|
|
|
B A Jimmy James
| Squadron Leader B A Jimmy James MC (deceased) Squadron Leader B. A. Jimmy James, MC, survivor of the Great Escape from Stalag Luft III. Bertram Arthur James was born in India on April 17th, 1915 where his father was a tea-planter. He was educated at Kings School, Canterbury, and worked in British Columbia from 1934 until volunteering for flying training with the RAF in 1939. He was commissioned and posted to 9 Sqn flying Wellingtons from Honington in Suffolk. In June 1940 his aircraft was badly hit by flak over Holland while on a bombing raid to Germany and he was forced to bail out. He was captured and taken prisoner but then embarked on what was to become a prolific period of escaping including the Great Escape from Stalag Luft III. Jimmy James was one of 76 officers who escaped from Stalag Luft III on the night of March 24, 1944, and was fortunate not to be among the 50 executed on Hitlers order on recapture. He was sent instead to Sachsenhausen concentration camp from where he tunnelled his way out, only to be caught again after 14 days on the run. He was awarded the MC and mentioned in dispatches for his escape attempts. Squadron Leader B. A. Jimmy James retired from the RAF in 1958 and held a number of posts in the Diplomatic Service. He was the general-secretary of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office-sponsored Great Britain-USSR Association, until joining the Diplomatic Service in 1964. He held posts in Africa, Western and Eastern Europe and London. He retired in 1975, when he visited Sachsenhausen with Jack Churchill and other survivors. He served as the British representative on the International Sachsenhausen Committee until shortly before his death. He died on January 18th, 2008, aged 92 |
Items Signed by Squadron Leader B A Jimmy James MC (deceased) |
| Lancaster Arrival by Graeme Lothian. (P) Price : £500.00 | A Lancaster returns to its home airfield. ...... | |
| Bill Reid VC by Graeme Lothian. (P) Price : £500.00 | Lancaster LM360, piloted by Bill Reid, is raked by fire from stem to stern by a Luftwaffe Fw190 fighter. Bill Reid had already sustained injuries to his head, torso and hands from a previous attack by an Me110, but, with this rest of his crew unsca...... | |
The Great Escape by Richard Taylor. (D) SOLD OUT | Everyone here in this room is living on borrowed time. By rights we should all be dead! The only reason that God allowed us this extra ration of life is so we can make life hell from the Hun.. ... three bloody deep, bloody long tunnels will be ...... | NOT AVAILABLE | |
| Alone at Dawn by Gerald Coulson. Price : £210.00 | Heavily damaged by flak and with one engine out, a Lancaster slowly makes its way home far behind the main force. ...... | |
| Alone at Dawn by Gerald Coulson (AP) Price : £280.00 | Heavily damaged by flak and with one engine out, a Lancaster slowly makes its way home far behind the main force....... |
| Alone at Dawn by Gerald Coulson (B) Price : £300.00 | Heavily damaged by flak and with one engine out, a Lancaster slowly makes its way home far behind the main force ...... | |
| Alone at Dawn by Gerald Coulson. (XX) Price : £150.00 | Heavily damaged by flak and with one engine out, a Lancaster slowly makes its way home far behind the main force. ...... |
Packs with at least one item featuring the signature of Squadron Leader B A Jimmy James MC (deceased) |
Lancaster Bomber Prints by Stephen Brown and Gerald Coulson. Pack Price : £270.00 Saving : £240 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Welcome Home by Stephen Brown. Alone at Dawn by Gerald Coulson. |
Squadrons for : Squadron Leader B A Jimmy James MC (deceased) | ||
A list of all squadrons known to have been served with by Squadron Leader B A Jimmy James MC (deceased). A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name. | ||
Squadron | Info | |
Country : UK Founded : 8th December 1914 Per noctum volamus - Through the night we gly | No.9 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available. |
Aircraft for : Squadron Leader B A Jimmy James MC (deceased) | |||
A list of all aircraft associated with Squadron Leader B A Jimmy James MC (deceased). A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name. | |||
Squadron | Info | ||
Manufacturer : Vickers Production Began : 1938 Retired : 1953 | Wellington The Vickers Wellington was a Bomber aircraft and also used for maritime reconnaissance. and had a normal crew of six except in the MKV and VI where a crew of three was used. Maximum speed was 235 mph (MK1c) 255 mph (MK III, X) and 299 mph (MK IIII), normal operating range of 1805 miles (except MK III which was 1470miles) The Wellington or Wimpy as it was known, was the major bomber of the Royal Air Force between 1939 and 1943. The Royal Air Force received its first Wellingtons in October 1938 to 99 squadron. and by the outbreak of World war two there were 6 squadrons equipped with the Vickers Wellington. Due to heavy losses on daylight raids, the Wellington became a night bomber and from 1940 was also used as a long range bomber in North Africa. and in 1942 also became a long range bomber for the royal Air Force in India. It was well used by Coastal Command as a U-Boat Hunter. The Wellington remained in service with the Royal Air Force until 1953. Probably due to its versatile use, The aircraft was also used for experimental work including the fitting of a pressure cabin for High altitude tests. The Vickers Wellington could sustain major damage and still fly, probably due to its construction of its geodesic structure and practical application of geodesic lines. Designed by Sir Barnes Wallis |
Contact Details |
Sign Up To Our Newsletter!
This website is owned by Cranston Fine Arts. Torwood House, Torwoodhill Road, Rhu, Helensburgh, Scotland, G848LE Contact: Tel: (+44) (0) 1436 820269. Email: cranstonorders -at- outlook.com |
|