Airborne POW Officers Oflag 79 footage

Discussion in 'Airborne' started by brithm, Aug 20, 2016.

  1. brithm

    brithm Senior Member

    Looking at footage from AP Movietone shows Oflag 79 Brunswick being liberated there are some airborne officers one Canloan officer and the other wearing parachute regiment beret with an impressive bushy moustache.



    Anybody able to identify them?

    brithm

    Airborne Canloan officer oflag.png Airborne Officer oflag.jpg
     
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  2. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    brithm,

    There's a patch beneath the "Canada" title that is hard to make out on the Officer with the tin of cigarettes. Could it possibly belong to the 7th Battalion, The King's Own Scottish Borderers (7 KOSB). If so see David Gordon's response in a Canadiansoldiers.com post:

    CSC Discussion Forum: anyone have?

    It's good to know the names of the two men who speak briefly of their experience while seated on a garden bench - Sgt. Reg Isherwood of Romford and Sgt. John Richards from Wales.

    Regards ...

    Edit: Reginald Isherwood of Romford
     
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2016
  3. Guy Hudson

    Guy Hudson Looker-upper

    brithm, Cee
    ISHERWOOD Reginald Cpl 893585 AAC
    He originally enlisted in the Royal Artillery in 1939.
    Guy

    ISHERWOOD POW.png
     
  4. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Ok thanks Guy. I'll correct his first name in my post.

    Regards ...
     
  5. horsapassenger

    horsapassenger Senior Member

    Sgt Reginald Isherwood and Sgt John Thomas Richards were both from 1 Para. Isherwood was wounded and captured on 18th September and Richards on the 19th. Both completed POW Liberation reports and the account of their second, successful, escape is attached.
    BTW Isherwood was from Romford
     

    Attached Files:

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  6. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Does anyone have any clear photos of 7 KOSB officers or men wearing the Leslie tartan shoulder flash during the war. Although not very clear Capt. (?) Colin Macduff-Duncan can be seen wearing it in a photo of him with Norwegian Royalty in 1945. The white line of the X runs diagonally down left to right.

    Capt Colin Macduff-Duncan Oslo 1945.JPG

    I have a list of of the Canloan Officers who went into action with 7 KOSB at Arnhem but would like to establish if it really is the Lewis patch in the POW photo above.

    Regards ...
     
  7. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    A British Pathe newsreel, Men out of Cages, shows a few other scenes from Oflag 79.



    The same pipe smoking man in brithm's pic can be seen again in the background of a group of Officers. Perhaps the officer third from right with the large beret badge is the same chap opening the tin of smokes? The fellow to his left looks familiar as well. Earlier on in the video there is also a clear shot of a GPR Pilot.

    Oflag 79 POWs.jpg GPR Pilot.jpg

    Later, though not relevant to this thread, note the trial and firing squad deaths of Vichy collaborators Lafont and Bony with a connection to the POW marches through the streets of Paris.

    Regards ...
     
  8. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    CDN/136 - Lt. Donald Arthur Cameron - 1922-2016

    The shorter man with thinning hair second right front in the Pathe still above is very likely Lt. Donald Arthur Cameron, Canloan Officer and OC of 2 Platoon, A Coy, 7 KOSB. Captured during the Arnhem battle, he eventually ended up at Oflag 79. In the full frame of the Canloan Officer opening the tin of cigarettes he can be seen to the right smoking a cigar.

    Donald Arthur Cameron 1922-2016.jpg Airborne Canloan Officers Oflag 79.jpg

    Sadly Lt Cameron just died on August 18th of this year. His obituary can be read online at the Lambton Shield, a Sarnia Ontario newspaper:

    http://www.lambtonshield.com/cameron-donald-arthur-august-18-2016/

    Though both scenes from the two newsreel are brief there is an obvious friendly relationship between the two Officers. I may have a lead on the taller man to the left?

    Men out of Cages-2.jpg

    Regards ....
     
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2016
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  9. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    G. Smith Macdonald BA, LLB, QC

    The taller Canloan KOSB Officer standing next to Lt Don Cameron and seen opening the tin of cigarettes is Lt. George Smith 'Pat' Macdonald who at the time of Arnhem was CO of 3 Platoon, A Company. After his capture at Wolfheze he and a group of POW Officers were moved to different locations until finally they arrived at Oflag 79 at Braunschweig (Brunswick) on Ocotber 20th. In his memoirs Pat Macdonald mentions Don Cameron several times. In fact Lt. Cameron, also of A Coy, was the first officer to greet him on his arrival at Oflag 79.

    Lt  Pat Macdonald  7 KOSB.jpg Capt G. Smith  'Pat' Macdonald.jpg

    In his post war life Pat Macdonald became a lawyer graduating from Osgoode Hall in 1950. For a time in the 50s he served as the Mayor of his home town of Port Colborne, Ontario, and on his death at 89 in 2008 was fondly remembered for his devotion to the community.

    A true gentleman

    Regards ...
     
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2016
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  10. Paul Pariso

    Paul Pariso Very Senior Member

    The man with the tash is Lt "Loopy" Levien of B Company, 2 Para ..............
     
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  11. brithm

    brithm Senior Member

    Thanks Paul,

    Was hoping some 6th Airborne Div officers had made a cameo.

    Robert H Levien | ParaData

    Thanks for identifying him.

    brithm
     

    Attached Files:

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