Scotty's Little Soliders

51 Sqn Flying log for the night JD264 crashed.

On New Year’s Day he was put on the Berlin-Frankfurt Express to be taken to the Dulag Luft interrogation camp. He spent a number of days here, going through a routine of interrogations and cell time, and despite the best efforts of the interrogators which included using fake Red Cross documents and threats of being taken to the Gestapo headquarters, he gave nothing away.

Albert was then moved to Stalag IVB which is where he would stay until the end of his captivity. Initially located in a hut which was 90% army, he had his flying boots taken and issued with a kind of wooden sandal. Due to the weather he quickly developed frostbite, so medical assessment and issue of boots from the Red Cross were required. When the camp managed to hide a fellow POW the day before he was due to go on trial all of the RAF were taken out of the block, individually identified and then all re-housed into a separate area of the camp (the hidden individual was never found by the Germans). Into April 1945, Albert stated that excitement was growing within the camp having heard how the war was progressing on their contraband wireless radio and also by seeing the number of allied aircraft conducting raids on the increase. There was one occasion where the billet Albert was in, was strafed by two American Mustangs, who had mistakenly attacked a POW working party and for some reason carried on firing through the camp (fortunately nobody was injured).

On Monday 23rd April 1945, everybody woke up to find the Germans had abandoned the camp, and a lone Russian horseman arrived to issue orders to the Russian POWs then left. The next few days were spent venturing out to try and scavenge whatever was available in the local area, but with the Russians advancing on the camp, the decision was made to leave on 6th May. Despite making it to the village of Riesa just over the Elbe River, Russian forces soon arrived and rounded up all of the Allied POWs and placed them in an ex-German Panzer barracks with no beds and just enough room for everybody to sleep on the floor. Albert was here until 23rd May when American Army lorries arrived to transport everybody to Halle Airfield near Leipzig, and two days later flown to Brussels, then to Oakley before getting on a train to Cosford for medicals, new kit and issue of travel warrants. The next day, Albert made it home.

A far more detailed account of Albert’s story, told in his own words, can be found in the book “Last of the Kriegies”. Sgt Albert Gunn in front of a 51 Sqn Halifax at RAF Snaith.

Scotty's Little Soldiers

SCOTTY’S LITTLE SOLDIERS Unit 21 Bergen Way King’s Lynn Norfolk PE30 2JG

August 2022

Hi Garry,

Thank you so much to 8 Sqn for all your hard work and achievements in raising a fantastic £1,276.21 through your charity auction, in memory of Cpl Shaun Dakin and Sgt Shaun Byrne.

Scotty’s is currently providing a range of emotional health and wellbeing support to hundreds of bereaved Forces children and young people across the UK. One of the biggest challenges faced by bereaved children is the sense of isolation, with many feeling like no one understands how they feel. Just by being a Member of Scotty’s, children and young people form a caring community with hundreds of others who have also experienced the death of a parent who served for the British Armed Forces.

Scotty member Austen, aged 10yrs said, “knowing Scotty’s is there for me means a lot. I feel really looked after, and I know that I’m being cared for. The activities they organise help me forget everything bad that is going on.”

Your support means that we can continue providing support to children like Austen on a long-term basis. Thank you for your part in helping us to support bereaved British Forces children and young people.

Best wishes,

Nikki & Everyone at Scotty's Little Soldiers.

Registered Charity No. 1138654 www.scottyslittlesoldiers.co.uk