CAHILL, John Frederick
| Service Number: | 403633 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 3 February 1941 |
| Last Rank: | Flight Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | No. 466 Squadron (RAAF) |
| Born: | Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia, 15 September 1916 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Feb 1941: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Lieutenant, 403633 | |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Feb 1941: | Transferred Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Lieutenant, No. 466 Squadron (RAAF) | |
| 1 Mar 1948: | Discharged Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Lieutenant, 403633 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Christian Heslop
when John Frederick Cahill was shot down over Germany in 1943, he was serving as a bomb aimer in NO 466 squadron (RAAF). when he parachuted out of the plane he came in over a little town in Germany, he attempted to take some civilian clothing off of a washing line but it backfired. he was caught be a German policeman but he was determined to get away. he grabbed a pitchfork off of the ground and attempted to kill the police officer, unfortunately, he failed and the police officer drew his luger and he was caught. he was put in what was called the ice room for a month so that he would fold under harsh conditions and tell the SS officers where his base was etc A month later he did not tell them a thing. he was transferred from stalag to stalag until eventually, he ended up in the infamous Stalag Luft III. He was in the great escape but not as a POW who escaped but he helped dig the tunnels and released dirt from his trousers like in the movie. he was liberated in early 1945 by British and American forces and lived until the 1980's
(this account was told to me by his daughter who is a teacher at my school, she still has his letters, medals, and uniforms from the second world war)