmen from Australia, Britain, Belgium, Canada, France, Greece, New Zealand and Norway.

Not at Home for Christmas

Roger Bushell born in Springs in 1910 educated in Johannesburg, Berkshire and Cambridge, murdered by the Gestapo in 1944 is remembered in Hermanus in the Western Cape The book, first published in 1950 written by Paul Brickhill an Australian Spitfire pilot involved in the escape.