Flight Lieutenant 'Tony' Bethell died on February 17th, sadly just weeks before the 60th Anniversary of the 'Great Escape' on March 24th.
Bethell was posted to 268 Squadron RAF in 1942 following flying training and on November 26th, 1942 during a 'rhubarb' sweep over Holland, shot down a Me109 and Ju52. He thus became one of the first pilots to score combat success in the then very new North American Mustang.
11 days later, his Mustang was hit by flak, again while flying at low-level over Holland, and Bethell was forced to crash-land his aircraft.
Taken POW, he was transferred to Stalag Luft III where he joined the escape committee working on the 'Harry' tunnel. His job was to man 'Leicester Square', the passing-point two-thirds of the way along the 365ft tunnel. After helping 12 men through, he sat in the darkness for 45 minutes without knowing what was happening ; one of the following men had become stuck.
As Tony Bethell's group finally emerged from the tunnel, they hard a shot signalling that the escape was discovered. He teamed up with 'Cookie' Long and headed for the Czech border but were finally recaptured at Benau.
Long and Bethell were then transferred to join other escapers at the Gestapo prison at Gorlitz. Long was taken away and, with 49 of his comrades, shot.
Bethell survived to resume his RAF career post-war, retiring in 1955. He finally settled in Canada.
R.I.P.
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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson
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