F/O. R.L. Rutherford, No. 50 Squadron RAFVR POW Stalag Luft III

F/O. Robert Leslie Rutherford, No. 50 Squadron

Les Rutherford served as a despatch rider in the army, he was evacuated from Dunkirk using a shed door and volunteered to transfer to the RAF. He became a bomb aimer with No. 50 Squadron and completed 24 operations. He was shot down over Germany on 20th December 1943 in Lancaster III DV217 and became a prisoner of war.

International Bomber Command Centre have digitised his diary and other items as well as interviewed Rutherford.

https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/show/168

Took off 16:58 from Skellingthorpe. Burst into flames at 19000ft and the order to bale out was given.

Pilot Officer John Llewelyn HECKENDORF (412442) KIA
Navigator Flying Officer Kenneth Thornton DALE (141548) KIA
Air Gunner Sergeant Douglas Sinclair HALL (1483259) KIA
Flight Engineer Sergeant John HENDERSON (1019301) KIA
Flight Sergeant Robert Campbell TURNER (408379) KIA
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. A.D. Hope, RAFVR (169139) POW
F/O. Air/Bomber F/O. R.L. Rutherford, RAFVR (146342) POW
(info from RAFCommands)

Hope & Rutherford were the only survivors, the rest of the crew were buried in Durnbach War Cemetery.

One should look at his diary with cartoons, sketches & a tribute to the Fifty men of Stalag Luft III that were murdered, in the vain of a medieval manuscript.

Les Rutherford's prisoner of war diary

Interview with Les Rutherford. One

Interview with Les Rutherford. Three

Interview with Les Rutherford. Four

English airman's grave

Les Rutherford's prisoner of war parcel inventory

Programme for Christmas show

Warnung der Regierungen der Sowjetunion, der Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika und Grossbrittanniens an alle deutschen Kommandanten

Len Whiteley presents Fanfare