Award MiDs Lts. Fairweather & Veness 1st Bn North Nova Scotia Highlanders

Awards Mentioned in Despatches Lieutenant Jack Lee Fairweather & Lieutenant John Merserau Veness, 1st Bn North Nova Scotia Highlanders, Canadian Army​

WO 373/63/4

WO 373/63/5

ESCAPED FROM GERMAN HANDS IN FRANCE​

Captured: Near AUTHIE, 6th June 1944
Escaped: From train near BLERE, 22nd July 1944

Veness ​

Date of Birth: 11th November 1922
Army Service: 2 years, 1 month
Peacetime Profession: Student
Private Address: 777 Charlotte Street, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada

Fairweather ​

Date of Birth: 25th March 1923
Army Service: 2 years, 1 month
Peacetime Profession: Student
Private Address: Rothesay, New Brunswick, Canada

We landed at BERNIERES-SUR-MER (FRANCE 1:250,000, Sheet 8, T98) on 6th June 1944 and were captured near AUTHIE (T97) at 1900hrs on 7th June when were advancing to capture the airport at CARPIQUET (T96). The Germans counter-attacked and we were surrounded.

We were marched to Camp 221 (RENNES) (Sheet 14, Y05) and arrived on 14th June. On 5th July we left by goods train with about 600 P/W. There were 29 P/W in our truck. After we had been 16 days on the train a hole was out by other P/W in the wall at the end of the truck near the floor. Whilst the train was travelling about 20 m.p.h. we crawled through the hole, about 131 P/W following suit and jumped into a ditch at the side of the truck at about 0230 hrs on 22nd July. The weather was a dark and stormy, and the guards did not notice our escape.

We discovered that we were 2-3 miles East of BLERE (Sheet 21, P95). We decided to head South, using intermittent stars for general direction. We swam the River CHER (P95) because we thought this would cause the dogs on the train to lose the scent. We continued South until dawn and hid in a wood near some farm buildings at LUZILLE (L05). After carefully watching the farm for ten hours we decided to approach it, as no Germans appeared to be in the vicinity. We dried our clothes, obtained food and were offered civilian clothes which we refused.

From this point our journey was arranged for us.

The following officers also jumped from the train and were last seen by us near ST. HIPPOLYTE (FRANCE 1:250,000, Sheet 21, L02) on 22nd August when they awaiting a guide to escort them through the lines:-

Major. J.K. LEARMENT, North Nova Scotia Highlanders
Capt. A .J. BLOOD, U.S.A.A.F.
2/Lt. W. FRIEDENBURG, U.S.A.A.F.
2/Lt. R. DAVIS, U.S.A.A.F.
2/Lt. H.T. HERSEY, U.S.A.A.F.
2/Lt. ROBBINS, American Paratroops
2/Lt. M. MESSIMER, U.S. Army

The following N.C.Os all jumped from the train and were last seen on 15th August near LE LEIGE (L04):-

Sgt. EDMUNSON, American Parachutist
Sgt. CORRANCE, J., 506 Parachute Bn. U.S. Army (was in hospital with throat trouble at LOCHES (P93 on 20th August, the day the Germans recaptured the town.)
Sgt. EELE(?), 505 Parachute Bn. U.S. Army
Sgt. DWYER, G., 506th Parachute Bn. U.S. Army
Sgt. HIND, R.C.A.F.
Sgt. MacCallum, S., 506 Parachute Bn. U.S. Army

Sgt. O’LEARY, U.S.A.A.F. who had baled out from a B-17 on about 1st August near TOURS (Sheet 15, P76) was last seen on 15th August at LE LEIGE, having until that date evaded capture.

L/Cpl. LE BARRE, Royal Winnipeg Rifles and Pte. HUBERT, A., R.W.R. had jumped from another truck on 22nd July and were last seen at ST. Hippolyte on 22nd August 1944.

Pte. STEEL, R.W.R., and Pte. LAGIMODIER, R.W.R. were last seen on 19th August at LOCHES.

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Escape to Murder by Major Veness & Major Fairweather

The Two Jacks: The Amazing Adventures of Major Jack M. Veness and Major Jack L. Fairweather by Will R. Bird

 

Canadian Military History Volume 9 Issue 2 Article 8 2000 Soldier, Pow, Partisan: My Experiences during the Battle of France, Soldier, POW, Partisan: My Experiences during the Battle of France, June–September 1944 June–September 1944 by Don Learment mentions Veness & Fairweather