Lt RJ Stevens
Rupert Stevens
- Rank
- Lt
- Squadron
- No 12 Squadron
- School
- South African College Schools (SACS)
- Fate
- Did not survive the war
From the book
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
No 110 Squadron Blenheim pilot Squadron Leader D B Gericke was shot down off the Dutch Coast in April 1941, Lieutenant GR Haller a SAAF No 60 Squadron Maryland pilot flying as a passenger in a No 37 Squadron Wellington in May, No 24 Squadron Maryland pilot Lieutenant FC Newborn in June, Lieutenant AA Ruffell a SAAF No 1 Squadron Hurricane pilot survived two days in the Mediterranean sea after being shot down and wounded 60 km offshore, Pilot Officer WJ Chase a No 50 Squadron Hampden pilot and Second Lieutenant C A N McGarr, a No 2 Squadron Tomahawk pilot were shot down in October, No 12 Squadron Maryland pilot Lt RJ Stevens, squadron colleagues Wilkins and Clyde-Morley and No 24 Squadron airmen Lieutenant’s Roxburgh and Francey in November and, Lieutenant BD McFarlane another No 2 Squadron pilot in December.
Not at Home for Christmas
Pilot Officer D G Maxwell a No 602 Squadron Spitfire pilot and No 40 Squadron Hurricane pilot Lt Nathan Flekser a were shot down in May. Heaton Nicholls and Maxwell were Michaelhouse contemporaries, Newborn was educated at Hilton College and Kennedy, a few years ahead of Stevens at SACS in Cape Town
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.