Ayup, There's quite a bit out there in Google world mate, Some basics: 402894 F/O John P P Pohe, New Zealander, born 10-Dec-21, 51 Sqdn (shot down 22/23-Sep-41, Halifax II, JN901) recaptured near Gorlitz, murdered 31-Mar-44 by Lux and Scharpwinkel, cremated at Gorlitz. Also known by his Maori name of Porokoru Patapu. From Cwgc: Casualty Details <TABLE class=datatable cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=2 width="97%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR id=tr_name><TH vAlign=top align=right width="30%">Name:</TH><TD id=td_name>POHE, POROKORU PATAPU</TD></TR><TR id=tr_initials><TH vAlign=top align=right width="30%">Initials:</TH><TD id=td_initials>P P</TD></TR><TR id=tr_nationality><TH vAlign=top align=right width="30%">Nationality:</TH><TD id=td_nationality>New Zealand</TD></TR><TR id=tr_rank><TH vAlign=top align=right width="30%">Rank:</TH><TD id=td_rank>Flying Officer (Pilot)</TD></TR><TR id=tr_regiment><TH vAlign=top align=right width="30%">Regiment/Service:</TH><TD id=td_regiment>Royal New Zealand Air Force</TD></TR><TR id=tr_unittext><TH vAlign=top align=right width="30%">Unit Text:</TH><TD id=td_unittext>51 (R.A.F.) Sqdn.</TD></TR><!-- <tr> <td vAlign="top" align="left" width="30%">Force:</td> <td id="td_force"></td> </tr>--><TR id=tr_age><TH vAlign=top align=right width="30%">Age:</TH><TD id=td_age>29</TD></TR><TR id=tr_death><TH vAlign=top align=right width="30%">Date of Death:</TH><TD id=td_death>31/03/1944</TD></TR><TR id=tr_service><TH vAlign=top align=right width="30%">Service No:</TH><TD id=td_service>402894</TD></TR><TR id=tr_information><TH vAlign=top align=right width="30%">Additional information:</TH><TD id=td_information>Son of Whatarangi Ropoama Pohe and Honoria Maraea Pohe, of Taihape, Auckland, New Zealand.</TD></TR><TR id=tr_type><TH vAlign=top align=right width="30%">Casualty Type:</TH><TD id=td_type>Commonwealth War Dead</TD></TR><TR id=tr_grave><TH vAlign=top align=right width="30%">Grave/Memorial Reference:</TH><TD id=td_grave>Coll. grave 9. A.</TD></TR><TR id=tr_cemetery><TH vAlign=top align=right width="30%">Cemetery:</TH><TD id=td_cemetery>POZNAN OLD GARRISON CEMETERY</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> Cheers, Adam.
He was shot down by a night fighter (22nd-23rd Sept 1943) on a mission to Hannover. All the crew were taken Prisoner. Hannover - 22/23 September 1943. 711 Aircraft - 322 Lancasters, 226 Halifaxes, 137 Stirlings, 26 Wellingtons and 5 B17s, America's first night raid on Germany. 26 aircraft lost - 12 Halifaxes, 7 Lancasters, 5 Stirlings and 2 Wellingtons. Visibility in the target area was good, but strong winds concertrated the bombing between 2 & 5 miles South-South-East of the city centre. This was the first major raid on the Hannover for 2 years.
22 - 23 September 1943. 51 Squadron. Halifax II JN901 MH- Op. Hannover. Crew. F/O. P P. Pohe RNZAF pow. Sgt. S. Hayes pow. Sgt. F G. Ward pow. Sgt. F G. Wells pow. Sgt. J H. Hawkins pow. Sgt. C F. Dowlman pow. Sgt. T A. Thomson RCAF pow. The Halifax took of at 1844 hrs from Snaith. Shot down by night-fighter. F/O. Pohe RNZAF took part in the mass escape from Sagan in March 1944, was recaptured and murdered by the Gestapo at Gorlitz, on or about 31 March 1944. His grave is now in Poznan Old Cemetery in Poland. BCL Vol 4
any info on john pohe a kiwi murdered after the so called great escape by the gestapo John Pohe is remembered in the RAF Snaith memorial garden which is on the eastern boundary of the airfield. The airfield is actually in the village of Pollington and now is owned by Northern Straw who I believe care for the garden.There are quite a number of crew memorials here which are well cared for. The M 62 now cuts across the northern part of the airfield clipping off some of the the bomb dump to the west side and about a 100 yards of Runway 14 and Runway 23 to their thresholds.Aircraft pan type dispersals were laid down north of the present Pontefract /Goole main road which lies further north of the M 62. No 51 Squadron lost four aircrew in March 1945 when as POWs, shotdown and being escorted into capitivity they were murdered by their escorts.The three who survived, survived solely because they had been taken to hospital and were otherwise safe.The survivors were not aware of the fate of their fellow crew members until investigations into their loss were initiated in 1946. No 51 Squadron used to have a very good web site. The squadron spent most of their time based at Snaith when equipped with Halifaxes.
I was unaware that there were 5 Australians executed. Thanks for posting that 52nd. 400364 S/L James Catanach DFC, Australian, born 28-Nov-1921, 455 Sqdn (crash landed in Norway, 6-Sep-1942, Hampden I AT109), recaptured at Flensburg, murdered 29-Mar-1944 by Post, cremated at Kiel. http://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/awm192/00312/003120901.pdf 403218 F/L Albert H Hake, Australian, born 30-Jun-1916, 72 Sqdn, shot down 4-Apr-42, Spitfire Vb AB258, recaptured near Gorlitz, murdered 31-Mar-1944 by Lux and Scharpwinkel, cremated at Gorlitz. Albert Horace Hake Albert Horace Hake was awarded the following honours: Mention in Dispatches http://cas.awm.gov.au/pls/TST2/cas_disp_pkg.pr_get_public_image?ps_accnum=REL/12692.004&ps_what=thumb More information about a Mention in Dispatches <dl><dt>Service Number</dt><dd>403218</dd><dt>Service</dt><dd>RAAF</dd><dt>Rank</dt><dd>Warrant Officer</dd><dt>Unit</dt><dd>RAAF</dd><dt>Conflict</dt><dd>WW2</dd><dt>Date of London Gazette</dt><dd class="doubleline">8 June 1944, page 2642, position 58</dd><dt>Date of Commonwealth of Australia Gazette</dt><dd class="tripleline">22 June 1944, page 1253, position 2</dd></dl> 402364 F/L Reginald V Kierath, Australian, born 20-Feb-1915, 450 Sqdn, PoW 23-Apr-1943, recaptured near Reichenburg, murdered 29-Mar-1944 by unknown Gestapo, cremated at Brux. Reginald Victor Kierath Reginald Victor Kierath was awarded the following honours: Mention in Dispatches http://cas.awm.gov.au/pls/TST2/cas_disp_pkg.pr_get_public_image?ps_accnum=REL/12692.004&ps_what=thumb More information about a Mention in Dispatches <dl><dt>Service Number</dt><dd>402364</dd><dt>Service</dt><dd>RAAF</dd><dt>Rank</dt><dd>Flight Lieutenant</dd><dt>Unit</dt><dd>RAAF</dd><dt>Conflict</dt><dd>WW2</dd><dt>Date of London Gazette</dt><dd class="doubleline">8 June 1944, page 2642, position 24</dd><dt>Date of Commonwealth of Australia Gazette</dt><dd class="tripleline">22 June 1944, page 1252, position 79 </dd></dl> 46462 F/L Thomas B Leigh, Australian in RAF, born 11-Feb-1919, 76 Sqdn (shot down 5/6-Aug-1941, Halifax I, L9516), recaptured in Sagan area; last seen alive 12-Apr-1944, murdered by Lux and Scharpwinkel; cremated at Breslau. Nothing on the Australian Roll....Listed as British <table class="datatable" id="dgCasualties" border="1" bordercolor="#b9a6a9" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" rules="all" width="90%"><tbody><tr><td> 1 </td><td> LEIGH, THOMAS BARKER </td><td>Flight Lieutenant</td><td>46462</td><td>31/03/1944 </td><td>25</td><td>Royal Air Force</td><td>United Kingdom</td><td>7. C. 4.</td><td>POZNAN OLD GARRISON CEMETERY</td></tr></tbody></table> Nothing on the Australian or British............Anyone??????????? 40652 S/L John E A Williams DFC, Australian, born 6-May-1919, 450 Sqdn, PoW 31-Oct-1942, recaptured near Reichenberg, murdered 29-Mar-1944 by Lux, cremated at Brux.
John Pohe is remembered in the RAF Snaith memorial garden which is on the eastern boundary of the airfield. The airfield is actually in the village of Pollington and now is owned by Northern Straw who I believe care for the garden.There are quite a number of crew memorials here which are well cared for. The M 62 now cuts across the northern part of the airfield clipping off some of the the bomb dump to the west side and about a 100 yards of Runway 14 and Runway 23 to their thresholds.Aircraft pan type dispersals were laid down north of the present Pontefract /Goole main road which lies further north of the M 62. No 51 Squadron lost four aircrew in March 1945 when as POWs, shotdown and being escorted into capitivity they were murdered by their escorts.The three who survived, survived solely because they had been taken to hospital and were otherwise safe.The survivors were not aware of the fate of their fellow crew members until investigations into their loss were initiated in 1946. No 51 Squadron used to have a very good web site. The squadron spent most of their time based at Snaith when equipped with Halifaxes. Update Go to Untitled John Pohe's memorial plaque in RAF Snaith Memorial Garden.(Courtesy 51 Squadron RAF Snaith)
