Hedley Fowler
Encyclopedia
Hedley Nevile 'Bill' Fowler MC
(8 June 1916 – 26 March 1944) was a Royal Air Force
pilot who became a prisoner of war
and successfully escaped from Oflag IV-C
at Colditz
during the Second World War.
on 8 June 1916. His father was a Paymaster-Commander in the Royal Navy
and he was great-grandson of Sir Henry Ayers
, a Premier of South Australia
for whom Ayers Rock
was named.
Fowler's family moved to Adelaide
in South Australia in 1920, before returning to the UK in 1924 so Fowler could attend Rugby School
. He returned to Australia in 1933, before enlisting in the Royal Australian Air Force
in 1936, and then transferring to the Royal Air Force
(RAF).
on 19 February 1937. He was trained at No 6 Flying Training School at Netheravon
before being posted to 3 Squadron
on 22 May 1937. He then served as a Fighter pilot
with 615 Squadron
commanded by Squadron Leader
Joseph Kayll
, flying Gladiators
. He joined the Squadron in October 1939 before converting to Hurricanes
in May 1940.
Fowler and 615 Squadron had arrived in France in November 1939 as part of the Air Component for the BEF
. When the German invasion of the west
commenced on 10 May 1940, the Squadron was still converting onto Hurricanes, although they were in action from the very start. Fowler made his first 'kill' on 12 May 1940 when he shot down a Me 109
. This was also the Squadron's first kill. He was credited with shooting down a Dornier Do 17
on 14 May 1940 as well, followed by another Me 109 the next day. During the same engagement he was also shot down. He bailed out and landed in the Ardennes
Forest where he met some French soldiers retreating from the front line. However the next day, 16 May, the group was surrounded and forced to surrender. As a result, Fowler became a prisoner of war
.
He was promoted to Flight Lieutenant
on 3 September 1940 whilst in captivity.
transit camp at Oberursel before being transferred to Stalag Luft I
at Barth, arriving there on 5 July 1940.
and attempted to stow away on a Swedish ship; but whilst at the docks he was arrested by a German policeman. He was returned to Stalag Luft I
and sentenced to 14 days solitary confinement, before being transferred to the 'escape proof' camp Oflag IV-C
at Colditz Castle
, arriving on 1 December 1941.
During his time at Colditz, Fowler took part in 'Goon Baiting', which involved harassing and annoying the German guards as much as possible, under the able direction of Douglas Bader
. For this, Fowler - as many others - spent time in solitary confinement.
During August 1942 an escape plan was prepared for a party of officers moving through a short tunnel which started in the German Stabsfeldwebel's (Sergeant Major
) office located near the prisoner's sick quarters. The starting location was chosen because it was a place unlikely to be thoroughly searched. Fowler was involved from the outset. The prisoners picked the office's lock and over a few nights built a tunnel which led from under the Stabsfeldwebel's desk to a clothing store with access to the outside. The tunnel was partly constructed by Captain Pat Reid.
From the clothing store the prisoners were to leave the castle disguised as a work party removing clothes from the store, four to be dressed as Polish orderlies, one disguised as a German officer, the other as a German NCO
. The six officers were Fowler, Captain Lulu Lawton (British Army
), Lieutenant Geoff Wardle (Royal Navy
) and three Dutch
officers, Lt Beitz, Lt Donkers and Lt Damiaen Joan van Doorninck
. The escape took place on 9 September 1942. All went well as the six escapers and two assistants entered the office during the previous evening and opened up the tunnel. However at around midnight there was an alarm and the Germans searched the castle. Fortunately for the prisoners, the office door had been relocked and this satisfied the searchers that nobody had entered the office. After entering the clothing store the tunnel was sealed up to allow later use (it was discovered the following day during the search for the missing officers). At 0730 the escape party left the store, timed to be shortly after the change of the German sentries; the idea being that the new sentries would be unaware of who had already entered the store. The party, led by van Doorninck (dressed as the German NCO), proceeded past several sentries and using a forged
pass, left the castle unaccosted.
Outside the camp the party changed into civilian clothes and separated, Fowler travelling with van Doornick. They travelled on foot to Penig
(about 31 km) and from there by train to Plauen
via Zwickau
. They caught the train to Stuttgart
where they stayed overnight in a small hotel. The next day they caught a train to Tuttlingen
and walked to the Swiss border. En route they were stopped by an SS
policeman, but their forged papers were sufficient to pass inspection. They crossed into Switzerland at 0130 on 13 September 1942, and were taken to the British legation
at Bern. The other four escapers were recaptured close to Colditz.
Ronald B. Littledale, who had escaped from Colditz with Pat Reid, travelled across unoccupied France
into Spain on 30 January 1943. They were arrested by the Spanish authorities later the same day. They were taken to a military prison
at Figueras and held in filthy and cramped conditions until 22 February 1943. They were then taken to the British Consul
in Barcelona
from where they travelled to Gibraltar
, arriving on 25 March 1943. Fowler returned to the UK shortly afterwards.
For his successful escape, Fowler was awarded the Military Cross
, which was gazetted
on 14 December 1943.
, and posted to the Armament Test Squadron at Boscombe Down to act as a test pilot
. He was killed during an air test flying a Hawker Typhoon
on 26 March 1944, and was buried at Durrington cemetery.
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(8 June 1916 – 26 March 1944) was a Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
pilot who became a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
and successfully escaped from Oflag IV-C
Oflag IV-C
Oflag IV-C, often referred to as Colditz Castle because of its location, was one of the most famous German Army prisoner-of-war camps for officers in World War II; Oflag is a shortening of Offizierslager, meaning "officers camp"...
at Colditz
Colditz
Colditz is a town in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, near Leipzig, located on the banks of the river Mulde. The town has a population of 5,188 ....
during the Second World War.
Early life
Fowler was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 8 June 1916. His father was a Paymaster-Commander in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and he was great-grandson of Sir Henry Ayers
Henry Ayers
Sir Henry Ayers GCMG was Premier of South Australia five times between 1863 and 1873, but is perhaps best remembered for having Uluru/Ayers Rock named for him.- Overview :...
, a Premier of South Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
for whom Ayers Rock
Uluru
Uluru , also known as Ayers Rock, is a large sandstone rock formation in the southern part of the Northern Territory, central Australia. It lies south west of the nearest large town, Alice Springs; by road. Kata Tjuta and Uluru are the two major features of the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park....
was named.
Fowler's family moved to Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
in South Australia in 1920, before returning to the UK in 1924 so Fowler could attend Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
. He returned to Australia in 1933, before enlisting in the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
in 1936, and then transferring to the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF).
Fighter pilot
Fowler was granted a short-service commission in the RAF as a Pilot OfficerPilot Officer
Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
on 19 February 1937. He was trained at No 6 Flying Training School at Netheravon
Netheravon
Netheravon is a village and civil parish on the River Avon, about north of the town of Amesbury in Wiltshire.-Notable people:The writer Frank Sawyer , although born in Bulford, spent most of his life in Netheravon as river keeper River Avon and died on the banks of the river near the parish church...
before being posted to 3 Squadron
No. 3 Squadron RAF
No 3 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Typhoon F2, FGR4 and T3 from RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire.No 3 Squadron, which celebrated its 95th anniversary over the weekend of 11-13 May 2007, is unique in the RAF for having two official crests....
on 22 May 1937. He then served as a Fighter pilot
Fighter pilot
A fighter pilot is a military aviator trained in air-to-air combat while piloting a fighter aircraft . Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and dogfighting...
with 615 Squadron
No. 615 Squadron RAF
No. 615 Squadron was a unit of the British Auxiliary Air Force and later the Royal Auxiliary Air Force between 1937 and 1957.-Formation and early years:...
commanded by Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
Joseph Kayll
Joseph Kayll
Joseph Robert Kayll DSO, OBE, DFC, AE, DL was a British flying ace who served in the Royal Air Force in the Second World War....
, flying Gladiators
Gloster Gladiator
The Gloster Gladiator was a British-built biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. It was the RAF's last biplane fighter aircraft and was rendered obsolete by newer monoplane designs even as it...
. He joined the Squadron in October 1939 before converting to Hurricanes
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
in May 1940.
Fowler and 615 Squadron had arrived in France in November 1939 as part of the Air Component for the BEF
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
. When the German invasion of the west
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
commenced on 10 May 1940, the Squadron was still converting onto Hurricanes, although they were in action from the very start. Fowler made his first 'kill' on 12 May 1940 when he shot down a Me 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
. This was also the Squadron's first kill. He was credited with shooting down a Dornier Do 17
Dornier Do 17
The Dornier Do 17, sometimes referred to as the Fliegender Bleistift , was a World War II German light bomber produced by Claudius Dornier's company, Dornier Flugzeugwerke...
on 14 May 1940 as well, followed by another Me 109 the next day. During the same engagement he was also shot down. He bailed out and landed in the Ardennes
Ardennes
The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests, rolling hills and ridges formed within the Givetian Ardennes mountain range, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France , and geologically into the Eifel...
Forest where he met some French soldiers retreating from the front line. However the next day, 16 May, the group was surrounded and forced to surrender. As a result, Fowler became a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
.
He was promoted to Flight Lieutenant
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
on 3 September 1940 whilst in captivity.
Prisoner of war
Fowler was sent to Dulag luftDulag luft
thumb|right|Sgt. Edward Hill of [[Manchester, England]], freed from five years of captivity at Dulag Luft, by the American Seventh Armored Division, First Army, circa 29 March 1945...
transit camp at Oberursel before being transferred to Stalag Luft I
Stalag Luft I
Stalag Luft I was a German World War II prisoner-of-war camp near Barth, Western Pomerania, Germany, for captured Allied airmen. The presence of the prison camp is said to have shielded the town of Barth from Allied bombing...
at Barth, arriving there on 5 July 1940.
Stalag Luft I and first escape
By November 1941, Fowler was acting as a distributor of Red Cross parcels. During his time in captivity Fowler had been making a bogus German uniform out of various bits of material and a civilian suit, smuggling them into the parcel office which was situated outside the main prisoner's compound. On 5 November 1941, he dressed in his bogus German uniform from the parcel office and climbed over the lightly guarded perimeter fence. Outside the camp he changed into his civilian suit. He managed to reach SassnitzSassnitz
Sassnitz is a town on the Jasmund peninsula, Rügen Island, in the Federal State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. The population as of 2007 was 10,747....
and attempted to stow away on a Swedish ship; but whilst at the docks he was arrested by a German policeman. He was returned to Stalag Luft I
Stalag Luft I
Stalag Luft I was a German World War II prisoner-of-war camp near Barth, Western Pomerania, Germany, for captured Allied airmen. The presence of the prison camp is said to have shielded the town of Barth from Allied bombing...
and sentenced to 14 days solitary confinement, before being transferred to the 'escape proof' camp Oflag IV-C
Oflag IV-C
Oflag IV-C, often referred to as Colditz Castle because of its location, was one of the most famous German Army prisoner-of-war camps for officers in World War II; Oflag is a shortening of Offizierslager, meaning "officers camp"...
at Colditz Castle
Colditz Castle
Colditz Castle is a Renaissance castle in the town of Colditz near Leipzig, Dresden, and Chemnitz in the state of Saxony in Germany. Used as a workhouse for the indigent and a mental institution for over 100 years, it gained international fame as a prisoner-of-war camp during World War II for...
, arriving on 1 December 1941.
Colditz Castle and successful escape
Douglas Bader
Group Captain Sir Douglas Robert Steuart Bader CBE, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar, FRAeS, DL was a Royal Air Force fighter ace during the Second World War. He was credited with 20 aerial victories, four shared victories, six probables, one shared probable and 11 enemy aircraft damaged.Bader joined the...
. For this, Fowler - as many others - spent time in solitary confinement.
During August 1942 an escape plan was prepared for a party of officers moving through a short tunnel which started in the German Stabsfeldwebel's (Sergeant Major
Sergeant Major
Sergeants major is a senior non-commissioned rank or appointment in many militaries around the world. In Commonwealth countries, Sergeants Major are usually appointments held by senior non-commissioned officers or warrant officers...
) office located near the prisoner's sick quarters. The starting location was chosen because it was a place unlikely to be thoroughly searched. Fowler was involved from the outset. The prisoners picked the office's lock and over a few nights built a tunnel which led from under the Stabsfeldwebel's desk to a clothing store with access to the outside. The tunnel was partly constructed by Captain Pat Reid.
From the clothing store the prisoners were to leave the castle disguised as a work party removing clothes from the store, four to be dressed as Polish orderlies, one disguised as a German officer, the other as a German NCO
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
. The six officers were Fowler, Captain Lulu Lawton (British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
), Lieutenant Geoff Wardle (Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
) and three Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
officers, Lt Beitz, Lt Donkers and Lt Damiaen Joan van Doorninck
Damiaen Joan van Doorninck
Damiaen J. van Doorninck was a Dutch officer and a POW in Colditz.- POW :...
. The escape took place on 9 September 1942. All went well as the six escapers and two assistants entered the office during the previous evening and opened up the tunnel. However at around midnight there was an alarm and the Germans searched the castle. Fortunately for the prisoners, the office door had been relocked and this satisfied the searchers that nobody had entered the office. After entering the clothing store the tunnel was sealed up to allow later use (it was discovered the following day during the search for the missing officers). At 0730 the escape party left the store, timed to be shortly after the change of the German sentries; the idea being that the new sentries would be unaware of who had already entered the store. The party, led by van Doorninck (dressed as the German NCO), proceeded past several sentries and using a forged
Forgery
Forgery is the process of making, adapting, or imitating objects, statistics, or documents with the intent to deceive. Copies, studio replicas, and reproductions are not considered forgeries, though they may later become forgeries through knowing and willful misrepresentations. Forging money or...
pass, left the castle unaccosted.
Outside the camp the party changed into civilian clothes and separated, Fowler travelling with van Doornick. They travelled on foot to Penig
Penig
Penig is a town in the district of Mittelsachsen, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the river Zwickauer Mulde, 19 km northwest of Chemnitz. Penig housed a concentration camp during World War II....
(about 31 km) and from there by train to Plauen
Plauen
Plauen is a town in the Free State of Saxony, east-central Germany.It is the capital of the Vogtlandkreis. The town is situated near the border of Bavaria and the Czech Republic.Plauen's slogan is Plauen - echt Spitze.-History:...
via Zwickau
Zwickau
Zwickau in Germany, former seat of the government of the south-western region of the Free State of Saxony, belongs to an industrial and economical core region. Nowadays it is the capital city of the district of Zwickau...
. They caught the train to Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
where they stayed overnight in a small hotel. The next day they caught a train to Tuttlingen
Tuttlingen
Tuttlingen is a town in Baden-Württemberg, capital of the district Tuttlingen. Nendingen, Möhringen and Eßlingen are three former municipalities that belong to Tuttlingen...
and walked to the Swiss border. En route they were stopped by an SS
Schutzstaffel
The Schutzstaffel |Sig runes]]) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS under Heinrich Himmler's command was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II...
policeman, but their forged papers were sufficient to pass inspection. They crossed into Switzerland at 0130 on 13 September 1942, and were taken to the British legation
Legation
A legation was the term used in diplomacy to denote a diplomatic representative office lower than an embassy. Where an embassy was headed by an Ambassador, a legation was headed by a Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary....
at Bern. The other four escapers were recaptured close to Colditz.
Return to the UK
Fowler left Switzerland on 25 January 1943 and with MajorMajor
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Ronald B. Littledale, who had escaped from Colditz with Pat Reid, travelled across unoccupied France
Vichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
into Spain on 30 January 1943. They were arrested by the Spanish authorities later the same day. They were taken to a military prison
Military prison
A military prison is a prison operated by the military. Military prisons are used variously to house prisoners of war, enemy combatants, those whose freedom is deemed a national security risk by the military or national authorities, and members of the military found guilty of a serious crime...
at Figueras and held in filthy and cramped conditions until 22 February 1943. They were then taken to the British Consul
Consul
Consul was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire. The title was also used in other city states and also revived in modern states, notably in the First French Republic...
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
from where they travelled to Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
, arriving on 25 March 1943. Fowler returned to the UK shortly afterwards.
For his successful escape, Fowler was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, which was gazetted
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
on 14 December 1943.
Death
On reaching the UK, Fowler was promoted to Squadron LeaderSquadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
, and posted to the Armament Test Squadron at Boscombe Down to act as a test pilot
Test pilot
A test pilot is an aviator who flies new and modified aircraft in specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques or FTTs, allowing the results to be measured and the design to be evaluated....
. He was killed during an air test flying a Hawker Typhoon
Hawker Typhoon
The Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied...
on 26 March 1944, and was buried at Durrington cemetery.