Flt. Sgt Ronald Charles Wood 1812663 RAFVR POW
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Ron was the only child of Charles and Gertrude Wood (nee Butcher), who lived in Clapham, London. His mother had a heart condition and died when Ron was 12 months old. His father worked as a railway carriage cleaner/oiler. As a result of his mother's death, he was brought up by his paternal grandparents, (Frederick and Emily Wood) with his father, uncles, aunts and cousin living all together in the same house.
Ron went to school in Battersea, then at the outbreak of WW2, when he was 12 he was sent to the Oxford area as an evacuee. He decided it wasn't for him and made his own way back to London. His grandmother sent him back, but he returned home again, so this time she decided to keep him in London throughout the war.
On 11th December 1942, when he was 15 years old, he tried to join the RAFVR giving his birth as 1925 making him almost 18. He was deferred until 31.1.1943 then recalled and started on 1.2.1943 when they thought he was 18, but in reality 16.
His family were aware of his wishes to join and would never have stopped him.
His family were aware of his wishes to join and would never have stopped him.
His Log Book says he qualified as an air gunner on 5.2.1944.
Like most of the crew it was Ron's 1st mission. He was the mid upper gunner on Halifax No LV771NP-Y with a crew of 7, which took off from RAF Lissett, Yorkshire at 17.37 hours on 4.11.1944 for a raid on Bochum, Germany. When they were only 5 minutes away from their target their plane came under fire and was hit. They caught fire, then the plane exploded which forced both Ron and Sgt Gorton out and their lives were saved by their parachutes.
Ron wrote a postcard to his father on 22.12.1944 from his POW camp, which was received on 24.1.1945. This was the moment they realised he was alive. His father had to inform the Air Ministry who then sent the telegram which arrived on 10.2.1945 (a bit of a mix up!) three months after being shot down.
Dad was captured and because of his "blindness" was taken to the prison hospital in Dusseldorf for 4 days. He was then taken for interrogation at Frankford (Frankfurt oder?) during which time he was subjected to different methods of interrogation - a hot room, cigarettes, 2 days good food, 2 days starvation and "love" from woman! The Germans wanted information on Gyro gun sight, his Squadron, aircraft, their target, the number of crew alive and the names of Officers on the Squadron.
After they had finished interrogating Ron, he was sent to a transit camp for 6 weeks from 12.11.44 until 23.12.44 - which we can definitely now say was Stalag Luft 111, Sagan, as his POW postcards are from Sagan and were written and sent during these dates, plus in the postcard he sent to Ron Gorton's wife he explains he saw "Tom" on 19th November, when they were both at Sagan. Ron was then moved to Stalag Luft 7, Bankau from 26th December 1944 until 19th January 1945.
As the Russians were pushing from the East, the prisoners were forced on the "Long March". Dad's march started on 19th January when he left Stalag Luft 7 Bankau and marched on roads until 8th February 1945 when he reached Stalag Luft 111A Luckenwalde which would have been over 300 miles of marching.
In later life my father would refuse to walk anywhere, saying "I did enough walking in the war".
Ron's brother in law has said that on the march Ron had insufficient clothing or footwear for the extremely harsh winter weather. They didn't know when they would get anything to eat and he sometimes went days with only one potato, often just the potato peelings.
During this time, he lost a lot of weight.
This section has been updated with information given on the Questionnaire for returning POWs which the family have recently obtained from the National Archives at Kew.
After they had finished interrogating Ron, he was sent to a transit camp for 6 weeks from 12.11.44 until 23.12.44 - which we can definitely now say was Stalag Luft 111, Sagan, as his POW postcards are from Sagan and were written and sent during these dates, plus in the postcard he sent to Ron Gorton's wife he explains he saw "Tom" on 19th November, when they were both at Sagan. Ron was then moved to Stalag Luft 7, Bankau from 26th December 1944 until 19th January 1945.
As the Russians were pushing from the East, the prisoners were forced on the "Long March". Dad's march started on 19th January when he left Stalag Luft 7 Bankau and marched on roads until 8th February 1945 when he reached Stalag Luft 111A Luckenwalde which would have been over 300 miles of marching.
In later life my father would refuse to walk anywhere, saying "I did enough walking in the war".
Ron's brother in law has said that on the march Ron had insufficient clothing or footwear for the extremely harsh winter weather. They didn't know when they would get anything to eat and he sometimes went days with only one potato, often just the potato peelings.
During this time, he lost a lot of weight.
This section has been updated with information given on the Questionnaire for returning POWs which the family have recently obtained from the National Archives at Kew.
He was promoted from Sgt to Flt Sgt whilst a POW.
He became a member of the Caterpillar Club - an exclusive club for those whose life was saved by a parachute. His badge has red eyes to denote the plane was burning, It would have green eyes if not burning.
He left the RAF in February 1947 and started working in the ticket office at Tottenham train station.
In 1948, my mother Jean Fursdon was travelling from her home in South Devon to St Katherine's Teacher Training College and used Tottenham train station, where he was working. They started a relationship and married in August 1949 at Morden, Surrey.
They had their first daughter, Pauline, in 1951. During this time he was thinking of emigrating to Australia and Nigel Carrall's sister June was their nominator. It was a split second change of mind, when in November 1951 he returned home to inform my mother he had re-enlisted int the RAF.
Ron and Jean went on to have 3 more daughters, Sylvia, Marian and Pamela.
In 1948, my mother Jean Fursdon was travelling from her home in South Devon to St Katherine's Teacher Training College and used Tottenham train station, where he was working. They started a relationship and married in August 1949 at Morden, Surrey.
They had their first daughter, Pauline, in 1951. During this time he was thinking of emigrating to Australia and Nigel Carrall's sister June was their nominator. It was a split second change of mind, when in November 1951 he returned home to inform my mother he had re-enlisted int the RAF.
Ron and Jean went on to have 3 more daughters, Sylvia, Marian and Pamela.
Ron remained in the RAF until 1969 and was always known as Timber (Wood). He received the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.
German Propaganda Minister, Joseph Goebbels, recognised the power of the radio and one of the main targets was the UK. Radio Bremen was set up in the German city of Bremen on 6th September 1939 as a Nazi propaganda station and was one of many stations to broadcast to the UK. William Joyce (Lord Haw Haw) who broadcast regularly to the UK always started his broadcasts with "Germany calling, Germany calling".
Although listening to his broadcasts was highly discouraged, many Britons did tune into them. In 1940 at the height of his influence, Joyce had an estimated 6 million regular listeners and 18 million occasional listeners in Great Britain. The Nazi broadcasts prominently reported on the shooting down of Allied aircraft and the sinking of Allied ships. They were hoping to make Britons feel demoralised and give up any hope of winning the war.
In Germany though, it was a treasonable offence to listen to any foreign radio station as they promoted their own radio stations full of German propaganda of how well they were doing!
The following letters were received by Ron Wood's family from radio listeners around the UK listening to Radio Bremen whilst he was a POW.
Although listening to his broadcasts was highly discouraged, many Britons did tune into them. In 1940 at the height of his influence, Joyce had an estimated 6 million regular listeners and 18 million occasional listeners in Great Britain. The Nazi broadcasts prominently reported on the shooting down of Allied aircraft and the sinking of Allied ships. They were hoping to make Britons feel demoralised and give up any hope of winning the war.
In Germany though, it was a treasonable offence to listen to any foreign radio station as they promoted their own radio stations full of German propaganda of how well they were doing!
The following letters were received by Ron Wood's family from radio listeners around the UK listening to Radio Bremen whilst he was a POW.
He finished his working career at the Kingston on Thames offices of Hawker Siddeley, later named British Aerospace. Ron also enjoyed his voluntary work as a Special in the Metropolitan Police, rising to the rank of Inspector.
He was still working at BAE when less than 24 hours after an operation he collapsed and died from a Pulmonary embolism in June 1985. He was 58 years old.
He hardly ever mentioned the war, but would answer a few questions at times but never volunteer information.
We knew as a POW he had a very poor diet as he would tell of having to eat potato peelings.
I learnt (the hard way) at a very young age not to touch him if he was asleep, as his arms would fly out in defence thinking it was the enemy.
When he told the RAF about giving the wrong date of birth, they understood as many boys had done the same, but they deducted the 2 years he was under age from his pension!
We are all very proud of his achievement and wished he could have witnessed today's interest in his story.
We realise how much we owe to all our servicemen.
The above information has been written by Sylvia Bridger, one of Ron Wood's daughters who has also kindly provided the documents and photos on this page.
Sylvia has a huge number of documents relating to her father's wartime RAF career and his time as a POW. These include:
Letter from the Wing Commander at 158 Squadron dated 5th November 1944 addressed to Ron's dad confirming that Ron was missing from an operational sortie. It also states that:
"you may wish to write to the next of kin of the English members of the crew.... If you wish to write to them and will send me the letters sealed and addressed under cover I shall be pleased to forward them. I enclose a list of the crew with the names and relationships of the next of kin."
A letter dated 9th November 1944 from the Casualty Branch in London (signed by J A Smith) addressed to C E Wood (Ron's father) expressing the Air Council's regret on learning that Sergeant Ron Wood was missing as a result of air operations. It states that it doesn't necessarily mean that he was killed or wounded and requesting that the family contact the Air Ministry immediately if they should hear from him from any source.
Letter dated 9th November 1944 from the RAF Benevolent Fund addressed to C E Wood offering their sincere sympathy and giving details of financial benefits available.
Letter from the Chaplain of RAF Lissett dated 10th November 1944.
Letter from RAF Lissett dated 13th November 1944 stating that the writer had supervised the collection of Ron's personal effects. This included a search of the Sergeants' Mess and the locker rooms. All service clothing and equipment was extracted from the kit. Amongst his personal effects were two Post Office Savings Bank Books and 10/-d in cash.
A letter from Central Depository in Colnbrook Slough dated 6th January 1945 to C E Wood stating that Ron's personal effects had been received at the Depository and were in safe custody "pending Air Ministry disposal instructions".
Various Red Cross Magazines "Prisoner of War" including a report on Stalag Luft VII Bankau which was visited by the Red Cross in September 1944 in which it states "There is no provision for either hot or cold showers but the men take daily cold showers underneath a pump in the open air".
A Handbook for the Information of Relatives and Friends of PRISONERS OF WAR (Twopence Net). On page 9 of this booklet:
"13. Repatriation.
Enemy Governments are required to send back to their own country without regard to rank or numbers, after rendering them in a fit condition for transport, prisoners of war who are seriously ill or wounded."
This paragraph explains how Sgt Gorton was able to send back to his wife a scarf that he had made for her whilst a POW.
Letter from Vera Gorton to Mrs Wood dated 6th March 1945 in which Vera writes:
"My husband made me a very bright scarf in Germany and he gave it to one of the fellows to send to me, when they came to England, it is very nice and as you can imagine I wear it every day."
The Handbook also gives information for families and dependants on allowances and pay for airmen reported missing or killed.
*A leaflet entitled "Advice to the relative of a man who is missing" in which it states that Government agencies' enquiries are continuously being made to trace missing men. The leaflet refers to enemy broadcasts in which a few names of Prisoners of War are given by enemy announcers. The leaflet discourages families from listening to them as they are "an advantage to the enemy".
Information about letters for Prisoners of War in German hands dated October 1943 produced by the War Organisation of the British Red Cross Society and Order of St John of Jerusalem, Prisoners of War Department. This sheet explains how to write to POWs and how to address the envelope.
Confidential notice instructing families of RAF personnel, killed, wounded or reported missing to ensure that any noticed published privately do not disclose date, place or circumstance of the casualty or unit in the national interest.
If you would like further information on any of the above mentioned documents, please contact us via the Contact Form on this website.
He was still working at BAE when less than 24 hours after an operation he collapsed and died from a Pulmonary embolism in June 1985. He was 58 years old.
He hardly ever mentioned the war, but would answer a few questions at times but never volunteer information.
We knew as a POW he had a very poor diet as he would tell of having to eat potato peelings.
I learnt (the hard way) at a very young age not to touch him if he was asleep, as his arms would fly out in defence thinking it was the enemy.
When he told the RAF about giving the wrong date of birth, they understood as many boys had done the same, but they deducted the 2 years he was under age from his pension!
We are all very proud of his achievement and wished he could have witnessed today's interest in his story.
We realise how much we owe to all our servicemen.
The above information has been written by Sylvia Bridger, one of Ron Wood's daughters who has also kindly provided the documents and photos on this page.
Sylvia has a huge number of documents relating to her father's wartime RAF career and his time as a POW. These include:
Letter from the Wing Commander at 158 Squadron dated 5th November 1944 addressed to Ron's dad confirming that Ron was missing from an operational sortie. It also states that:
"you may wish to write to the next of kin of the English members of the crew.... If you wish to write to them and will send me the letters sealed and addressed under cover I shall be pleased to forward them. I enclose a list of the crew with the names and relationships of the next of kin."
A letter dated 9th November 1944 from the Casualty Branch in London (signed by J A Smith) addressed to C E Wood (Ron's father) expressing the Air Council's regret on learning that Sergeant Ron Wood was missing as a result of air operations. It states that it doesn't necessarily mean that he was killed or wounded and requesting that the family contact the Air Ministry immediately if they should hear from him from any source.
Letter dated 9th November 1944 from the RAF Benevolent Fund addressed to C E Wood offering their sincere sympathy and giving details of financial benefits available.
Letter from the Chaplain of RAF Lissett dated 10th November 1944.
Letter from RAF Lissett dated 13th November 1944 stating that the writer had supervised the collection of Ron's personal effects. This included a search of the Sergeants' Mess and the locker rooms. All service clothing and equipment was extracted from the kit. Amongst his personal effects were two Post Office Savings Bank Books and 10/-d in cash.
A letter from Central Depository in Colnbrook Slough dated 6th January 1945 to C E Wood stating that Ron's personal effects had been received at the Depository and were in safe custody "pending Air Ministry disposal instructions".
Various Red Cross Magazines "Prisoner of War" including a report on Stalag Luft VII Bankau which was visited by the Red Cross in September 1944 in which it states "There is no provision for either hot or cold showers but the men take daily cold showers underneath a pump in the open air".
A Handbook for the Information of Relatives and Friends of PRISONERS OF WAR (Twopence Net). On page 9 of this booklet:
"13. Repatriation.
Enemy Governments are required to send back to their own country without regard to rank or numbers, after rendering them in a fit condition for transport, prisoners of war who are seriously ill or wounded."
This paragraph explains how Sgt Gorton was able to send back to his wife a scarf that he had made for her whilst a POW.
Letter from Vera Gorton to Mrs Wood dated 6th March 1945 in which Vera writes:
"My husband made me a very bright scarf in Germany and he gave it to one of the fellows to send to me, when they came to England, it is very nice and as you can imagine I wear it every day."
The Handbook also gives information for families and dependants on allowances and pay for airmen reported missing or killed.
*A leaflet entitled "Advice to the relative of a man who is missing" in which it states that Government agencies' enquiries are continuously being made to trace missing men. The leaflet refers to enemy broadcasts in which a few names of Prisoners of War are given by enemy announcers. The leaflet discourages families from listening to them as they are "an advantage to the enemy".
Information about letters for Prisoners of War in German hands dated October 1943 produced by the War Organisation of the British Red Cross Society and Order of St John of Jerusalem, Prisoners of War Department. This sheet explains how to write to POWs and how to address the envelope.
Confidential notice instructing families of RAF personnel, killed, wounded or reported missing to ensure that any noticed published privately do not disclose date, place or circumstance of the casualty or unit in the national interest.
If you would like further information on any of the above mentioned documents, please contact us via the Contact Form on this website.