Great story! 72 years ago tomorrow. http://www.vintagewings.ca/VintageNews/Stories/tabid/116/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/500/Seven-Thousand-Feet-and-Falling.aspx
good day canuck yesterday.11:20 pm.re:7000 ft and falling.a great story.a true hero.great post.regards bernard85
Tim Great story. Andrew Carswell's story is a one of the central pieces in Nathan Greenfield book 'The Forgotten" Matt
here is an other account of the events by Carswell also. http://www.thememoryproject.com/stories/1656:andrew-carswell/ Matt
My Father told me about a situation like this and having researched it, there were at least 3 guys who fell from extraordinary heights and survived, falling into trees or snow drifts. Great story, one that the Germans did not believe. Regards, Nick
There was also the American airman who was thrown from the plane unconscious over St Nazaire without a parachute and hitting the railway station - http://fly.historicwings.com/2013/01/the-miracle-of-st-nazaire/ - not such a soft landing - that must have been luck. TD
I remember we had a similar story in our English coursebook at primary school. Needless to say I loved the book.
Carswell did in fact have a parachute but since you've gone there, here is the celebrated RAF survival story of a non-parachute drop: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Alkemade
Just finished reading Carswell's book and I recommend it. As I read it I realized that, despite having read hundreds of POW stories, that it was refreshing to get a Canadian perspective. Almost every other book had been by a British author so the difference was noticable. Carswell writes with honesty, humour and a self deprecating style. His account of the 'Long March in the spring of 1945 from Lamsdorf: Stalag VIIIB is graphic and paints a great picture of the deprivation and many personal tragedies. The strafing of POW's by RAF Mustangs in Halberstadt and Carswell's repatriation flight are also highlights.
Outstanding find. That is one book I will snap up before it is sold out, likely in days. PS: I could not find a J.E.Galbraith KIA anywhere near that date on http://www.cwgc.org/ There is RAF KIA: GALBRAITH, ROGER HARROP Flight Lieutenant J/13694 16/01/1945 RCAF 426 Sqdn GALBRAITH, DANIEL Warrant Officer 1344926 16/01/1945 RAFVR 102 Sqdn Could anyone point me to the right information? Tnx!
Hi Fred From Ancestry: Roger Harrop Galbraith Birth: 1920 - Canada Death: 16 Jan 1945 Name: Flight Lieutenant ( Pilot ) Roger Harrop Galbraith Birth Date: 1920 Birth Place: Milton, Ontario, Canada Death Date: 16 Jan 1945 Cemetery: Hanover War Cemetery Burial or Cremation Place: Hanover, Hannoversche Landkreis, Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen), Germany Has Bio?: N URL: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-... I hope this is the one you are after TD edited to add : Oooops, sorry Fred I now see its J E you are after - thats the problem with going straight from an email update without going onto the thread to see if its been updated
Without giving too much away from Carswell's book, the mystery of Galbraith's fate remains to this day and the borrowed Rolex watch figures prominently. I think this is actually the airmen in question. His death is shown as the 18th, a day later than the loss of the Lancaster. http://www.canadaatwar.ca/memorial/world-war-ii/122731/flight-sergeant-john-eldon-galbraith/ Oops, just saw that Owen had already found the correct record for Galbraith.
Andrew Carswell, Air Force Cross RCAF Pilot, POW & Book Author Passed away on July 25th, 2021, Age of 98 yrs The Catalina Preservation Society has a write-up on Mr. Carswell at their site Andrew Carswell - The Catalina Preservation Society (pbycatalina.com) They also allow reading of a portion on one of Mr. Carswell's published books Seven Thousand Feet and Falling > Vintage Wings of Canada An article, from the Calgary Herald, can be viewed at Calgary Herald ePaper
