HughAHalliday
12th May 2009, 02:35
Found in the service file of R111417 Flight Sergeant Douglas Haig Armour Garland, RCAF. Statement by 1230389 Sergeant Albert Embly following his release from POW camp. Incident was on night of 31 August 1943, Halifax JD464, No.419 Squadron.
"Flight Sergeant Garland was wounded when we were attacked by three Ju.88s. We caught fire and were given orders to leave the aircraft. Before doing so, my attention was drawn by Warrant Officer Northcliffe (Leonard) to Flight Sergeant Garland who was immediately behind me. He was wounded and bleeding profusely from wounds on the right side of his head. I went back for his parachute to the rear turret, but on arrival, found it burning and almost blown to pieces by cannon fire, so I returned to the exit and attached my parachute, told Flight Sergeant Garland we would have to go out together. So he put his arms through the padding on the back of my parachute, and put his legs round my waist, we then jumped. He spoke to me two or three times on the way down bit later at about 2,000 feet he began to slip away from me, and I could do nothing to prevent it, so he then left me completely. I landed in the Black Forest, near Weisenburg. I failed to locate his body after searching for approximately two hours"
"Flight Sergeant Garland was wounded when we were attacked by three Ju.88s. We caught fire and were given orders to leave the aircraft. Before doing so, my attention was drawn by Warrant Officer Northcliffe (Leonard) to Flight Sergeant Garland who was immediately behind me. He was wounded and bleeding profusely from wounds on the right side of his head. I went back for his parachute to the rear turret, but on arrival, found it burning and almost blown to pieces by cannon fire, so I returned to the exit and attached my parachute, told Flight Sergeant Garland we would have to go out together. So he put his arms through the padding on the back of my parachute, and put his legs round my waist, we then jumped. He spoke to me two or three times on the way down bit later at about 2,000 feet he began to slip away from me, and I could do nothing to prevent it, so he then left me completely. I landed in the Black Forest, near Weisenburg. I failed to locate his body after searching for approximately two hours"