Back to England at Last!
Heroes Remember
Back to England at Last!
Transcript
Description
After some time on Gibraltar, Mr. MacLean returned to England by way of Scotland. While in Scotland, he was informed that he would receive the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and was summoned to Buckingham Palace where he received his medal from King George VI.
John Angus MacLean
Mr. MacLean’s father was a farmer in eastern Prince Edward Island. His grandfather came to Canada from Scotland in 1832. Mr. MacLean had three brothers and four sisters. Two of his brothers died, one at the age of fiveand the other at the age of about one year. For the first two years of his higher education, Mr. MacLean attended Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick. He went on to the University of British Columbia for his third year of study on a one-year scholarship, majoring in chemistry. In 1938, he returned to Mount Allison University to complete his studies and graduated in 1939. Following graduation, he answered a newspaper advertisement placed by the Royal Air Force for a short-term commission with the RAF. He was chosen as one of two successful Canadian candidates. But, before he could leave for England, the Second World War had started and he was offered a commission in the Royal Canadian Air Force, which he accepted. Mr. MacLean’s bomber was brought down over Germany and he and his crew were forced to bail out. Mr. MacLean landed just inside occupied Holland and was moved along the Comet Line through Holland, Belgium and France to freedom in Spain. He’s an excellent story-teller with emphasis on detail. Mr. MacLean also had an outstanding post-war career as a politician. He served for 10 terms as a Member of Parliament and a term as Premier of his home province of Prince Edward Island.
Meta Data
- Medium:
- Video
- Owner:
- Veterans Affairs Canada
- Duration:
- 02:15
- Person Interviewed:
- John Angus MacLean
- War, Conflict or Mission:
- Second World War
- Location/Theatre:
- Europe
- Branch:
- Air Force
- Units/Ship:
- Bomber Command
- Rank:
- Captain
- Occupation:
- Pilot
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Answers Newspaper Ad For RAF
Work was very scarce as Mr. MacLean graduated from university in the spring of 1939. He recalls answering a newspaper advertisement that eventually took him into the Second World War.
Parents React To Overseas Posting
Basic training and a period as a pilot instructor in Canada behind him, Mr. MacLean recalls the reaction of his parents when he told them he had been posted overseas.
Bomber Raid Into Germany
Now a pilot with Bomber Command, Mr. MacLean has made six or seven bombing raids behind enemy lines, including one that sent a thousand planes to bomb Cologne in south Germany. Within a week of completing that mission, he is told that a smaller group of bombers would be sent to Essen. It would result in a dramatic chain of events for this young Canadian pilot.
Bailing Out Over Holland
Mr. MacLean continues his account of the bombing run to Essen, Germany that resulted in his plane being hit. He orders his men to bail out while he takes the plane several miles beyond their location and parachutes himself. It’s the beginning of his long and life-threatening journey back to England.
Injured in the Landing
Mr. MacLean, preceded by his crew, is the last to jump from his crippled plane. He lands in a field, some miles from where his crew would have come down. It was not an easy landing.
Discovered!
Mr. MacLean has slept most of the day, hidden in bushes at the edge of the field where he landed when he bailed out of his plane over occupied Holland. He awakes to see two young girls approaching.
Help from the Dutch
Mr. MacLean sleeps overnight under a blanket of grass in a nearby Dutch orchard. Morning comes.
A Close Call With the Germans
Now in civilian clothes, thanks to the efforts of friendly Dutch people who continue to risk their lives to help him, Mr. MacLean begins walking toward a bridge over a near-by river. Again, an unexpected development delivers him from certain discovery and capture by the Germans.
A Tribute to His Helpers in Holland
From the beginning of his journey through Holland, many Dutch citizens provided great assistance to Mr. MacLean, and others in similar situations. They did so at the risk of being caught by occupying German forces and being executed. He pays tribute to their courage and kindness.
In Hiding on a Dutch River Houseboat
His efforts to remain hidden from the occupying Germans in Holland is helped along through a chance meeting with an elderly woman, a member of a family who lives on a river houseboat.
The Journey to Freedom Continues
Mr. MacLean continues his account of his escape from Holland and on into Belgium.
First Contact in Belgium
Mr. MacLean is being taken by a young Belgian man named Mondo to the home of a couple in Brussels who were to help him to his next escape route destination.
Help From the Comet Line
The Comet Line was an organization in Brussels that arranged passage into Spain for Allied service men and women who were caught in occupied territory. Mr. MacLean explains briefly its history and the subsequent help he received from the underground organization.
On to Paris Via the Comet Line
Mr. MacLean continues the account of his time in Brussels, awaiting further instructions. They finally come and he is told he will travel by train with two other men to Paris on the following day.
His Emotional State
In the midst of all that was happening to him, Mr. MacLean was asked if he had experienced any feelings of loneliness or worry about his possible eventual fate.
From Paris to Southern France
Following his time in Paris, Mr. MacLean and several others were taken by train to the south of France. He spent the first night there in the home of the founder of the Comet Line and, the following evening, he was taken to another residence. It would prove to be his last day in occupied territory and the beginning of the last leg of his journey to freedom.
Old Friends' Chance Meeting
Mr. MacLean recalls a chance meeting with one of his Comet Line guides who took him from Brussels to Paris. He reflects sadly on the fate of three others who had helped him to freedom and were later betrayed to the Germans, captured and executed.
Post-War Responsibilities
The war is over. But, Mr. MacLean’s work was not.
A Post-War Career in Canadian Politics
Mr. MacLean describes his post-war entry into the political arena in Canada, serving 10 terms as a Member of Parliament for a Prince Edward Island constituency, followed by a term as Premier of his home province.
A Special Jacket and Tie
Mr. MacLean wore a special jacket and necktie during the recording of the interview. They bore images of a caterpillar. He explains the significance.
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