{"id":3877,"date":"2019-10-12T23:49:01","date_gmt":"2019-10-13T03:49:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/?p=3877"},"modified":"2019-10-12T23:56:52","modified_gmt":"2019-10-13T03:56:52","slug":"page-4-last-flight-of-hx-313-the-vic-poppa-story-trapped-in-the-tail-bubble-1944","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/?p=3877","title":{"rendered":"Page 4 LAST FLIGHT OF HX 313: THE VIC POPPA STORY “TRAPPED IN THE TAIL BUBBLE” 1944"},"content":{"rendered":"
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PAGE  4<\/div>\n

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LAST FLIGHT OF  HX 313:   VICTOR POPPA \u201cTRAPPED  IN THE TAIL  BUBBLE\u201d  MAY 27\/28,1944<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
alan skeoch<\/div>\n
Oct. 2019<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
This was  HX 313, The Blonde Bomber, 424 Tiger Squadron, RCAF<\/div>\n
Bomber Command, Skipton on Swale, Yorkshire, England<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Each of the survivors in HX 313  had his own  struggle  with death on the night of May  27,1944.<\/div>\n
The most detailed account was sent to me  by  Victor   Poppa who was George Freeman\u2019s<\/div>\n
best friend and a fellow air gunner.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
This  is  Victor Poppa, 22 year old  tail gunner in HX 313.<\/div>\n
I was able to interview  him several times between 1984 and  1987.<\/div>\n
He figured  he was a dead  man when HX 313 was heading<\/div>\n
to the earth ablaze and  pilotless.  Survived. Eventually Victor sent<\/div>\n
me  his diary of his  war experience.  Long and detailed with<\/div>\n
many humourous sexual experiences.  It will take  some  time<\/div>\n
to convert to digital but I will do it.  Victor was George  Freeman\u2019s<\/div>\n
best friend through  1943 snd 1944.  Victor cried when he was<\/div>\n
told of George\u2019s death in 1945.  Five of the  eight man crew of<\/div>\n
HX 313 bailed out and  survived.   Three did not.  George was<\/div>\n
one of the three who died.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
VICTOR POPPA<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cDear Alan,<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Your letter came  to me approximately three weeks ago, and upon opening  and reading the first paragraph, I could not talk.<\/div>\n
My throat constricted  and  I  had to cry.   It was 40 years ago this day (letter written May27, 1944), that we  were preparing for a<\/div>\n
raid on a town in  Belgium\u2026Borg Leopold.  This camp contained 13,000 German troops who had  been fully trained<\/div>\n
and were to be moved  out the following  day.  To keep these  troops out of their air raid shelters and  above ground our<\/div>\n
air force  planners arranged for the RAF to overfly Borg Leopold and  to continue on to  bomb Achen.  This force <\/div>\n
consisted  of  some 200 Lancasters. The Germans at this time went into their air raid shelters.  Then another force of some<\/div>\n
45 Halifax bombers were routed  over our target.  They then made turn and continued on to bomb  Dusseldorf.  Again the<\/div>\n
Germans went under to their shelters.  Then we came along\u2026Number Six Bomber Group, RCAF with 333 aircraft which  included<\/div>\n
424 Squadron Halifax\u2019s ardour aircraft Q.B. – B – Hx313.  QB were the letters of our Squadron.  B was our  airport letter in the <\/div>\n
Squadron.  HX 313 was the serial number of our aircraft.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cWe were to bomb  from three levels.  The first level was  9,000 feet; second level was 10,900 feet; third level or wave was<\/div>\n
11,900 feet.  We  were the third level.  Each wave consisted of 111 and each aircraft carried 18 x  500 pound bombs.<\/div>\n
The  raid was to last for ten minutes.  As I  found  out later this raid was a classic for night bombing accuracy.  We  killed<\/div>\n
8,500 German  soldiers in ten minutes with hardly any casualties the Belgian civilian  population.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Note Made 1984: At this point Victor Poppa explained the routine events  of a  bomber operations day  from briefing to<\/div>\n
a special meal of bacon and eggs.  As the day wears on the crew begin  to get nervous.  Some write  letters.  George  Freeman<\/div>\n
wrote to a girlfriend  (platonic by sound of it) and  sounded  cheerful.  Faking perhaps.  (see Georges\u2019 letters later). <\/div>\n
Some even preferred to write their last wills and  testaments.  Not George  or Victor that I could tell. As evening approaches<\/div>\n
the crew put on their flying suits.  Victor loaned  his fur lined  suit to Bob Irwin as his feet got freezing cold\u2026moreso<\/div>\n
than the rest of the crew. Victor prefers the electric  flying suit as it take less space in the tiny tail gunners bubble. One <\/div>\n
of the most moving snapshots sent was taken surreptitiously from the crew truck.  It shows a corner of the truck<\/div>\n
windshield and  off in the distance silhouette  against the skylines HX 313, the Blonde Bomber.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cInto HX 313 we go, each to his position.   Eric and our passenger  Bob Elliott, co pilot;  Moe, our engineer; Ken to his bomb<\/div>\n
aimer\u2019s position;  Bob, our navigator; and Wilf ,our wireless  operator;\u2026all accounted for. Then George  and  myself  to our <\/div>\n
gunners bubbles\u2026George as  upper middle gunner and me as tail gunner.  Eric  goes through the check  list and soon we<\/div>\n
are taxiing around the perimeter track to the main runway.  In  position. Eric advances the throttle and we are on our way.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Note:  Liftoff is  extremely dangerous  as HX 313 is loaded with bombs  and  high  octane fuel.  An error can detonate the load.<\/div>\n
There would  be little chance of survival.  The crew knows this\u2026they have seen  it happen.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cWe are soon at altitude. Bob, our  navigator, has given Eric  a course and suggested so that we can arrive as scheduled.<\/div>\n
All of the previous aircraft have stirred things up.\u201d  (Perhaps German soldiers in Bourg Leopold will be  out watching<\/div>\n
the bombers overflying their camp.) \u201cKen  (bomb aimer) is now in  his position for  bombing as we start our run.  He <\/div>\n
gives Eric  course directions\u2026left, left, right, etc.  We  are  now but a few miles from the  target when Ken says, \u201cVic, there  is<\/div>\n
a JU 88 below us.  I stand  up and try to see under our aircraft but cannot.   Eric  is asked  to  drop a wing so  George can<\/div>\n
see.   He can\u2019t see it either.  Ken is asked to give Eric evasive  action  instructions if necessary.  Just then there is  a<\/div>\n
horrible explosion in our left inside motor.  HX 313 lurches  up as if struck  by a gigantic hammer.  Flames  run down  our<\/div>\n
left side.  Then a few seconds later there is the clatter of machine gun bullets and  cannon shells slamming  through our<\/div>\n
aircraft.  The plexiglass nose is shot out but the bombs are secure.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cOur bombe did not explode.  There were  fires in from front to rear.  The inside  of much  of the plane was cherry red.<\/div>\n
My first thoughts were: \u2018You have been waiting for this and now  it has finally happened.\u2019 I called on the Intercom<\/div>\n
but received  no answer, only static.  HX 313, however, was still flying in a straight line.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cI pulled off my flying helmet, opened my turret doors, reached for my parachute and snapped it to my chest. I stayed in my<\/div>\n
position because  I saw  no parachute go by the tail.   Then,  a few seconds later, I saw  one.  It was open and  on its side<\/div>\n
parallel to the ground  just missing the  port rudder and fin. Then I decided to go.  I swung my turrets 90 degrees in the<\/div>\n
fuselage and tried to go  out but couldn\u2019t because of the fire and wind.  I tried twice to no avail.   By this time the ground<\/div>\n
was appearing quite close.  I could tell from  the fires that to bail out from the aft fuselage exit would have entailed too much <\/div>\n
time and  by then it would be too late anyway.  So I sat there waiting for my end.  The aircraft then went into a  flat spin.<\/div>\n
My turret twisted  free and I was flung out by the brute force.  My leg, however, was stuck momentarily under my leg guard.<\/div>\n
I could feel my knee pull right out of its socket.   Then my leg came free.  I was falling flat on my back.  I looked on my<\/div>\n
chest for my parachute  and it was not there.  The parachute had been pulled away for my chest by the wind force and was<\/div>\n
 nowhere feet from my face and above.  Pulled on the<\/div>\n
harness  and brought the parachute down close enough so I could  grab  the D ring and pulled. It opened with sharp snap.  A pain<\/div>\n
knifed through my groin, I put my arms above my head, grabbed the harness and  pulled thereby  relieving the pain.  A few<\/div>\n
seconds later I saw  the ground coming up real fast. I felt as though  I was an arrow.  I hit the ground hard  and collapsed<\/div>\n
with my parachute falling on top of me.  I am  sure the chute had  opened  at less that 1,000 feet and our aircraft had been<\/div>\n
at 11,900when we were first hit by the flak and  then shot up  by the JU 88.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cI managed to get onto my feet but I could not feel  anything  from the waist down\u2026felt like metal bands were clamped around<\/div>\n
my ankles and knees.   I was standing balanced as though on stilts.  Just t hen I could hear motors screaming\u2026an aircraft<\/div>\n
in its death sieve.  I Dropped flat to the ground.  It is amazing how close you think you are to the ground, as  if you are being<\/div>\n
pulled down tight, pressed into the grass.  This aircraft hit a few fields away and  exploded.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cAll of this happened at approximately 2 a.m. on the 28th of May, 1944.  After the explosion I found I couldn\u2019t walk but moved with<\/div>\n
a painful shuffle.  I moved away from the area slowly.   At wire fences I would put my body through and  then with my hands pull my legs  through.<\/div>\n
I moved along in this manner until the dawn started to glow.  Then I made my way  into the centre  of a wheat field where  I  lay down<\/div>\n
and fell into a deep  sleep. I awoke at noon hour with the sun shining down at me.   I made my way out of the field and crawled  under<\/div>\n
a tree.  I took off my electric suit and found I  had suffered some  spinal chord damage and had torn open my left leg and buttocks.<\/div>\n
The  leg was swollen twice its normal  size and black  and blue.  I also had torn muscles and  ligaments.  I crawled  to  a farm house<\/div>\n
where the farmer  was kind but reluctant  to hide  me.   He gave  me water and milk to drink.  We were advised in England never<\/div>\n
to impose upon these people.   I they showed willingness, fine.   If not, leave.  If we were caught with them they would suffer<\/div>\n
Grievously.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cMy legs were starting to stiffen up and  the pain was increasing.  I made  my way to another field where I lay down and rolled and rolled<\/div>\n
in agony.   I was this way well into the afternoon.   Finally I felt that I must get  some assistance.  On my knees I made my way  <\/div>\n
back to the  farm house and indicated I  would like police assistance.  While waiting, a Belgian doctor gsve<\/div>\n
me an injection of some sort but it had no effect.  I gave the farm woman all of my escape  money and shortly two Luftwaffe<\/div>\n
NCO\u2019s came  in an automobile.  I was placed in the  back seat with one  NCO and because I  could not bend my  legs I had<\/div>\n
to lay across his body.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cI was driven to our target the previous night.  There was one room left standing where I was deposited on a  bed.   Despite all<\/div>\n
of the  killing we had done I was not mistreated.  I was given a bowl of greasy stew which i could not down.  Later, I was visited<\/div>\n
by a German medical officer   All he did was rant and rave  at me in German.   Although I Felt he was going to strike me, he did not.<\/div>\n
Three days later I was taken outside and placed in the back of a truck with four caskets.  A German NCO pointed to one and<\/div>\n
said \u201cKomerad  Irwin. This was our navigator Bob Irwin.  I gave a negative response.  He then pointed  to the casket on my right<\/div>\n
and said \u201cKamerad Wakely\u201d.  This was the coffin of Wilf Wakely.  Again I gave a negative response .  I was not questioned about the <\/div>\n
third caskrt. This one must have been George. The fourth  was empty as I had moved it with my foot.  At that  time I did not know George<\/div>\n
was dead.   It wasn\u2019t until I returned to England after the war  was over that I got word from RCAF records that George had  been<\/div>\n
killed.  This left me stunned as  Hank (George)  and I were real close friends.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Note:  Victor  Poppa\u2019s account closed the file on the  last flight of HX 313.   He was the last person to get out of the aircraft.  All had<\/div>\n
been able to get out one way or  another, except for George Freeman.  Two who got out were killed when they  hit the ground.<\/div>\n
The rest survived. George was  likely killed  when  the JU 88 strafed the plane.  One of the crew remembers George’s legs hanging down<\/div>\n
as he worked his way past the upper turret to reach the escape hatch.   The nagging thought that George was remained  alive because<\/div>\n
gunners were often trapped in their  turrets like  Victor Poppa.  HX 313 exploded on impact near an abandoned railway station.   Eric  Mallett<\/div>\n
and Ken  Sweatman were escorted  past a pile of melted metal that had once been The Blonde  Bomber.  They could not stop to look<\/div>\n
closely for their  escorts were members of the Belgian Underground and it was imperative that they hide Ken and Eric as <\/div>\n
quickly as possible.   Victor Poppa, George Elliott and Morris Muir became POW\u2019s.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Victor\u2019s adventures as a POW Had similarities to Steve MacQueen in the The Great Escape\u2026only life was a hell of a lot less<\/div>\n
fun.  Worse  for the Russian POW in he adjoining camp where abuse was more prevalent.   Victor had a  choice  when  the war<\/div>\n
ended.  Either to walk out of the Stalag or  stay put until Russian troops took over.  The German guards  just disappeared one<\/div>\n
night leaving the gate  open when the sun came up. Victor and a friend decided  to take their chances  and  start the long and potentially dangerous<\/div>\n
trek through the  Russian sector in hope he could reach the American sector.  He had he good fortune of  hooking up with nine<\/div>\n
French  girls hiking their  way  back  home from a German labour  camp.  <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Victor had been  on a long march  from a  POW camp in Poland to another in Germany.  On that trek he became aware of the<\/div>\n
hatred the German civilian population had toward  air force prisoners.   The bombing of  Bourg Leopold killed  many but the <\/div>\n
constant bombing of German cities killed  a whole lot more.  Mobs tried  to attack air force prisoners. \u201cWhile in Kohn train station we   were<\/div>\n
threatened by a large mob.  Our guards, however, kept order and we were not molested.\u201d   So he knew the risks when  he walked<\/div>\n
out of his Stalag and  headed south to American  lines.   In one instance, at dusk, Victor and  his French girls entered a German house<\/div>\n
which they thought had been abandoned.   Instead they met a  German officer who was already in bed  but with a  Luger under his sheet<\/div>\n
aimed right at them.  They left without incident.  Fear was spreading through the German civilian population in what was to become<\/div>\n
East Germany. German  officers and soldiers feared for their lives.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
REMEMBERING GEORGE (HANK) FREEMAN<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
This story began as an attempt to find out what happened to George Freeman  on that horrific May 27\/28 evening.<\/div>\n
\u201cAt times  Hank and  I went on leave together where we  had undisciplined fun.  Hank had a real way of charming the girls in the mess<\/div>\n
as well as on our trips  away from he base.\u201d  As Day approached the crew of  HX 313 were working together  like  a well<\/div>\n
oiled machine.  A human machine.  \u201cOn one mission it was Hank\u2019s birthday and we  arranged for Ken  to say  \u2018Happy Birthday Hank\u2019 instead<\/div>\n
of \u2019Bombs away\u2019.  QB B HX 313 was shot down on its  fourth mission.   The  crew had  flown more than double that number.  Eight missions<\/div>\n
for some.  For others, many more missions.  The death rate was high.  They knew  that.<\/div>\n
Both planes and men  had short lives in  #6 Bomber Group.   The results of the  steady bombing  was a devastated  Germany.<\/div>\n
Ciies turned into rubble.  Factories flattened.  Many many thousands of people maimed and killed.  As allied land troops fanned<\/div>\n
out across Germany this devastation became an  embarrassment to many.  As a result  the  Bomber  Groups were never  given<\/div>\n
full recognition for their service and some  felt neglected.  Side  lined.  Overlooked.  <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
The  story was assembled back in1984 and now updated in 2019.  Much has happened and continues to happen.<\/div>\n
Discoveries.  Take the war graves for instance.  One of my colleagues, John Maize, was working in Holland in 1984<\/div>\n
and I asked him to see  if he could find the grave  of George Freeman.  He found George and Wilf and Bob all<\/div>\n
buried side  by side in a military grave in Belgium.   What day do you think he visited the grave site? <\/div>\n
\u2026John Maize arrived  there  on May 27, 1984\u2026exactly 40 years to the day after the Bourg Leopold attack.<\/div>\n
And on that same day, May 27, 1984, Victor Poppa, Eric Mallett and Ken Sweatman sent the letters that made this<\/div>\n
story possible..<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
GEORGE FREEMAN\u2019S LAST TWO LETTERS:  THEY WERE NEVER MAILED<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
When George Freeman\u2019s personal things  were returned aunt Kitty and Uncle Chris, there were two letters<\/div>\n
that George had written but never mailed.  They reveal much so have been included.  George was a young man\u2026barely<\/div>\n
past the teen age part of his  life as  will be apparent.  Thoughts  of death are not a big part of the letters but those<\/div>\n
thoughts  can be found between the lines.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cArrmed Forces Air Letter<\/div>\n
Flight Sergeant Freeman, G.F.,<\/div>\n
R190568<\/div>\n
RCAF<\/div>\n
Overseas<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
MAY – 1944 (\/)<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
MRS. C.W. FREEMAN,<\/div>\n
C\/O Scanons Store,<\/div>\n
1439 Kingston Road,<\/div>\n
Toronto 13, Ont.<\/div>\n
Canada<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Dearest Mom and Dad,<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Well dearest, here I  am again.  Have received a letter from you and another from Mickey (sister).  It sure is swell to hear from you.<\/div>\n
We have been pretty busy of late and  I\u2019m pretty tired and would like to see the end  of the war.  Maybe it\u2019ll end soon.  I\u2019m<\/div>\n
flying as a  spare gunner and  also as  a  regular member of the crew, it\u2019s a bit risky flying every time but at least it keeps  me from <\/div>\n
being browned off.  Auntie Jean and everybody down that way are fine and send  their love  to you and dad.  I\u2019m sorry dad can\u2019t get the help <\/div>\n
he needs the golf  course. (Chris was  head greenskeeper at the Hunt Club Golf Course in Scarborough where George spent<\/div>\n
his teen age years  caddying.) I don\u2019t think I told  you about the visit I paid  on my last leave to one  of the girls parents house.<\/div>\n
The girl works in our mess  and is  a good girl.  In fact, mom, she is a Cockney so you have an idea that what she is  like.<\/div>\n
Her parents made me very welcome and  I had two eggs there.  Eggs area blessing when you can get  them.  (This  \u2018good girl\u2019<\/div>\n
and George were planning marriage but her name has been lost).  Frankly,  mom, I like Cockneys the best of anybody<\/div>\n
in the south of England.   They don\u2019t beat around  the bush if they are going to tell you something.  Gosh!  I almost forgot you<\/div>\n
should receive a Victory Bond  pretty soon.  I\u2019ve paid  for it so do what you want with it.  Seems  like there isn\u2019t much more<\/div>\n
to say Mom, outside of I\u2019m fine and  hope you and  everybody are the same.  I\u2019ll close for now with love to all  and  all my love<\/div>\n
 to you and Dad and may God<\/div>\n
be with you.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
All my Love, <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Note: This letter had been \u2018opened by the examiner\u2019  on April 6, 1944.<\/div>\n
All personal letters were censored in case crucial information would<\/div>\n
compromise the war effort.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
George   xxxxxxxxx<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
SECOND LETTER TO \u2018DOT\u2019, A GIRLFRIEND BACK HOME IN CANADA<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
R190568<\/div>\n
Sgt. Freemand,<\/div>\n
RCAF<\/div>\n
OVERSEAS,<\/div>\n
30\/3\/43<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Dear Dot,<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
This is just a couple of paragraphs to let you know I\u2019m still kicking and  that Jerry hasn\u2019t had much  success in getting rid  of me.  How <\/div>\n
goes the battle with you and are you still working as hard as ever?  First, I want to thank you for the swell Valentine.  It was super.<\/div>\n
How did  you ever dig it up?  I\u2019m sorry I couldn\u2019t return the favour and send  you  one.  Guess  you\u2019ll have to settle for a  <\/div>\n
Christmas card when Christmas rolls  around  again.  Will you thank Beryll for her card and tell her as  soon as I can find  the <\/div>\n
address I will write her too. Kind of me don\u2019t you think?  Thank her for the pics  as well.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Things  are pretty much the same as ever over here.  Nothing good to eat and lots of beer.  I\u2019m still as teetotaler.  The dances <\/div>\n
are corny\u2026always  will be.  This mountain music they dish out here is worse than Columbus  Hall  stuff.  Guess  I sound pretty <\/div>\n
browned  off (fed  up) with things. Well I\u2019m not too  badly put out.  It\u2019s just the monotony of things.  One good thing is \u2018leave\u2019<\/div>\n
which comes up pretty regularly.  We do get a  bit of a change in scenery, faces,  etc. I saw Sam Manhood on one leave.  <\/div>\n
He looks  pretty fed up with everything not to mention that he has  aged  about 4 years.  Say, I wonder if I have aged  too?<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
The next thing on my list of jazz to talk about is flying.  That too is very monotonous.   I have put in a few trips  over Germany<\/div>\n
and haven\u2019t had too  much trouble with Jerry although he does try to give us a scare once in awhile.  The last trip over the <\/div>\n
skipper was in an excited mood at having seen his first real live fighter\u2026F.W. 190.  So  he \u201cdood it in his pants\u2019 if you know<\/div>\n
what I  mean.   If  I ever did that I\u2019d ask  for my discharge  so  help me.  The agony of  it was that he had to sit that way for <\/div>\n
six hours.  On the whole it\u2019s not to bad over  there if you keep your eyes open.  Maybe I\u2019ll live through it.  Who knows?<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Let\u2019s skip that and talk about you.  That picture we had taken sure was terrific.  I had some time explaining to the boys<\/div>\n
that it was  purely a platonic  friendship we had for each other.  How goes you and the Masonic Temple.  Still up there regular?<\/div>\n
Are Beryll and  Freddie still on just friendly terms or has Freddie put on the old charm and  made her fall for him?<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Well, Dot, there doesn\u2019t seem to be much  more to say outside of it\u2019s closing time.   So give my love, etc.  to the gang<\/div>\n
and write soon.  Love to Berryl.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
xxxx love xxx<\/div>\n
xxx George xxx<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
CONCLUSION:  SO  MUCH  HAS NOT BEEN EXPLAINED<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
There is so  much that needs saying about HX 313, especially the larger picture of the RCAF and 424 Squadron.  To<\/div>\n
do so , however, needs a lot of space and a lot of time.  Even a discussion of the gunners and their guns needs <\/div>\n
to be explained.  Why were the guns of limited  use?  Why did many gunners see their role as  spotters more<\/div>\n
than gunners?   Why, also, were  the guns useless when  the pilot of HX 313 took evasive action?  Who was<\/div>\n
bomber Harris?  Why did the streets of  Hamburg start to burn after the bomber raids?  How many German<\/div>\n
civilians were killed and maimed by Bomber Command?   Were phosphorus bombs inhumane?  How  many young<\/div>\n
Canadian airmen died?  How  were the thousand bomber air raids organized? What did air crews  do on leave?<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Fortunately I  have Victor Poppa\u2019s diary.   If time allows I will transcribe it in the next few emails.  I should <\/div>\n
warn you however, that it includes sexual exploits.  Readers who find sex distasteful  have now been  forewarned.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
alan skeoch<\/div>\n
Oct. 10, 2019<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

PAGE  4 LAST FLIGHT OF  HX 313:   VICTOR POPPA \u201cTRAPPED  IN THE TAIL  BUBBLE\u201d  MAY 27\/28,1944 alan skeoch Oct. 2019 This was  HX 313, The Blonde Bomber, 424 Tiger Squadron, RCAF Bomber Command, Skipton on Swale, Yorkshire, England Each of the survivors in HX 313  had his own  struggle  with death on the night […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3877","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3877","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3877"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3877\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3877"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3877"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3877"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}