My father is Sgt Donald John Jeffs, usually nicknamed ‘Duncan’ during the war. He was the only survivor of the crash of Short Stirling bomber W7531 ‘MacRoberts Reply’ on 18 May 1942.
He was taken POW shortly after the crash after initially being helped by the Danish Resistance. His injuries needed treatment so they gave him to the German army who treated him well and put him into a hospital in Rensburg (under guard!) before transporting him to Stalag Luft and then on to Stalag VIIIB in the autumn of 1942 (he is not aware of the dates unfortunately). He was in VIIB until the Long March which he was on ending up at Stalag XII in Fallingbostal in 1945.
I don’t have any photographs of him in the POW camps, or any knowledge of friends he made there, as he seems to have forgotten it (or more likely blanked it out) but I attach a picture of how he looked in 1941 which you can use. I hope it helps to trace anyone who may have known him.
Received: February 2015
From: Philip Jeffs
On behalf of: Donald John Jeffs
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