LM621 (HW-C) 100 Sqn

William Struck was a machinist from Preston, Ontario, Canada. He was the Rear Gunner in the LM621 crew.

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Bill originally joined the Highland Light Infantry of Canada aged 14 but wasn't allowed to go to war because he was too young. He then joined the Perth Country Regiment, but was denied active service because of his age. Another failed attempt with the Scots Fusiliers of Canada followed.

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Struck joined the RCAF in Oct 42 shortly after his 19th Birthday.

 

He was knocked unconsious when bailing out of the aircraft. He awoke around 5AM the following morning on the ground with his parachute wrapped in a tree. He buried the parachute, harness, mae west and flying clothing in the field and walked to a nearby house. From there he was moved to a house near to La Ferte-Saint-Aubin where he met up with F/O Frink, P/O  Kay and Sgt Fulsher.

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On 12th July Frink and Struck headed towards Normandy in the hope of meeting Allied troops. Kay and Fulscher headed towards Paris. On July 20, they contacted a Resistance group in Louvigny, in the Sarthe. Frink quotes later "Jean BEDOUIN" (?) From Louvigny. They are provided with civilian clothes and they are placed on a farm about 1 km from Louvigny where they stay until August 3. On this date, the Resistants drive them in a dairy truck to Montmirail, still in Sarthe, and place them in the "BASHILLEE (phonetic)" family (in fact, with Jean BACHELIER, head of the local Maquis). Frink leaves the farm on August 11, Struck staying with BACHELIER. Frink finally meets American troops at Le Mans and, despite his requests to be able to return to Montmirail and find Struck, he is not authorized to do so. In Appendix "C" to his report, dated the day before (August 13, 1944), Frink slightly modified the places and dates: after their departure from Ménestreau-en-Villette, it was in Mamers, to the north from Le Mans, that Struck and he contacted the Resistance, staying there until July 20, the day they were taken to Montmirail where they were accommodated until August 11 in a family (the BACHELIER, therefore ...). From Montmirail, they are driven by dairy truck to Vibraye. Given rumors that the Germans were going to arrest everyone, Frink indicates that they ("we") go immediately to "St Mars" (it must be Saint-Mars-la-Brière) and the next day at Le Mans where they ("we") are recovered by American troops. He goes on to say that later,

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Frink mentions that Struck was "picked up by tank unit" and it turns out that it happened in Montmirail on August 13, 1944, Struck meeting the group "Sherwood" (Operation Marathon ) at Busloup, a few kilometers south of Bellande (Fréteval Forest). This is how the name of Struck is linked to the escapees hidden in Fréteval.

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Led to Paris where he is interrogated for the first time, William Struck leaves France by plane on August 18, 1944 and arrives the same day in Northolt, from where he will be taken to London for further interrogation and establishment of his report. evasion.