Page 100 - William B. Lake
P. 100
Fifth Operation
th
May 11 1945 Take off: 11.39 am. Return: 17.24pm.
Brussels B58 (Melsbroek) - Operation Exodus Lancaster LM294 P - Peter
rd
st
Between 3 April and 31 May 1945 Bomber Command flew missions to bring
PoWs back to the UK. By April 1945 there were more than 354,000 ex-prisoners of
war stranded in Europe, having been liberated from PoW camps hundreds of miles
from their homeland. They had travelled to collection points all over Europe but had
no means of coming home. Many of these young men were sick, starving and
wounded so it was obvious that they needed help and quickly. A massive air
operation would be required and the Lancaster was one of the aircraft thought most
suitable for this kind of use. The aircraft were adapted to carry small groups of
between 20 to 24 people. Collection airfields were Lubeck (Germany), Brussels
(Belgium) and Juvincourt (France), while reception airfields were RAF Dunsfold in
Surrey, RAF Wing,RAF Westcott in Buckinghamshire and RAF Ford in Hampshire.
