• Handley Page HP.52 Hampden

Date of birth:

November 28th, 1921

Date of death:

March 29th, 1944

Buried on:

Commonwealth War Cemetery Poznan
Grave: 9A.

Service number:

400364

Nationality:

Australian (1901-present, Federal Monarchy)

Only three months after finishing at Geelong Grammar, Jimmy Catanach had enlisted at 18 years old in the RAAF. At 20 he was a squadron leader, the youngest in the history of the service.
On September 6th, 1942 Catanach was detailed for Murmansk, Russia, to protect Arctic convoys with his Hampden. Near the Finnish/Norwegian border, anti-aircraft fire from an armed trawler forced him to crash land.
He was subsequently sent to Stalag Luft III.
On March 24th, 1944 Catanach took part in the Great Escape where 76 men tried to escape trough a tunnel. Catanach was recaptured at Flensburg and was one of the 50 men who was ordered by Hitler to be murdered. On March 29th, 1944 Catanach was executed by Sturmbannfurher Johannes Post who shot him trough the heart. Jimmy Catanach was cremated at Kiel.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Flight Lieutenant

Unit:

No. 455 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force

Awarded on:

June 26th, 1942

Citation:
"On three occasions, in spite of severe damage sustained by his aircraft, this officer flew it back to base and landed without further damage or injury to the crew. Fit. Lt. Catanach has made successful attacks on Hamburg, Essen, Cologne, Lorient and Lubeck.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Squadron Leader

Awarded on:

June 8th, 1944

Awarded for:

Operation Escape 200

• Photo 1: Niebieska Eskadra
• - Third Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 35609 published on the 23 June 1942
  - Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 36544 published on the 2 June 1944
  - Anglo Indian Portal - The Fifty
  - Commonwealth War Graves Commission
  

Helaas geen map gevonden.

Memorial to "The Fifty"

Żagań - Lubusz

Handley Page HP.52 Hampden