Cloud
and very heavy haze again, hence no operations. Several pilots visited
F/O R.V. Smith at 52 M.F.H. in Eindhoven this morning. "Smitty"
seemed just the same as ever with bags of mirth and humour. He gave us
an account of his experience on the 19th. His aircraft had exploded on
the dive onto the target whilst he was firing his cannon. It all
happened just as he pressed the bomb release. Two explosions were
heard and he went flying through the air. Both helmet, pistol and
other odds and ends were blown off! He pulled the damaged ripcord and
the 'chute opened. What a relief! However, he managed to land in the
lake north-east of Hertegenbesch and swam ashore where a German
Officer met him with a Luger.
"Smitty"
was then taken to a prison camp, but when he fell out of the Staff car
that transported him, some senior officers decided to take him to the
hospital. Jerries promised him a new uniform in Germany, soon. On
arriving in the hospital, Dutch employees winked at him knowingly. The
hospital staff were quite courteous and provided ample food especially
when the Germans left his bedside.
On
Wednesday morning our forward troops shelled Hertegenbesch. In the
afternoon a British Red Cross Officer visited the hospital. At night,
the Germans shelled Hertegenbesch mercilessly with many strikes on the
hospital. Smitty" and many others were in the basement where
continuous and frightened prayers could be heard amid the constant
whistle of enemy heavy and light shells followed by violent
explosions. The
injuries sustained by him were lacerations of the right hand and a
flak mould in the calf of his left lef as a result of his aircraft
exploding.
F/L C.L.
Burgess and F/O R.A. Hiltz caught an aircraft to England where they
are taking a week's leave.
Tiger
Squadron