One of Many by Eric Grisdale
Item
Title
One of Many by Eric Grisdale
Description
Blue Booklet with white text and an image of a Lancaster on the front cover. The back cover features the following text in a white box: "This is the story of one of many Lancaster Bombers shot down over enemy-occupied territory during World War II, and of the two of its crew, who, with the help of brave resistance workers, successfully evaded capture."
This is author Pilot Eric Grisdale's (Squadron 626) account of a bombing at Dortmund, in the Ruhr Valley on the 22nd of May 1944. During the operation, his plane was shot down and, upon crashing, met Dutch national resistance workers who wanted to prevent Grisdale's capture by German soldiers. Morrit (navigator), Prestwell (W/Operator) and Richardson (R/gunner) were killed in the accident, while the remaining crew Turtle (M/U gunner) and Sindall (F/engineer) were taken prisoner. The resistance workers had also found Punter (B/aimer), reunited him with Grisdale, and hid them. They moved Grisdale and Punter from shelter to shelter, eventually aiding them to cross into Belgium. There they joined a group of evading RAF men, Roger Gardener, Jack Trend, Denis Walker, and Ed Simmons. Punter met American Rangers on reconnaissance, and they took the evading RAF men to their advance post and eventually to a British Command Post and RAF control. They were brought back to Hendon by a Dakota aircraft, then were immediately interviewed by M19. Punter and Grisdale lost touch after the war but were reunited in 1985; following that, Grisdale produced this written account.
The booklet features images of the crew, images of the group of evading RAF men, a map of their journey, scans of false papers and false travel permits.
The inside of the front cover is signed "To Bruce and Marie McPherson, With all good wishes, Eric Grisdale"
This is author Pilot Eric Grisdale's (Squadron 626) account of a bombing at Dortmund, in the Ruhr Valley on the 22nd of May 1944. During the operation, his plane was shot down and, upon crashing, met Dutch national resistance workers who wanted to prevent Grisdale's capture by German soldiers. Morrit (navigator), Prestwell (W/Operator) and Richardson (R/gunner) were killed in the accident, while the remaining crew Turtle (M/U gunner) and Sindall (F/engineer) were taken prisoner. The resistance workers had also found Punter (B/aimer), reunited him with Grisdale, and hid them. They moved Grisdale and Punter from shelter to shelter, eventually aiding them to cross into Belgium. There they joined a group of evading RAF men, Roger Gardener, Jack Trend, Denis Walker, and Ed Simmons. Punter met American Rangers on reconnaissance, and they took the evading RAF men to their advance post and eventually to a British Command Post and RAF control. They were brought back to Hendon by a Dakota aircraft, then were immediately interviewed by M19. Punter and Grisdale lost touch after the war but were reunited in 1985; following that, Grisdale produced this written account.
The booklet features images of the crew, images of the group of evading RAF men, a map of their journey, scans of false papers and false travel permits.
The inside of the front cover is signed "To Bruce and Marie McPherson, With all good wishes, Eric Grisdale"
Date
Identifier
025.038.027