Ghost428
13th June 2014, 15:06
My book 'Lancaster Bale Out' has been published now through TUCANN Books at £13.
It tells the story of a 106 Squadron crew in which my cousin, Sgt Jack Hougham, was the W/Op on ED720-R when they were shot down returning from Cologne on 8th/9th July 1943. The story is a first hand account essentially told by the Bomb Aimer, Sgt Fred Smooker, who was the sole survivor from the crew.
It begins with his training in Canada, forming a crew at No. 14 OTU RAF Cottesmore training on Wellingtons, moving to No. 1654 HCU RAF Wigsley on Lancasters and then being posted to 106 Squadron in Syerston in March 1943, during the Battle of the Ruhr. They were lost on their 20th operation and several earlier ops are described in detail.
After managing to parachute out of his Lancaster he was assisted in his evasion by a number of French helpers before he was eventually caught and sent to Fresnes prison in Paris after being treated as a spy. After spending 56 days in solitary confinement he was then sent to Dulag Luft and then onto Stalag IVB to spend the last 18 months of the war as a POW.
The book is also available on Amazon or directly from myself.
It tells the story of a 106 Squadron crew in which my cousin, Sgt Jack Hougham, was the W/Op on ED720-R when they were shot down returning from Cologne on 8th/9th July 1943. The story is a first hand account essentially told by the Bomb Aimer, Sgt Fred Smooker, who was the sole survivor from the crew.
It begins with his training in Canada, forming a crew at No. 14 OTU RAF Cottesmore training on Wellingtons, moving to No. 1654 HCU RAF Wigsley on Lancasters and then being posted to 106 Squadron in Syerston in March 1943, during the Battle of the Ruhr. They were lost on their 20th operation and several earlier ops are described in detail.
After managing to parachute out of his Lancaster he was assisted in his evasion by a number of French helpers before he was eventually caught and sent to Fresnes prison in Paris after being treated as a spy. After spending 56 days in solitary confinement he was then sent to Dulag Luft and then onto Stalag IVB to spend the last 18 months of the war as a POW.
The book is also available on Amazon or directly from myself.