Henry Birkland
| Henry Birkland | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Henry Birkland |
| Nickname(s) | Hank |
| Born |
16 August 1917 Caldwell, Manitoba |
| Died | 31 March 1944 (aged 26) Between Hirschberg (now Jelenia Góra) and Sagan (now Żagań) |
| Buried | Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland |
| Allegiance |
 Canada
|
| Service/branch | Royal Canadian Air Force |
| Years of service | 1940–1944 |
| Rank | Flight lieutenant |
| Service number | J5233 |
| Unit | No. 72 Squadron RAF |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | |
Henry Birkland (16 August 1917 – 31 March 1944), was a Canadian Spitfire pilot who was taken prisoner during the Second World War. He took part in the 'Great Escape' from Stalag Luft III in March 1944, but was one of the men re-captured and subsequently murdered by the Gestapo.
Birkland was born in Caldwell, Manitoba, Canada and educated in Calgary. He worked as a packer for the Burns Co. in 1937–38, as a truck driver for a gas company in the middle of 1938, briefly as a dishwasher and then a gold miner at Gold Belt mining company in British Columbia for the year until May 1940.
Birkland enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in July 1940 as an aircrew candidate. Following basic training Birkland was promoted to leading aircraftman and posted for flying training to No.11 Elementary Flying Training School RCAF. Graduating in January 1941 he transferred to No.9 Service Flying Training School. As a fully qualified pilot he was promoted sergeant on 26 April 1941. Birkland was commissioned as a pilot officer with effect from 27 April 1941 and sailed to Great Britain to fly operationally with RAF Fighter Command. After six weeks with No.57 Operational Training Unit Birkland joined No. 122 Squadron RAF Fighter Command on 11 August 1941 flying Spitfire aircraft before transferring to No. 72 Squadron RAF on 19 September 1941 where he also flew Spitfires.
Flying operationally with No.72 Squadron, Birkland was pilot of Spitfire Mark Vb serial W3367 on the afternoon of 7 November 1941 on a Rodeo mission over the coast of occupied Europe. Birkland was shot down by Uffz. Heinz Richter from Stab/JG 26 who was claiming Spitfire 2 km North Étaples at 15.10 and captured, becoming a prisoner of war. Following interrogation he was sent to Stalag Luft I as Prisoner of War Number 689 and later to Stalag Luft III in the province of Lower Silesia near the town of Sagan (now Żagań in Poland). He had been a member of an earlier unsuccessful attempt to mass escape from the camp in June 1943.
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